One can be worth of hundreds – Gaius Petronius Arbiter

Gaius Petronius Arbiter (ca. 27–66 AD), a Roman courtier during the reign of Emperor Nero and the author of “Satyricon”, was once invited to attend a large banquet in the imperial palace.

All kinds of delicacies were served at the banquet and, by Nero’s order, the tables were decorated with naked virgins – more than a hundred of them.

When Petronius arrived, the emperor immediately sent a servant to ask him about his opinion regarding banquet’s decoration.

 

Petronius replied: “Tell your Emperor that a hundred naked girls are not as hundred times more exciting than a girl we cry for”.

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The faithful servant – Count Alessandro di Cagliostro (Giuseppe Balsamo)

During Count Alessandro di Cagliostro’s (1743 – 1795) lifetime, and especially after his death, many incredible stories were circulating among the people about his wizarding powers.

One of many was a rumor that he had discovered the potion of “eternal youth” and that he was more than 300 years old.

Unfortunately, curious people were unable to confirm nor refute these rumors.

One of them asked Cagliostro’s servant if he knew how old his master really was.

Bearing in mind the kind of answer the curious man was expecting, witty servant replied:

- I have no idea how old my master is! I am in his service for merely a century!

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