But for the ordinary Roman, who possessed no sun-dial or was not within reach of one, the day fell into four convenient divisions, as with us it falls into three,--morning, afternoon, and evening.

As they rose much earlier than we do, the hours up to noon were divided into two parts: (1) _mane_, or morning, which lasted from sunrise to the beginning of the third hour, and (2) _ad meridiem_, or forenoon; then followed _de meridie_, i.e.afternoon, and _suprema_, from about the ninth or tenth hour till sunset.

The authority for these handy divisions is Censorinus, _De die natali_ (23.

9, 24.

3).