Hirrius

C., son perhaps of------- Hirrius, praetor in B. C. 88, was remembered as the first private person who had sea-water stock-ponds for lampreys. He was so proud of these fish that he would not sell them at any price, but sent some thousands of them to Caesar for his triumphal banquets in B. C. 46-45. Hirrius expended the rent of his houses, amounting to 12,000,000 sesterces, in bait for his lampreys, and sold one farm which was well stocked with them for 400,000 sesterces. (Varr. R. R. 2.5, 3.17; Plin. Nat. 9.55.) He is perhaps the same person with C. Hirrius Postumius, mentioned among other voluptuaries by Cicero (de Fin. 2.22.70). [W.B.D]