登陆注册
5371300000026

第26章

The poet did not require much pressing. He drew forth from his vest a roll of papyrus, and after hemming three times, as much to command silence as to clear his voice, he began that wonderful ode, of which, to the great mortification of the author of this history, no single verse can be discovered.

By the plaudits he received, it was doubtless worthy of his fame; and Glaucus was the only listener who did not find it excel the best odes of Horace.

The poem concluded, those who took only the cold bath began to undress; they suspended their garments on hooks fastened in the wall, and receiving, according to their condition, either from their own slaves or those of the thermae, loose robes in exchange, withdrew into that graceful circular building which yet exists, to shame the unlaving posterity of the south.

The more luxurious departed by another door to the tepidarium, a place which was heated to a voluptuous warmth, partly by a movable fireplace, principally by a suspended pavement, beneath which was conducted the caloric of the laconicum.

Here this portion of the intended bathers, after unrobing themselves, remained for some time enjoying the artificial warmth of the luxurious air.

And this room, as befitted its important rank in the long process of ablution, was more richly and elaborately decorated than the rest; the arched roof was beautifully carved and painted; the windows above, of ground glass, admitted but wandering and uncertain rays; below the massive cornices were rows of figures in massive and bold relief; the walls glowed with crimson, the pavement was skillfully tessellated in white mosaics. Here the habituated bathers, men who bathed seven times a day, would remain in a state of enervate and speechless lassitude, either before or (mostly) after the water-bath; and many of these victims of the pursuit of health turned their listless eyes on the newcomers, recognizing their friends with a nod, but dreading the fatigue of conversation.

>From this place the party again diverged, according to their several fancies, some to the sudatorium, which answered the purpose of our vapor-baths, and thence to the warm-bath itself; those more accustomed to exercise, and capable of dispensing with so cheap a purchase of fatigue, resorted at once to the calidarium, or water-bath.

In order to complete this sketch, and give to the reader an adequate notion of this, the main luxury of the ancients, we will accompany Lepidus, who regularly underwent the whole process, save only the cold bath, which had gone lately out of fashion. Being then gradually warmed in the tepidarium, which has just been described, the delicate steps of the Pompeian elegant were conducted to the sudatorium. Here let the reader depict to himself the gradual process of the vapor-bath, accompanied by an exhalation of spicy perfumes. After our bather had undergone this operation, he was seized by his slaves, who always awaited him at the baths, and the dews of heat were removed by a kind of scraper, which (by the way) a modern traveler has gravely declared to be used only to remove the dirt, not one particle of which could ever settle on the polished skin of the practised bather.

Thence, somewhat cooled, he passed into the water-bath, over which fresh perfumes were profusely scattered, and on emerging from the opposite part of the room, a cooling shower played over his head and form. Then wrapping himself in a light robe, he returned once more to the tepidarium, where he found Glaucus, who had not encountered the sudatorium; and now, the main delight and extravagance of the bath commenced. Their slaves anointed the bathers from vials of gold, of alabaster, or of crystal, studded with profusest gems, and containing the rarest unguents gathered from all quarters of the world. The number of these smegmata used by the wealthy would fill a modern volume--especially if the volume were printed by a fashionable publisher; Amaracinum, Megalium, Nardum--omne quod exit in um--while soft music played in an adjacent chamber, and such as used the bath in moderation, refreshed and restored by the grateful ceremony, conversed with all the zest and freshness of rejuvenated life.

同类推荐
  • 曲礼下

    曲礼下

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Cruise of the Cachalot

    The Cruise of the Cachalot

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 别庵禅师同门录

    别庵禅师同门录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严道场起止大略

    华严道场起止大略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Essay on the Nature of Commerce in General

    Essay on the Nature of Commerce in General

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 无脸恶魔

    无脸恶魔

    连环命案疑云笼罩——8月20日,又有一名女子死于非命,这是同一个杀手所为吗?当地一所重点高中转入了一名插班生岸田,入校第一天就结识了一个叫御名都的人。御名都也是插班生,因为与校花确定了“初步恋爱”关系,名声大噪。杀人事件还在继续,黑色的魔爪是否会延伸到校园里?只求平稳度日的御名都因校花女友受到威胁,还能置身事外么?假如自己的秘密被揭穿,善良而又邪恶的空洞少年又会怎么做?回答这些疑问,发挥你的想象力吧!但是,切记,不要轻易相信自己的猜测,故事绝非那么简单,甚至会颠覆你的想象!
  • 李嘉诚给青少年的10条准则

    李嘉诚给青少年的10条准则

    《李嘉诚给青少年的10条准则》一书从十个方面归纳总结了李嘉诚做人做事的准则,可以给青少年朋友带去奋斗的目标和生命的启迪,十条准则包括:理想与求知;勤恳与律己;谦虚与骄傲;思想与智慧;诚信与责任;为人与处世;思维与创新;分享与合作;让利与得利;富贵与博大。
  • 落花风起,你不来

    落花风起,你不来

    这是一场由订婚引发的将计就计。凌向佑:“我想护你一世安,为你做尽所有事。不求你理解,只盼有朝一日能捧着热腾腾的满意结果到你面前,让你开心”。想让你眉目含笑,恣意潇洒,率性纯真,一路笑闹到我面前。至今仍记得当年的画面:阳湖桥上,西风乍起,落花纷纷,春水微皱,你眉弯浅浅,笑颜赠春风。我希望,最后的最后,你依旧如昔。
  • 异界之文明建设

    异界之文明建设

    陈乐在异界创造国强民富的华夏帝国!引领艾泽星球的潮流!让华夏文明传播到世界每个角落!陈乐想要的很简单——让老人老有所依,可以安享晚年;让父母不再担心孩子被人贩子拐卖;让孩子们喝上放心牛奶;走在路上不用担心被碰瓷;让好人得到好报;文明社会的建设需要所有人共同努力!加油!
  • 末世重生之泪灵

    末世重生之泪灵

    【(正文完结,无男主)前四十章与末世无关,看末世的请跳到四十章后】 末世第十年,林灵死了。十年的忍辱负重,为了报仇她苟延残喘地活着,生不如死。最后,为了所谓的“大局为重”,竟眼睁睁地看着仇人笑着离开……而她,只落得一个被丧尸分食的结局?可笑的是,在死亡的前一刻,她发现她所求的,不是复仇,而是好好地活下去。神秘声音出现,她在黑暗中向祂许下一个看似可笑的愿望。然后,当林灵再次睁开眼时,她发现,她真的重生在了一切错误都未开始的二十五年前。满心欢喜地开始重启的人生,封存的记忆也被拾回,命运的轨迹开始改变。这一世,她会还曾欠下的债,守护好想要守护的人。只是……非人类是什么鬼?
  • 世界文学知识大课堂:西欧现代文学大作

    世界文学知识大课堂:西欧现代文学大作

    内容全面具体,具有很强的资料性和系统性,是广大读者学习了解世界文学的良好读物。文学作品是作家根据一定的立场、观点、社会理想和审美观念,从社会生活中选取一定的材料,经过提炼加工而后创作出来的。它既包含客观的现实生活,也包含作家主观的思想感情,因此,文学作品通过相应的表现形式,具有很强的承载性,这就是作品的具体内容。文学简史主要指文学发展的历史进程,这跟各国历史发展是相辅相成的。历史的发展为文学的发展提供了时代背景,而文学的发展也形象地记录了历史发展的真实面貌。
  • 许你万丈光芒好

    许你万丈光芒好

    “你救了我,我让我爹地以身相许!”宁夕意外救了只小包子,结果被附赠了一只大包子。婚后,陆霆骁宠妻如命千依百顺,虐起狗来连亲儿子都不放过。“老板,公司真给夫人拿去玩?难道夫人要卖公司您也不管?”“卖你家公司了?”“大少爷,不好了!夫人说要把屋顶掀了!”“还不去帮夫人扶梯子。”“粑粑,谢谢你给小宝买的大熊!”“那是买给你妈妈的。”“老公,这个剧本我特别喜欢,我可以接吗?”陆霆骁神色淡定:“可以。”当天晚上,宁夕连滚带爬跑出去。陆霆骁!可以你大爷!!!曾用名《隐婚100分:惹火娇妻嫁一送一》,出版名《君子报恩》。
  • 阴司神道阎罗天子

    阴司神道阎罗天子

    地府十殿阎王的阎罗王与西方灵魂主神拼杀,最终用了亿万年积攒的一点时空轮回之力,托生到另一个陌生的王朝世界,集东西方神道之大成,建立新的鬼神秩序。阎王说:“善有善报,恶有恶报,不是不报,时候未到!”阎王还说:“阎王让你三更死,谁敢留你到五更。”
  • 重生之顾简进行时

    重生之顾简进行时

    既然老天开眼,让她重活一世。那么这一世,她顾简一定好好对待,不负此生!
  • 重刻菩萨戒本疏

    重刻菩萨戒本疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。