In one of Pompey's triumphs there were amongst the spoils of the conquered thirty-three crowns of pearl.
Who
has not heard of Cleopatra's pearls ? She, that with oriental splendour
she might spend on one supper an amount of wealth which could not be
calculated, took off the pearls she wore, and drank them in vinegar. So
say the ancient authors, who would have us believe that pearls were
dissolved into a gelatinous substance ; but if this may be true of
pearls infused in pure acetic acid, it is not possible if they are put
into potable vinegar, where they only decompose if left a very long
time ; whence this tradition must be considered fabulous.
The
Romans, in the time of the Empire, thought so highly of pearls, that
they reckoned them amongst their most precious articles to be
transmitted legally to their heirs.
Often in the sales sub asta they
bid against each other for them, so much as to increase their price
enormously. They possessed an inestimable quantity of these gems taken
from subdued provinces, and, nevertheless, had not sufficient to
satisfy their magnificent ideas.
The
commerce with Arabia increased this inordinate luxury. The interior of
the Temple of Venus in Rome was adorned with pearls, and the dress of
the wealthy were ornamented with them all over, even to the shoes,
which made Pliny exclaim, with bitter irony, " It is not sufficient for
them to wear pearls, but they must trample and walk over them."*
Alexander Severus in this respect showed com
* Nat. Hist. ix. xxxv. 53.
