Nay, the association of _domine_ with the name, which to our ears has a very modern sound, is often found. Thus in Appuleius (Met. II,) we read: “_Luci domine_,”--“Lord Lucius.” In this story, however, this association is avoided, as it might have produced the semblance of an anachronism. In accosting women _domina_ (lady) corresponds with _domine_. The French, when referring to subjects connected with ancient Rome, reproduce the sound as well as the meaning of the word correctly by their madame (_meam dominam_).
[38] TITUS CLAUDIUS MUCIANUS. The Romans usually had three names. Titus is here the first name (_praenomen_) which was given sons on the ninth day after their birth. Claudius is the name of the gens, the family in the wider sense of the word (_nomen gentilicium_). Mucianus is the cognomen, the surname, the name of the immediate family (_stirps or familia_). Thus several stirpes belonged to a single gens. Daughters bore only the name of the gens; for instance the daughter of Titus Claudius Mucianus was called Claudia. If there were two of them, they were distinguished by the words major (the elder) and minor (the younger); if there were several, by numbers. The _Claudia Gens_ was a very ancient and famous one. The principal characters of the story, belonging to the _stirps Muciana_, are purely imaginary.
[39] GAVIUS APICIUS, the famous Roman gourmand (Tac. _Ann._ IV, 1) who finding that he had only two million and a half denari left in the world (about 400,000 dollars) killed himself, thinking it impossible to live on so little.
[40] HYMETTUS. A mountain in Attica, famed for its delicious honey. (Horace, _Od._ II, 6, 14).
[41] POLISHED EMERALD. (Plin. _Hist. Nat._ XXXVII, 64) where it is stated that the emperor Nero used such an eye-glass at the public games.
[42] THE LOBSTER, (_cammarus_), was less highly esteemed by the Romans than among ourselves. See Plin. _Ep._ II, 17. “The sea, it is true, has no superabundance of delicious fish; yet it gives us excellent soles and lobsters”--a passage in which lobsters are contrasted with delicious fish.
[43] CUT CRYSTAL. Window panes of glass (_vitrum_) mica plates (_lapis specularis_) and similar materials were by no means rare in ancient times.