Show the wealth of the ancients in all ages the east has poured its ita riches into the laps of those nations that lie towards the setting settin 0 sun from one commercial voyage solomon realized pliny also informs ua us of one mathias of bythenia Byth nia who entertained one day in the most splendid manner the whole army of xerxes consisting of men armi arms to 0 this large army he off of frred ted red five months pay and provisions for trie whole campaign at t the present time such liberalities liberali ties would not only ruin the fortune of private persons but would weaken the commercial interest of the most powerful government esopus the contemporary of at an entertainment produced a dish made of sing bing ing birds which alone cost julius cg caesar sar was captured by the pirates who wh demanded of him 30 caesar laughed at them and gave them c 50 before he enjoyed any public office he was in debt to the amount of when the government of spain was allotted to calsar cassar he was so overwhelmed with debt that he could not depart to take charge of his position ile he called upon crassus the rich who stood security for him in the sum of ile he rewarded the bravery of cassius ceiva by a donation of seven thousand dollars ile he paid off the vast debt of the tribune curio and presented the consul paulus with 1291 which was wab employed in constructing a new wall near neal the forum ile he commenced a new building the ground plot piot of which was to have cost him above an kundred hundred million of in memory of his daughter he gave a most extravagant feast to the people doubled the pay of the legions for ever granted rant the people corn without measure any and gave each soldier a salavea piece of landor a house ile he presented an actor for a mimic piece of his bis own for his mistress servilia m mother other of M brutus he purchased a pearl that cost him during his reign gold and silver became so abundant that it was exchanged throughout italy at three thou sand ces per pound he also decorated the arms of his soldiers with gold and silver so that they should be the more unwilling to part with them from their great value yet with all his bis extravagance he bequeathed to each roman citizen nine dollars in many respects was as great a tyrant as nero he was reckless in tile the profusion fus on with which he scattered money he bathed in a bath of precious unguents drank priceless pearls dissolved in vine vinegar ar P and ate of golden bread oread at an auction te he made his salesman knock ot off twelve gladiators to sat who was so unfortunate as to nod they amounted to three hundred and fifteen thousand dollars in less than one y year ear he lavished a magnificent estate and all the treasures amassed by Tiberius amounting t to twenty seven hundred million dollars the funeral pageant of alexander has never been surpassed in many rejects ts it equalled equal led the festive train of ptolemy philadelphus the monarch died at babylon andaas and ivas buried in the mosque of st at alexandria the grandees grandeas gran dees and governors appointed us to prepare for this august funeral two years were consumed in the preparation and every splendor that wealth could buy ouy was lavished with profusion at length the day arrived for this solemn and magnificent procession to begin its march levered led fed hills were leve leveled all uneven places were made smooth and every obstacle that could impede the funeral train was removed b by a vast number of workmen the chariot that contained the coffin of the monarch was adorned with such wealth of jewels and di adems that it is said to have emitted brilliant flashes like those of lightning the s spokes okes of this chariot were covered covered with go gold d it was drawn by sixty four mules of the tile largest size and each was adorned with a crown of gold and a collar enriched with precious preciou tones stones and golden bells on this chariot wa was erected a pv pavilion alion of solid gold twelve feet wide and eighteen in length the inside surpassed the outside out side in splendor S and brilliancy being be in i one blaze of je in the shape of sheils shells E ells elis golden network beautified the circumference and the golden threads were an inch in thickness to each of which were fastened large bells which could be heard beard at a great distance it would only worry the reader to mention all the e towels jewels and golden crowns than were borne in this is procession enough has been said to show the great amount of gold that was displayed on that occasion |