Book 28
4.2
But a cloud was thrown over all these merits by a fault which indeed was not harmful to the community, but yet was a stain on a high official; for almost his whole private life, since he was inclined to luxury, he spent in playhouses and love affairs, though the latter were neither unlawful nor incestuous.
4.3
After him Ampelius371–372. governed the city, a man who himself also lusted after pleasures. Born at Antioch, he had been formerly marshal of the court, was twice raised to the rank of proconsul,In Achaia and in Africa. and then, long afterwards, to the high honour of the prefecture. Although admirable in other respects and well suited to gaining the favour of the people, he was nevertheless sometimes hard, and I wish he had been steadfast of purpose; for he could have corrected in part, even though to a small extent, the incitements of appetite and gross gluttony, if he had not let himself be turned to laxity and thus lost enduring fame.
4.4
For he gave orders that no wine-shop should be opened before the fourth hour,About nine o’clock in the morning. that no one of the common people should heat water,For mixing with wine. that up to a fixed hour of the day no victualler should offer cooked meat for sale,Such laws were passed first by Tiberius; cf. Suet., Tib. 34. They were renewed by Claudius (Dio, lx. 6, 7) and Nero (Suet., Nero, 16, 2). and that no respectable man should be seen chewing anything in public.
