2. The younger Paris, and the more celebrated of the two, lived in the reign of Domitian. He
was originally a native of Egypt (hence called sales Nili by Martial,
JUVENALIS]. The popularity of
Paris was at length his ruin. Domitia, the wife of the emperor, fell desperately in love with
him; but when Domitian became acquainted with the intrigue, he divorced his wife, and had
Paris murdered in the public street. So infuriated was he against the actor, that he even put
to death a youth who was a pupil of Paris, merely because he bore a resemblance to his master
in form and in skill. The people deeply deplored the death of their favourite; some strewed
the spot where he fell with flowers and perfumes, for which act they were killed by the
tyrant; and Martial only expressed the general feeling of the city, when he called him in the
epithet (11.13) which he composed in his honour,
"Romani decus et dolor theatri."
(Dio Cass. ]17.3;