[95] CAESAR’S FRIENDS. Among the “friends (_amici_) of the emperor,” were included those persons, who not only regularly shared the social pleasures of the sovereign, but were invited to consult with him on all important government business. Within this group of friends there were of course inner, outer, and outermost circles. Quintus, who had little intercourse with the court, can only be included in the outermost circle of all, and even there more on account of his father, who was one of the emperor’s most intimate “friends,” than by virtue of his own relations with the palace. He of course had a right to appear at court, like all persons of his rank, even without a special “relation of friendship” to the emperor. When inner and outer _circles_ of friends are mentioned, this must not be confounded with the different _classes_ of friends. Belonging to the first or second class implied a distinction of _rank_. Of course, in this sense, Quintus could only be numbered among the first class (_primi amici_). [96] CYPRIS. A name given to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, from the island of Cyprus, the principal seat of her worship. [97] A SLAVE. Domitia had been the mistress of Paris, a slave and actor. When Domitian discovered it, he wished to sentence the empress to death, but at the intercession of Ursus, changed the decree to exile. Paris was massacred in the open street. (See Dio Cass. LXVII 3; Suet. _Dom._ 3.) Quintus calls Paris a buffoon out of contempt, for the profession of “player” was regarded by the ancient Romans as degrading. CHAPTER IV.