Roman people. If, in these
places of mixed and general resort, they meet any of the infamous
ministers of their pleasures, they express their affection by a tender
embrace; while they proudly disdain the salutation of their
fellow-citizens who are not permitted to aspire above the honor of
kissing their hands or their knees. As soon as they have indulged
themselves in the refreshment of the bath, they resume their rings and
the other ensigns of their dignity, select from their private wardrobe
(of the finest linen, and of a quantity such as might suffice for a
dozen persons), the garments most agreeable to their fancy, and maintain
till their departure the same haughty demeanor.... The acquisition of
knowledge seldom engages the attention of nobles, who abhor the fatigue
and disdain the advantages of study. The libraries which they have
inherited from their fathers are secluded, like dreary sepulchres, from
the light of day. The art of obtaining the signature of a favorable
testament, and sometimes of hastening the moment of its execution, is
perfectly understood; and it has happened that in the same house, though
in different apartments, a husband and a wife, with the laudable design
of over-reaching each other, have summoned their respective lawyers, to
declare, at the same time, their mutual but contradictory wishes."

It is probable that Ammianus, with the disdain which students are apt to
affect toward the unphilosophic multitude, has exaggerated the disregard
of the Roman nobility for books. We have seen that many of the female
friends of Jerome were most ardent lovers of literature; and the
Christian Fathers constantly evince an expectation of finding among
their female followers an enthusiastic reading public. These women read
theological works; it is not unreasonable to suppose that their less
heavenly-minded sisters were as assiduous students of the classical
secular books.

We have the names and somewhat of the history of a few of the women who
lived in this period, but they are all from the highest and most
conspicuous society. History loves a shining mark. If the chroniclers of
the time had favored us with a detailed descriptive account of the life
of the common people, it would have been of more value than that of many
nobles.

The population of Rome at this time has been estimated at between one
million two hundred thousand and two million. This, of course, includes
the vast army of slaves, which remai