In spite of the laws enacted against gaming, the court of the Emperor Augustus was greatly addicted to that vice, and gave it additional stimulus among the nation. Although, however, he was passionately fond of gambling, and made light of the imputation on his character,(25) it appears that in frequenting the gambling table he had other motives besides mere cupidity. Writing to his daughter he said, 'I send you a sum with which I should have gratified my companions, if they had wished to play at dice or odds and evens.' On another occasion he wrote to Tiberius:—'If I had exacted my winnings during the festival of Minerva; if I had not lavished my money on all sides; instead of losing twenty thousand sestercii (about L1000), I should have gained one hundred and fifty thousand (L7500). I prefer it thus, however; for my bounty should win me immense glory.'(26)
(25) Aleae rumorem nullo modo expavit. Suet. in Vita Augusti.
(26) Sed hoc malo: benignitas enim mea me ad coelestem gloriam efferet. Ubi supra.
This gambling propensity subjected Augustus to the lash of popular epigrams; among the rest, the following:
Postquam bis classe victus naves perdidit, Aliquando ut vincat, ludit assidud aleam.
'He lost at sea; was beaten twice, And tries to win at least with dice.'
But although a satirist by profession, the sleek courtier Horace spared the emperor's vice, contenting himself with only declaring that play was forbidden.(27) The two following verses of his, usually applied to the effects of gaming, really refer only to RAILLERY.
(27) Carm. lib. III. Od. xxiv.
Ludus enim genuit trepidum certamen et iram; Ira truces inimicitias et funebre bellum.(28)
(28) Epist. lib. I. xix.