“We were revelling in these delicacies when, behold! Trimalchio himself was borne into the hall with musical honours, reposing upon tiny cushions! The spectacle drew a laugh from the surprised guests. His close-cropped head stuck out from a cloak of bright scarlet; his neck was well wrapped up, and he had donned a linen cloth with a broad stripe and tassels dangling right and left. On the little finger of his left hand he wore a heavy gilt ring, but on the last joint of the next finger he had futhermore a smaller ring, which appeared to me to be of solid gold but as a matter of fact was picked out with brilliants made of steel. Also, to show that these did not exhaust his jewel-case, he had his right arm bare, encircled with an armlet of gold and an ivory circlet clasped by a gleaming metal plate. . . .

Then having made full use of a silver toothpick, he addressed the assembly.”

—Petronius from The Satyricon, 1st century C.E.