some more examples of Roman ettiquete

[ricardienne]

Cicero: De Republica, I.17. As soon as Scipio had spoken, he saw L. Furius coming, and, as he greeted him, embraced him most lovingly wondrous affectionately with particular friendship amicissime and set him in his own bed.

*snerk* Because Scipio is still in bed, you see:

idem, I.18. Scipio had just spoken when a servant announced that Laelius was coming to visit and had already left his house. Then Scipio, when he put on his sandals and clothing, walked out of the bedroom, and just as he came through the courtyard, greeted Laelius as he came in, and those who came with him. <...> When had greeted them all, he turned toward the courtyard and put Laelius in the middle; for this was the practice in their friendship, as a sort of reciprocal right: that on campaign, Laelius would honor Scipio like a god, because of his outstanding glory in war, and that at home, in turn, Sciptio would respect Laelius, who was he elder, like a parent.

My Cambridge-green-and-yellow guide, Professor Zetzel, warns me that all of the politeness and decorous greeting might be as much of a fictitious ideal as the content of the dialogue: "one wonders if the aristocrats of Cicero's day behaved so nicely" (I paraphrase). Which is interesting, if it is true, because I *think* that little scenes of "Roman gentlemen behaving like good, well-bred Roman gentlemen" appear often-ish in 'golden-age Latin' (they're definitely in Livy, all over), but I don't think I've seen any in e.g. Seneca or Tacitus (moral examples yes: all over. But not politeness examples). Hm.