[238] CUPID AND PSYCHE. The story of Cupid and Psyche was the primeval prototype of Cinderella and a thousand other gems of primitive poetry, and was familiar in nurseries of every rank long before Appuleius cast it into shape, availing himself no doubt of several traditional versions. “Once upon a time there were a king and queen, who had three beautiful daughters,” (_Erant in quadam civitate rex et regina; hi tres numero filias forma conspicuas habuere_,) was no doubt as favorite a legend with the children of that age as with ours. [239] IN THE FORUM, that is in the basilica situated in the forum. [240] BASILICA, (βασιλική _scil. domus_ or _porticus_--royal house) a magnificent public building, used for holding courts of law, or transacting commercial business, and thus at the same time a court-house and exchange. Above were seats for the spectators. The basilicas consisted of a central nave and two side ones, divided from the former by columns. After Constantine the Great had transformed numerous basilicas into churches, the name and style of architecture became associated with the latter. [241] THEOGNIS. An elegiac poet from Attic Megara, who lived B.C. 520. The lines here quoted by Lucilia may be found _Eleg._ 1323, and in the original text run: Κυπρογένη, παῦσόν με πόνων, σκέδασον δὲ μερίμνας Θυμοβόρους, στρέφου δ’ἁυθις ἐς εὐφροσύνας. [242] OLD SINNER! Lucilia here speaks in the tone of the old Latin comedies (_Plautus_, _Terence_). [243] MATHEMATICIAN. The usual name of the (principally Chaldean) astrologers. [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 (Λυαῖο), 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.)