The Roman Traitor (Vol. 1 of 2) - The UK Mirror Service

THE MEN 9
tunic, was not of that succinct and narrow cut, which had so
well become the sturdy fathers of the new republic! but—beside
being wrought of the finest Spanish wool of snowy whiteness, [16]
with the broad crimson facings indicative of his senatorial rank,
known as the laticlave—fell in loose folds half way between his
knee and ancle.
It had sleeves, too, a thing esteemed unworthy of a man—and
was fringed at the cuffs, and round the hem, with a deep passmenting
of crimson to match the laticlave. His toga of the
thinnest and most gauzy texture, and whiter even than his tunic,
flowed in a series of classical and studied draperies quite to his
heels, where like the tunic it was bordered by a broad crimson
trimming. His feet were ornamented, rather than protected, by
delicate buskins of black leather, decked with the silver sigma, in
its old crescent shape, the proud initial of the high term senator. A
golden bracelet, fashioned like a large serpent, exquisitely carved
with horrent scales and forked tail, was twined about the wrist
of his right arm, with a huge carbuncle set in the head, and two
rare diamonds for eyes. A dozen rings gemmed with the clearest
brilliants sparkled upon his white and tapering fingers; in which,
to complete the picture, he bore a handkerchief of fine Egyptian
cambric, or Byssus as the Romans styled it, embroidered at the
edges in arabesques of golden thread.
His comrade was if possible more slovenly in his attire than
his friend was luxurious and expensive. He wore no toga, and
his tunic—which, without the upper robe, was the accustomed
dress of gladiators, slaves, and such as were too poor to wear the
full and characteristic attire of the Roman citizen—was of dark
brownish woollen, threadbare, and soiled with spots of grease,
and patched in many places. His shoes were of coarse clouted
leather, and his legs were covered up to the knees by thongs of
ill-tanned cowhide rolled round them and tied at the ancles with
straps of the same material.
"A plague on both of you!" replied the person, who had been