ANCIENT WEALTH

Evening Star, Issue 19001, 24 July 1925, Page 4

ANCIENT WEALTH

PEARLS SWALLOWED BY GUESTS C/E,SAILS DEBTS. Croesus possessed, in landed pro perty, a fortune equal to £1,700,000 besides a largo amount of money, slaves, and furniture, which amounted to an equal sum. The philosopher Seneca had a for tunc of £3,500,000. With such a sum anyone can afford to ho philosophical. Tiberius, at his death, left £23,625,000, winch Caligula spent in Jess than twelve mouths. Vespasian, on ascending the throne, estimated all the expenses of the Slate at £35,000,000. Tho debts ol Milo amounted to £600,000. Caesar, before he entered upan any office, owned £2,995,000. Fie had purchased the friendship of Curio for £500,000, and that of Lucius Panics for £300,000. lie squandered £147,000,000 of the public treasures. Appius wasted in debauchery £500,000, and finding on examination of the state of his affairs that lie had only £BO,OOO, he poisoned himself, because ho considered that sum insufficient for his maintenance. Julius Caesar gave Sorvilla, the mother of Brutus, a pearl of tho value of £40,000. Cleopatra, at an entertainment, gave to Antony, dissolved in vinegar, a pearl worth £40,000, and he swallowed it. Clodins, the son of Esopus, the comedian, swallowed another pearl worth £B,OOO. One single dish cost Esopus £*o,ooo. Caligns spent for one supper £BO,OOO, and Hcliogabalus £20,000. The oust of a repast for Lucullns was £20,000; tho fish from his fishponds were sold for £35,000.