The people who created our laws set up festivals so the public would be encouraged to enjoy themselves. They knew we needed to break up our work with fun activities. As I mentioned before, some great men gave themselves certain holidays each month. Others divided each day between play time and work time. I remember the great speaker Asinius Pollio wouldn't handle any business after the tenth hour. He wouldn't even read letters after that time, worried that new problems might come up. Instead, he used those two hours to shake off the tiredness he had built up all day. Some people rest in the middle of the day and save light tasks for the afternoon. Our ancestors also banned any new business in the Senate after the tenth hour. Soldiers take turns on watch duty, and those who just came back from active duty get to sleep through the whole night without interruption.
The founders of our laws appointed festivals, in order that men might be publicly encouraged to be cheerful, and they thought it necessary to vary our labours with amusements, and, as I said before, some great men have been wont to give themselves a certain number of holidays in every month, and some divided every day into play-time and work-time. Thus, I remember that great orator Asinius Pollio would not attend to any business after the tenth hour: he would not even read letters after that time for fear some new trouble should arise, but in those two hours used to get rid of the weariness which he had contracted during the whole day. Some rest in the middle of the day, and reserve some light occupation for the afternoon. Our ancestors, too, forbade any new motion to be made in the Senate after the tenth hour. Soldiers divide their watches, and those who have just returned from active service are allowed to sleep the whole night undisturbed.