Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/71

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there was a Choir of Youths, and on the other, one of young Ladies, and both Sexes of the best Quality: Their Business was to sing Hymns, and Funeral Poems in Honour of the dead, and that in the most Solemn, Affecting manner imaginable. These Dirges being over, the Nobility and Gentry above-mentioned, took up the Bed of State and carry'd it out of the City into the Campus Martius, in the middle of which Field there was upon this occasion a little wooden Pyramid built several Stories high. The first Story was made like a little square Chamber, fill'd with all sort of combustible Matter, and ornamented on the out side with pieces of Gold Tissue, Ivory Statues, and Paintings of the best kind: The second Story being of the same Figure with the first, but a little less, was embellish'd in the same manner, only with the difference of being open on the four sides of the Square. Above this there was several other Stories which lessen'd by degrees, till the last grew narrow to a Point. The Bed, and Effigies in Wax was placed in the second Story stuffed with Perfumes of all sorts, as Gums, Flowers, and Odoriferous Plants, the People both in City and Country striving to out-do each Other in this last Respect to their Prince. This being done the Gentry march'd on Horse-