[244] All things flow away! (πάντα ῥεῖ) asserted the philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus, (460 B.C.) called on account of his obscurity, "the dark.”
[245] Lyaeus (Λυαῖος), the deliverer, the care-dispeller, a name given Bacchus.
[246] Barbillus. An astrologer of this name is mentioned. Dio Cass, LXVI, 9.
[247] Last night i had a dream. Faith in the prophetic character of dreams was universal in Rome; their interpretation was a regular profession. A surprising example of the seriousness with which the representatives of this “profession” regarded their calling, is furnished in the dream-book of the (undoubtedly sincere) Artemidorus, (Daldianus.) If Lucilia laughs at Cornelia’s fears, it is a piece of free-thinking which did not often happen, and springs rather from a merry, saucy mood, than the deeper source of a philosophical conviction.
[248] Our god and master Domitian. The emperor Domitian ordered himself to be called, “God and Master.” Suet, Dom. 13.
[249] Funeral banquet. The story of the nocturnal summons to the senators and knights is related by Dio Cassius (LXVII, 9.)
[250] The meanest suburb. Butuntum, a little city in Apulia, now Bitonto, is used by Martial (Ep. II, 48 and IV, 55) as a synonym for “quiet provincial town,” as the inhabitants of Berlin say: “Treuenbrietzen” or "Perleberg.”
[251] Utter contempt. One of the principal amusements of gay young men was to play pranks in the streets at night, usually on the proletarii. A special favorite was the Sagatio, which consisted in putting some unfortunate wight in a cloak, and tossing him up and down like Sancho Panza.
[252] The back door. (Posticum) was the name given to the little door, leading from the back of the cavaedium or peristyle to the street.
[253] Perfume of incense. Incense (thus) was generally used not only in the temple of Isis, but at the ceremonies attending the offering of sacrifices in the Roman national worship. It was the resin from an Arabian tree, and the so-called liquid incense was considered the best.