CHAPTER IV.

ATROCITIES, DUELS, SUICIDES, AND EXECUTION OF GAMBLERS.

The history of all nations is but the record of their cupidity;
and when the fury of gaming appears on the scene, it has never
failed to double the insolence and atrocities of tyranny.

The atrocious gambling of the Hindoo Rajas has been related;[14]
and I have incidentally adverted to similar concomitants of the
vice among all nations. I now propose to bring together a series
of facts specially elucidative of the harrowing theme.

[14] Chapter II.


One of the Ptolemys, kings of Egypt, required all causes to be
submitted to him whilst at play, and pronounced even sentence of
death according to chance. On one occasion his wife, Berenice,
pronounced thereanent those memorable words:--'There cannot be
too much deliberation when the death of a man is concerned'--
afterwards adopted by Juvenal--Nulla unquam de morte hominis
cunctatio longa est.[15]

[15] Aelian, Var. Hist. lib. XLIV. c. xiii.; Juvenal, Sat. vi.


Tolomnius, King of the Veii, happened to be playing at dice when
the arrival of Roman ambassadors was announced. At the very