Southern Pioneer, And Carroll, Choctaw And Tallahatchie Counties Advertiser

JESTS OF DOMITIAN.—Like Nero, whom he resembled in some points, Domitian was capricious in his cruelty. When at the shows which followed the triumphs, a tempest of rain came on he would not allow any one to quit the place and seek shelter. He himself also remained, but he had several cloaks, and changed them as they became wet. Many of the spectators died in consequence of colds and fevers. To console them, he invited them to a public supper, which lasted all through the night. He gave the Senate and Knights also a curious supper, at the same time. The room in which he received them was made perfectly black, the seats were black; by each stood a pillar with the name of the guest on it, and a sepulchral lamp: naked slaves blackened to resemble spectres came and danced a horrid measure around them, and then each seated himself at the feet of a guest; the funeral meats were then brought in black vessels. All sat quaking in silence; Domitian alone spoke, and his discourse was of death. At length he dismissed them; but at the porch, instead of their own attendants, they found strange ones, with chairs and sedans to convey them to their homes. When they were at home and began to respire freely, word came to each that one was come from the Emperor; terror returned, but it was agreeably dispelled by finding that the pillar, which was silver, the supper utensils of valuable materials and the slave who had played the ghost, were arrived presents from the palace. Knightley's Roman Empire.