loves most, and they dance for exercise with propriety and
stateliness under the peristyles. The women wear their long
hair all twisted together and collected into one knot on the
crown of the head, but in rolling it they leave one curl. The
men, however, have one curl only and the rest of their hair
around the head is shaven off. Further, they wear a slight
covering, and above this a round hat a little larger than the size
of their head. In the fields they use caps, but at home each one
wears a biretta, white, red, or another color according to his
trade or occupation. Moreover, the magistrates use grander
and more imposing-looking coverings for the head.

They hold great festivities when the sun enters the four car-
dinal points of the heavens, that is, when he enters Cancer, Li-
bra, Capricorn, and Aries. On these occasions they have very
learned, splendid, and, as it were, comic performances. They
celebrate also every full and every new moon with a festival,
as also they do the anniversaries of the founding of the city,
and of the days when they have won victories or done any other
great achievement. The celebrations take place with the music
of female voices, with the noise of trumpets and drums, and the
firing of salutations. The poets sing the praises of the most
renowned leaders and the victories. Nevertheless, if any of
them should deceive even by disparaging a foreign hero, he is
punished. No one can exercise the function of a poet who in-
vents that which is not true, and a license like this they think
to be a pest of our world, for the reason that it puts a premium
upon virtue and often assigns it to unworthy persons, either
from fear of flattery, or ambition, or avarice.