ccustomed solemn prayers; the like prayers did
Titus put up also; after which prayers Vespasian made a short speech to
all the people, and then sent away the soldiers to a dinner prepared for
them by the emperors. Then did he retire to that gate which was called
the Gate of the Pomp, because pompous shows do always go through that
gate; there it was that they tasted some food, and when they had put on
their triumphal garments, and had offered sacrifices to the gods that
were placed at the gate, they sent the triumph forward, and marched
through the theatres, that they might be the more easily seen by the
multitudes.

5. Now it is impossible to describe the multitude of the shows as they
deserve, and the magnificence of them all; such indeed as a man could
not easily think of as performed, either by the labor of workmen, or
the variety of riches, or the rarities of nature; for almost all such
curiosities as the most happy men ever get by piece-meal were here one
heaped on another, and those both admirable and costly in their nature;
and all brought together on that day demonstrated the vastness of the
dominions of the Romans; for there was here to be seen a mighty quantity
of silver, and gold, and ivory, contrived into all sorts of things, and
did not appear as carried along in pompous show only, but, as a man may
say, running along like a river. Some parts were composed of the rarest
purple hangings, and so carried along; and others accurately represented
to the life what was embroidered by the arts of the Babylonians. There
were also precious stones that were transparent, some set in crowns of
gold, and some in other ouches, as the workmen pleased; and of these
such a vast number were brought, that we could not but thence learn how
vainly we imagined any of them to be rarities. The images of the gods
were also carried, being as well wonderful for their largeness, as made
very artificially, and with great skill of the workmen; nor were any of
these images of any other than very costly materials; and many species
of animals were brought, every one in their own natural ornaments. The
men also who brought every one of these shows were great multitudes, and
adorned with purple garments, all over interwoven with gold; those that
were chosen for carrying these pompous shows having also about them such
magnificent ornaments as were both extraordinary and surprising. Besides
these, one might see that even the great number of the