No game has a better pedigree than _Mora_. It was played by the Egyptians more than two thousand years before the Christian era. In the paintings at Thebes and in the temples of Beni-Hassan, seated figures may be seen playing it,--some keeping their reckoning with the left hand uplifted,--some striking off the game with both hands, to show that it was won,--and, in a word, using the same gestures as the modern Romans. From Egypt it was introduced into Greece. The Romans brought it from Greece at an early period, and it has existed among them ever since, having suffered apparently no alteration. Its ancient Roman name was _Micatio_, and to play it was called _micare digitis_,--"to flash the fingers,"--the modern name _Mora_ being merely a corruption of the verb _micare_. Varro describes it precisely as it is now played; and Cicero, in the first book of his treatise "De Divinatione," thus alludes to it:--"_Quid enim est sors? Idem propemodum quod_ micare, _quod talos jacere, quod tesseras; quibus in rebus temeritas et casus, non ratio et consilium valent._" So common was it, that it became the basis of an admirable proverb, to denote the honesty of a person:--"_Dignus est quicum in tenebris mices_": "So trustworthy, that one may play _Mora_ with him in the dark." At one period they carried their love of it so far, that they used to settle by _micatio_ the sales of merchandise and meat in the Forum, until Apronius, prefect of the city, prohibited the practice in the following terms, as appears by an old inscription, which is particularly interesting as containing an admirable pun: "_Sub exagio potius pecora vendere quam digitis concludentibus tradere_": "Sell your sheep by the balance, and do not bargain or deceive" (_tradere_ having both these meanings) "by opening and shutting your fingers at _Mora_."