As for the brothel-keeper, the Romans seem to have had no special word to express this; they use in fact _leno_ in this signification, though the word properly means the Procurer who merely offers his house for the purpose, but does not keep women, giving them board and wage. Perhaps this arose from the fact that in earlier times no regular brothels existed in Rome; the women merely hired a lodging, and the owner of the house had nothing at all to do with their business, whilst the match-maker or pandar confined _his_ efforts to procuring girls for his patrons and letting out his “chambers” for a fixed charge _merces cellae_ (hire of the chamber)[185], paid by each visitor. Only when the business became more profitable, did Lenones or Lenae (Procurers, Procuresses), for women also carried on Lenocinium (procuration), actually keep girls, whom they bought, as slaves[186]. The Leno had his _Villicus puellarum_ (Superintendent of the Maids), who assigned name and price, provided the girls with clothes[187], and kept a list of them and what they earned[188]. In fact such of the women as were bond-servants were obliged,—and this applied equally to those that were not slaves,—to deliver up not merely the As for the hire of the chamber, but the whole fee as well, according to the amount fixed by the brothel-keeper (Leno)[189], though much underhand trickery of various sorts occurred in connection with this regulation[190]. The brothels were not allowed to be opened before the ninth hour (four o’clock in the afternoon), so as not to draw young men away from their duties[191]. The girls either stood (Prostibula—women who stand in front)[192] or sat (Proseda—women who sit in front)[193] before the “chambers” or Lupanaria (brothels), to call the passers-by to them. Did a lover make his appearance, then the door of the “chamber” was carefully fastened[194], and “_occupata_” (engaged) written over the door[195], an unoccupied “chamber” being called _nuda_ (naked)[196]. Towards morning the “chambers” were opened, and the Leno (brothel-keeper) let the girls go[197]. It would seem to follow from this that these either did not live in the brothel-keeper’s house at all, or that the “chambers” were situated somewhere else, away from head-quarters. From a passage in _Juvenal_[198] it has, perhaps wrongly, been concluded that these “chambers” were at the Circus Maximus. Such places are at any rate mentioned by _Dionysius of Halicarnassus_ as existing at the Portico above the shops[199]; and without doubt several passages are to be found in Latin authors to prove that the women plied their trade even after the close of the Representations[200], and we know that besides the regular Ludi Circenses (Games of the Circus) other performances of a similar kind were held in the Circus.