They found her worse than Nero!
Each look a frown, each word a law;
The little subjects shook with awe.
In thee I find the same deceit--
Too late, alas! a learner!
For where a mien more gently sweet?
And where a tyrant sterner?

This song, which greatly suited the gay and lively fancy of the
Pompeians, was received with considerable applause, and the widow
insisted on crowning her namesake with the very branch of myrtle to
which he had sung. It was easily twisted into a garland, and the
immortal Fulvius was crowned amidst the clapping of hands and shouts of
Io triumphe! The song and the harp now circulated round the party, a
new myrtle branch being handed about, stopping at each person who could
be prevailed upon to sing.

The sun began now to decline, though the revellers, who had worn away
several hours, perceived it not in their darkened chamber; and the
senator, who was tired, and the warrior, who had to return to
Herculaneum, rising to depart, gave the signal for the general
dispersion. 'Tarry yet a moment, my friends,' said Diomed; 'if you will
go so soon, you must at least take a share in our concluding game.'

So saying, he motioned to one of the ministri, and whispering him, the
slave went out, and presently returned with a small bowl containing
various tablets carefully sealed, and, apparently, exactly similar.
Each guest was to purchase one of these at the nominal price of the
lowest piece of silver: and the sport of this lottery (which was the
favorite diversion of Augustus, who introduced it) consisted in the
inequality, and sometimes the incongruity, of the prizes, the nature and
amount of which were specified within the tablets. For instance, the
poet, with a wry face, drew one of his own poems (no physician ever less
willingly swallowed his own draught); the warrior drew a case of
bodkins, which gave rise to certain novel witticisms relative to
Hercules and the distaff; the widow Fulvia obtained a large
drinking-cup; Julia, a gentleman's buckle; and Lepidus, a lady's
patch-box. The most appropriate lot was drawn by the gambler Clodius,
who reddened with anger on being presented to a set of cogged dice. A
certain damp was thrown upon the gaiety which these various lots created
by an accident that was considered ominous; Glaucus drew the most
valuable of all the prizes, a small marble statue of Fortune, of Grecian
workmanship: on handing it to h