1.If we had visited a Roman consul during the later period of Roman power，we should have seen a very different kind of house from that in which Cincinnatus lived.Let us make such a visit.On our knocking atthe entrance gate，it is opened for us by a slave，who is chained to his post in order to prevent his leaving the door unguarded.We pass through a porch，and reach the large hall.The walls are painted，and the floor is laid with bright tiles.In the centre of the roof there is a large opening which lights the hall，and beneath it a hollow place to receive the rain-water which may enter.In cold or stormy weather the opening is closed by a curtain.
2.Round this hall are ranged the bedrooms，and at the farther end is the library and picture-gallery.Beyond these we see an open court，with a fountainin the centre，and a row of heavy marble columnsallround.From this court we may enter the chief room，or room of state，the dining-room，the kitchen，and other apartments.Behind these，again，we find the well-kept garden.
3.The dining-room was of great importance in a Roman mansion.The table itself was of fine wood，oreven of ivory.Round three sides of it were placed lowcouches instead of chairs.One side was left free for the slaves who waited on the guests.The men reclined on couches，leaning on their left arm，while they helped themselves with the right hand，without knife or fork.
The women usually sat upright，and also the children，who had a table for themselves.
4.Breakfast was served as early as four o’clock for soldiers，for workmen，and alto for children.The children went to school early，and one Roman writer，who lived next door to a school，complains that he could not sleep in the morning on account of the crying of the children who were being whipped.Let us hope that this did not happen every morning.
5.Breakfast usually consisted of bread，cheese，and dried fruit such as raisins and dates.The bread was made of wheat flour.The loaves were flat，andabout two inches thick.SomeBREAD FOUND AT POMPEIIloaves of this kind were discovered at Pompeii，where they had lain covered up by lava and volcanic ashes for nearly two thousand years.Lunch was eaten about mid-day，and consisted of various kinds of meat，fish，andeggs-generally the remains of the precedingdinner.
6.Dinner was the great meal of the day.It was eaten any time between three o’clock and sunset，and sometimes even later，according to the fashion of thetime.A regular dinner among the well-to-do Romans consisted of three parts-the antepast or “whet，”theseveral courses of the dinner itself，and the dessert .
The purpose of the “whet”was to give the guest akeener appetite for dinner.The usual bill of fareforthis was small turnips，lettuce，radishes，and other vegetables；eggs，fish，and shell-fish；honey and water，and the dregsof a certain kind of wine.
7.The dinner itself usually consisted of from three to seven courses.Fish was much liked，and many Roman houses had fish-ponds，where various kinds of fish were reared for the table.The best oysters were those brought from England.A kind of snail，which was fattened for use，was also considered a great dainty.All our common domestic fowls were used，as well as thrushes，blackbirds，and other singing birds.Of game，the wild boar and the hare were most valued；pork was the favourite flesh，but beef and mutton were little cared for.
8.The common vegetables were lettuce，cabbage，asparagus，turnips，mushrooms，leeks，and onions.For dessert，such fruits as apples，dates，and olives were used，and also sweetmeats of various sorts.Wine ofvarious kinds was produced in Italy，or imported from abroad.
9.During the course of the repast，the guests were entertained music，dancing，readings，jokes，andjugglingperformances，done by slaves or by hiredperformers.Vast sums of money were often spent onfeasts among the rich.A fine mulletis said to havesold for ？50，and a barbelfor ？65.One dish of singingbirds-not the “four-and-twenty blackbirds”of ouryounger days-is believed to have cost ？800.The rich were also fond of getting dishes which were new or strange as well as costly，such as nightingales andpeacocks，and the tongues and brains of flamingoes.Wemust not suppose，however，that many of the Romans lived in this style.The great mass of the people lived，as they do still，at a small expense，their common diet being barley bread，beans and lentils，and cheap fish.
