Note 252 — SECOND SECTION. Influences which served to hinder to a greater or less degree the inception of Diseases consequent upon the Use or Misuse of the Genital Organs.

Festus, p. 19. under word Aquarioli: Aquarioli dicebantur mulierum impudicarum sordidi asseclae. (Aquarioli, or water-boys, a name given to the shameless attendants of immodest women).—Tertullian, Apologet. ch. 43. They were also known as baccariones from baccarium, a word which Isidor explains by aquarium (a water vessel). An old Gloss says: baccario πορνοδιάκονος, meritricibus aquam infundens (baccario, a prostitutes’ attendant, one who pours water for whores); another: aquarioli, βαλλάδες, βαλλὰς, from βάλλων ὕδωρ, ab aqua jaciunda (water-boys, or throwers, from throwing water). These aquarioli at the same time carried on the business of procurers; so Juvenal says, Sat. VI. 331., veniet conductus aquarius. (Some water-carrier will come, hired for the purpose). Comp. Lipsius, Antiq. lect. I. 12. Hence also the word aquaculare was used meaning lenocinari (to be a pandar); see Turnebus, Adversar. XIV. 12. XXVIII. 5. Besides this they held themselves, especially in the public baths, at the disposal of lustful women, very often earning in this way the Bath farthing they had to pay. Probably Dasius in Martial, bk. II. Epigr. 52., was such an Aquariolus.

(Dasius knew well how to count the women going to bathe; he asked big-bosomed Spatalé the price for three, and she gave it). Hence the quadrantaria permutatio (farthing barter) in Cicero, Orat pro Caelio ch. 26. Comp. Juvenal, Sat. VI. 428.,

(The artful masseur too pressed his fingers on the clytoris, and made the upper part of his mistress’thigh resound under his hands). From the passage of Martial it follows that Busch, “Handbuch der Erfindungen,” (Manual of Inventions), vol. II. p. 8., is mistaken in saying: Women and persons not yet adult had the bath gratis; in fact in the passage from Juvenal, Sat. II. 152., quoted by him, it is a question of boys only. For the rest, the Aquarioli recall the λουτροφόροι (water-bearers) of the Greeks; these were boys, whose duty it was to fetch the water for the Bride’s bath before marriage. Pollux, Onomast. III. 43. Harpocration, under the word, p. 49. Meursius, Ceramicus ch. 14. p. 40. Böttiger, “Vasen gemälde” (Vase-painting), I. p. 143. Again the παρανύμφοι (groomsmen), who anointed the bride, and as a rule were from 17 to 19 years old, may be mentioned here by way of illustration. Hancarville, Antiquités Vol. I. plate 45. Vol. III. plate 43. Vol. IV. plate 69.