[878] _Vana supervacui_, repeated xvi., 41. [879] _Sardonychus._ Pliny says the sardonyx was the principal gem employed for seals, "quoniam sola prope gemmarum scalpta ceram non aufert." xxxvii., 6. "If rogues deny their bend (though ten times o'er Perused by careful witnesses before), Whose well-known hand proclaims the glaring lie, Whose master-signet proves the perjury." Hodgson. [880] _Incendia._ Cf. ix., 98, "Sumere ferrum, Fuste aperire caput, candelam apponere valvis, non dubitat." [881] _Grandia pocula._ Alluding perhaps to some of Nero's sacrilegious spoliations. Suet., Ner., 32, 38. It was customary for kings and nations allied with Rome to send crowns and other valuable offerings to the temple of Capitoline Jove and others. [882] _Coronas._ "Gifts of great nations, crowns of pious kings! Goblets, to which undated tarnish clings!" Badham. [883] _Touantem._ Vid. Dennis's Etruria, vol. i., p. li. Cf. Suet., Nero, 32, fin. Milman's Horace, p. 66. "Is much respect for Castor to be felt By those whose crucibles whole Thunderers melt?" Badh. [884] _Mercatoremque veneni._ Shakspeare, Rom. and Jul., "And if a man did need a poison now, Whose sale is present death in Mantua, Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him." [885] _Corio._ Browne seems to understand this of "a leathern canoe or coracle," but? [886] _Simia._ Cf. ad viii., 214, "Cujus supplicio non debeat una parari simia nec serpens unus nec culeus unus." [887] _Gallicus._ Statius has a poem (Sylv., I., iv.), "Soteria pro Rutilio Gallico." "Quem penes intrepidæ mitis custodia Romæ." This book was probably written, cir. A.D. 94, after the Thebaïs. This Rut. Gallicus Valens was præfectus urbis and chief magistrate of police for Domitian; probably succeeding Pegasus (Sat. iv., 77), who was appointed by Vespasian. For the _office_, see Tac., Ann., vi., 10, _seq._ It was in existence even under Romulus, and continued through the republic. Augustus, by Mæcenas' advice, greatly increased its authority and importance. Its jurisdiction was now extended to a circuit of one hundred miles outside the city walls. The præfectus decided in all causes between masters and slaves, patrons and clients, guardians and wards; had the inspection of the mint, the regulation of the markets, and the superintendence of public amusements. [888] _Guttur._ This affection has been attributed, ever since the days of Vitruvius, to the drinking the mountain water. "Æquicolis in Alpibus est genus aquæ quam qui bibunt afficiuntur _tumidis gutturibus_," viii., 3. [889] _Meroë_, vi., 528, in Ethiopia, is the largest island formed by the Nile, with a city of the same name, which was the capital of a kingdom. Strab., i., 75. Herod., ii., 29. It is now "Atbar," and forms part of Sennaar and Abyssinia.