[122] “I find evidence that kings wore the _striped toga_; that figured cloths were in use even in the days of Homer; and that these gave rise to the _triumphal_. To produce this effect with the needle was the invention of the Phrygians, on which account cloths so embroidered have been called _Phrygionic_. In the same part of Asia king Attalus discovered the art of inserting a woof of gold(?); from which circumstance the _Attalic_ cloths received their name(?). Babylon first obtained celebrity by its method of _diversifying the picture with different colors_, and gave its name to textures of this description. But to weave with _a great number of leashes_, so as to produce the cloths called _polymita_ (the polymita were damask cloths), was _first_ taught in Alexandria; to divide by squares (_plaids_) in Gaul. Metellus Scipio brought it as an accusation against Cato, that even in his time Babylonian _coverlets_ for triclinia were sold for 800,000 sesterces (about $30,000), although the emperor Nero lately gave for them no less than 4,000,000 sesterces (about $150,000). The _prætextæ_ of Servius Tullius, covering the statue of Fortune which he dedicated, remained until the death of Sejanus, and it is wonderful that they had neither decayed of themselves nor been injured by moths during the space of 560 years.”--_Plin. H. N._ viii. 64. (See Appendix A.) CLAUDIAN mentions with delight the use of gold in dress as well as of silk. His testimony has been given in chapter III. of this Part. SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS mentions the gold in the dress of Prince Sigismer. His testimony is also given in chapter III. CORIPPUS, describing the accession of Justin II. to the Empire (A. D. 565), mentions (L. ii.) his tunic enriched with gold as part of his imperial costume. PAULINUS. Misceturque ostro mollitum in fila metellum. _De Vita Martini_, L. iii. We find the following law in the Codex Justinianus: Nemo vir auratas in tunicis aut in lincis habeat paragaudas: nisi hi tantummodo, quibus hoc propter Imperiale ministerium concessum est. _Corpus Juris Civilis_, tom. v. tit. viii. leg. 2. The “aurata paragauda” was a border of gold lace or thread. It appears that ladies might wear it on their tunics, while men were only permitted to use it in token of their official character as being in the service of the emperor. In allusion to these or similar regulations, Ælius Lampridius (34) says of the emperor Alexander Severus, Auratam vestem ministerium nullus vel in publico convivio habuit. The testimony of Ambrose, Jerome, and Basil has been given in Chapter III., which see.