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[64] After [p. 77] this action had been greeted by the whole audience with repeated applause, one of the Spartans remarked: “These Athenians know what politeness is, but they won't practise it.”

There are many noteworthy customs in our college of augurs, but especially in point is the one whereby each has precedence in debate according to his age, and the oldest is preferred, not only to those of higher official rank, but even to those having imperium.1 What physical pleasures, then, are comparable to the distinction which influence bestows? The men who have put these distinctions to noble use are, it seems to me, like skilful actors who have played well their parts in the drama of life to the end, and not like untrained players who have broken down in the last act.

1 Only the consuls, praetors, dictators, masters of horse, and provincial governors, while in office, had imperium.

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