in his book upon rural affairs, tells us that many of the
surnames of the Roman families had their origin in pastoral life, and
especially are derived from the animals to whose breeding they paid
most attention. As, for instance, the Porcii took their name from
their occupation as swine-herds; the Ovini from their care of sheep;
the Caprilli, of goats; the Equarii, of horses; the Tauri, of bulls,
etc. We may conclude, therefore, that the family of this Marcus
Vaccula were originally cow-keepers, and that the figures of cows so
plentifully impressed on all the articles which he presented to the
baths are a sort of _canting arms_, to borrow an expression from
heraldry, as in Rome the family Toria caused a bull to be stamped on
their money.

A doorway led from the tepidarium into the caldarium, or vapor-bath.
It had on one side the laconicum, containing the vase called labrum.
On the opposite side of the room was the hot bath called lavacrum.
Here it is necessary to refer to the words of Vitruvius as explanatory
of the structure of the apartments (cap. xi. lib. v.): "Here should be
placed the vaulted sweating-room, twice the length of its width, which
should have at each extremity, on one end the _laconicum_, made as
described above, on the other end the hot bath." This apartment is
exactly as described, twice the length of its width, exclusively of
the laconicum at one end and the hot bath at the other. The pavement
and walls of the whole were hollowed to admit the heat.

The labrum was a great basin or round vase of white marble, rather
more than five feet in diameter, into which the hot water bubbled up
through a pipe in its centre, and served for the partial ablutions of
those who took the vapor-bath. It was raised about three feet six
inches above the level of the pavement, on a round base built of small
pieces of stone or lava, stuccoed and colored red, five feet six
inches in diameter, and has within it a bronze inscription, which runs
thus:

CNAEO. MELISSAEO. CNAEL FILIO. APRO. MARCO. STAIO. MARCI. FILIO.
RUFO. DUUMVIRIS. ITERUM. IURE. DICUNDO. LABRUM. EX DECURIONUM
DECRETO. EX. PECUNIA. PUBLICA. FACIENDUM. CURARUNT
CONSTAT. HS. D.C.C.L.

Relating that "Cnaeus Melissaeus Aper, son of Cnaeus Aper. Marcus Staius
Rufus, son of M. Rufus, duumvirs of justice for the second time,
caused the labrum to be made at the public expense, by order of the
Decurions. It cost 5,250 sesterces" (about $200). The