The popularity and frequent repetition of the Mimes came gradually to purify their grossness; and the writers of them, at length, were not contented merely with the fame of amusing the Roman populace by ribaldry. They carried their pretensions higher; and, while they sometimes availed themselves of the licentious freedom to which this species of drama gave unlimited indulgence, they interspersed the most striking truths and beautiful moral maxims in these ludicrous and indecent farces. This appears from the Mimes of DECIMUS LABERIUS and PUBLIUS SYRUS, who both flourished during the dictatorship of Julius Cæsar. LABERIUS. In earlier periods, as has been already mentioned, the writer was also the chief representer of the Mime. Laberius, however, was not originally an actor, but a Roman knight of respectable family and character, who occasionally amused himself with the composition of these farcical productions. He was at length requested by Julius Cæsar to appear on the stage after he had reached the age of sixty, and act the Mimes, which he had sketched or written(546). Aware that the entreaties of a perpetual dictator are nearly equivalent to commands, he reluctantly complied; but in the prologue to the first piece which he acted, he complained bitterly to the audience of the degradation to which he had been subjected— “Ego, bis trecenis annis actis, sine notâ, Eques Romanus lare egressus meo, Domum revertar Mimus. Nimirum hoc die Uno plus vixi mihi, quàm vivendum fuit. Fortuna, immoderata in bono æque atque in malo, Si tibi erat libitum, literarum laudibus Floris cacumen nostræ famæ frangere, Cur cum vigebam membris præ viridantibus, Satisfacere populo, et tali cum poteram viro, Non flexibilem me concurvàsti ut caperes? Nunc me quo dejicis? quid ad scenam affero, Decorem formæ, an dignitatem corporis? Animi virtutem, an vocis jucundæ sonum? Ut hedera serpens vires arboreas necat; Ita me vetustas amplexu annorum enecat(547).” The whole prologue, consisting of twenty-nine lines, which have been preserved by Macrobius, is written in a fine vein of poetry, and with all the high spirit of a Roman citizen. It breathes in every verse the most bitter and indignant feelings of wounded pride, and highly exalts our opinion of the man, who, yielding to an irresistible power, preserved his dignity while performing a part which he despised. It is difficult to conceive how, in this frame of mind, he could assume the jocund and unrestrained gaiety of a Mime, or how the Roman people could relish so painful a spectacle. He is said, however, to have represented the feigned character with inimitable grace and spirit. But in the course of his performance he could not refrain from expressing strong sentiments of freedom and detestation of tyranny. In one of the scenes he personated a Syrian slave; and, while escaping from the lash of his master, he exclaimed,