These were the principal actors of their company, but otherwise persons of little note; for contrary to the customs of Greece, where men of the highest rank thought it no degradation to appear on the stage; the actors at the Roman theatres were not treated with that consideration to which persons of talent, who furnish the public with a polite and rational amusement, united with instruction, have a just and undeniable claim. However unjust the Romans might have been in this particular, they made an exception in favour of transcendent merit; as in the case of the admirable Roscius, though the mention made of this favourite performer by his friend Cicero, shews the truth of the foregoing remark. “Cum artifex ejusmodi sit, ut solus dignus videatur esse qui in scenâ spectetur; tum vir ejusmodi fuit, ut _solus dignus videatur qui non accedat_;” _so excellent an actor, that he only seemed worthy to tread the stage, and yet so noble a man, that he seemed to be the very last person that ought to appear there_. Though the Roman actors were not allowed their due privileges as citizens, yet some of the most eminent were often very great favourites with the people, and created so much interest among them, that (as Suetonius tells us) the parties of rival performers disputing for precedence, have proceeded so far as to terminate the quarrel in bloodshed. Turpio and Attilius were actors of the first class, and were said (_vid. Terence Phorm:_) _agere primas partes_, because they always personated the principal characters in the piece. NOTE 52. _Præneste._ Præneste was a town of Latium, about twenty-four miles from Rome, and founded by Cæculus, as we are told by _Virgil, B. 7._ “Nec _Prænestinæ fundator_ defuit _urbis_, _Vulcano genitum_que omnis quem credidit ætas _Cæculus_.” Nor was the founder of Præneste absent, Cæculus, the reputed son of Vulcan. Præneste was deemed a place of military importance, from its situation, and Cicero (_in Catal._) tells us that Catiline, when foiled in his attempt to seize the capital, endeavoured to make himself master of Præneste. This town was particularly celebrated for very cold springs, which were held in high esteem, as Strabo assures us, and Horace mentions the circumstance in one of his odes. “seu mihi _frigidum Præneste_, seu Tibur supinum, Seu liquidæ placuere Baiæ.” NOTE 53. _Equal flutes right and left handed._ Flutes were called in Latin _tibiæ_, because they were made of the shank or shin-bone of some animal, until the discovery of the art of boring flutes, when they began to use wood, “_Longave multifori delectat tibia buxi._”――OVID.