Terence artfully makes Simo use the word _discessio_ instead of _divortium_, or _discidium_, or _repudium_: which means the worst kind of divorce. _Discessio_, among the Romans, was nearly the same as _a separation_ among us: by separation, I mean what our lawyers call _divorce a mensa et thoro_; _which does not dissolve the marriage_; and which they place in opposition to _divorce a vinculo matrimonii_; which is a total divorce. In the earlier ages of the Roman Republic, the wife had no option of divorcing her husband: but it was afterwards allowed, as we see in _Martial_. “Mense novo Jani _veterem, Proculeia, maritum Deseris_, atque jubes res sibi habere suas. Quid, rogo, quid factum est? subiti quæ causa doloris?” B. 10. Epigr. 39. NOTE 154ᴬ. _Why is not the bride brought? it grows late._ An Athenian bride was conveyed to her bridegroom’s house in the evening by torchlight, attended by her friends: _vide_ Notes 116, 117, 118, 119. Various singular customs prevailed among the Athenians at their marriages: when the bride entered her new habitation, quantities of sweetmeats were poured over her person: she and her husband also ate quinces, and the priests who officiated at marriages (_vide St. Basil_, _Hom._ 7, _Hexame._) first made a repast on grasshoppers, (τέττιγες, cicadæ,) which were in high esteem among the Athenians, who wore golden images of this insect in their hair, and, on that account, were called τέττιγες. Grasshoppers were thought to have originally sprung from the earth; and, for that reason, were chosen as the symbol of the Athenians, who pretended to the same origin. NOTE 154ᴮ. _I have been fearful that you would prove perfidious, like the common herd of slaves, and deceive me in this intrigue of Pamphilus._ Ego dudum non nil veritus sum. Donatus makes a remark on the style of this sentence, which deserves attention, “gravis oratio ab hoc pronomine (_ego_) plerumque inchoatur,” a speech which begins with the pronoun _ego_ is generally grave and serious: to which some commentator has added the following remark respecting the before-mentioned passage from Terence, “Est autem hoc principium orationis Simonis à benevolentia per antithesin.” The remarks of _Donatus_ and _Nonnius_ on the style of our author, are generally very acute and ingenious. _Scaliger_, _Muretus_, and _Trapp_, may be added to the critics before mentioned. The learned writer last named has composed a treatise in Latin “_De Dramate_,” which contains many very valuable hints relative to dramatic writing. NOTE 155. _Simo.――Ha! what’s that you say?_