DOMINOES

dominoes, a game unknown until the 18th century, and probably invented in italy, played with twenty-eight oblong pieces, or dominoes, known also as _cards_ or _stones_, having ivory faces backed with ebony; from this ebony backing, as resembling the cloak (usually black) called a domino (see mask), the name is said to be derived. cardboard dominoes to be held in the hand are also in use. the face of each card is divided into two squares by a black line, and in each square half the value of the card is indicated by its being either a blank or marked with one or more black pips, generally up to six, but some sets run as high as double-nine. there are various ways of playing dominoes described below. _the block and draw games._--the dominoes are shuffled face downwards on the table. the lead is usually decided by drawing for the highest card, but it is sometimes held that any doublet takes precedence. the cards are then reshuffled, and each player draws at random the number of cards required for the particular form of the game, usually seven. the cards left behind are called the _stock_. to play a card is known technically as to _pose_. the leader poses first, generally playing his highest domino, since at the end the player loses according to the number of pips in the cards he has left in his hand. by some rules, a player after playing a double may play another card which matches it: e.g. if he plays double-six he may play another card which has a six at one end. the second player has to match the leader's pose by putting one of his cards in juxtaposition at one end, i.e. if the leader plays four-five, the second player has to play a card which contains either a four or a five, the five being applied to the five, or the four to the four. doublets are placed _a cheval_ (_crosswise_). if a player cannot match, he says "go," and his opponent plays, unless the draw game--the usual game--is being played, in which case the player who cannot match draws from the stock (two cards must always be left in the stock) till he takes a card that matches. if a player succeeds in posing all his cards, he calls "domino!" and wins the hand, scoring as many points as there are pips on the cards still held by his opponent. if neither player can match, that player wins who has the fewest pips left in his hand, and he scores as many points as are left in the two hands combined (sometimes only the excess held by his opponent); but when a player has called "go!" his adversary must match if he can, in which case the other player may be able to match in turn. a game is generally 100 points. _all fives_ (or _muggins_).--each player takes five cards. if the leader poses either double-five, six-four, five-blank, or three-two, he scores the number of pips that are on the card. if in the course of play a player can play such a card as makes the sum of the end pips, 5, 10, 15 or 20, he scores that number; e.g. if to two-four he can play double-four (_a cheval_) he scores 10; if to six-one he plays six-four he scores 5. he must pose if he can match; if he cannot, he draws till he can. scores are called and taken immediately. at the point of domino, the winner scores in points the multiple of five which is nearest to the number of pips in his adversary's hand: e.g. he scores 25 if his adversary has 27 pips, 30 if he has 28. if neither hand can match, the lowest number of pips wins, and the score is taken as before, without addition or subtraction, according to the adversary's pips. _all threes_ is played in the same manner as muggins, save that three or some multiple of three are aimed at. _threes-and-fives_ is similar, but only one point is scored for each five or three made at the two ends, though they can be scored in combination. thus a plays six-five; b six-one; b scores 2 points for 5-1 (two threes). a plays one-five; b double five; b now scores 8 more, 5 for five threes and 3 for three fives. _domino-whist_ is played by four players. partners are drawn for as at whist, the player drawing the highest card leading. each player takes seven cards. there are no tricks, trumps or honours. the cards are played as in ordinary dominoes, a hand being finished when one of the players plays his last card, or when both ends are blocked. pips are then counted, and the holder or holders of the highest number score to their debit the aggregate number of points. the side that is first debited with 100 points loses the game. strength in a _suit_ is indicated by the lead; _i.e._ a lead of double-blank or double-six implies strength in blanks or sixes respectively. _matador_ (from the spanish word meaning "killer," i.e. of the bull in a bull-fight). this is a favourite and perhaps the most scientific form of the game. it is played on a different principle from the preceding variations, the object being not to match the end number, but to pose such a number, as, added to the end, will make seven; _e.g._ to a five a two must be played, to a three a four, &c. seven dominoes are drawn and the highest double begins. when a player cannot make a seven on either end he must draw from the stock until he secures a card that will enable him to make seven, two cards remaining in the stock. as matador is played with dominoes no higher than six, a blank means the blocking of that end. in this case no further play can take place at that end excepting by posing a _matador_, which may be played at any time. there are four matadors, the 6-1, 5-2, 4-3 and double-blank. it is often better to draw one or more fresh cards than to play one's last matador, as it may save the game at a critical juncture. in posing a double counts as a single number only, but in scoring the full number of pips is counted. when the game has been definitely blocked the player whose pips aggregate the lower number scores the number of the combined hands (sometimes only the excess in his opponent's hand), the game being usually 100. matador can be played by three persons, in which case the two having the lowest scores usually combine against the threatening winner; and also by four, either each for himself or two on a side. other varieties of the game not often played are the bergen game, sevastopol and domino loo. see _card and table games_ by hoffmann (london, g. routledge & sons). dominus (from an indo-european root _dam-_, cf. gr. [greek: daman], to subdue, and eng. "tame"), the latin word for master or owner. as a title of sovereignty the term under the republic at rome had all the associations of the greek [greek: tyrannos]; refused during the early principate, it finally became an official title of the roman emperors under diocletian. _dominus_, the french equivalent being _sieur_, was the latin title of the feudal (superior and mesne) lords, and also an ecclesiastical and academical title. the ecclesiastical title was rendered in english "sir," which was a common prefix before the reformation for parsons, as in "sir hugh evans" in shakespeare's _merry wives of windsor_. the academical use was for a bachelor of arts, and so is still used at cambridge and other universities. the shortened form "dom" is used as a prefix of honour for ecclesiastics of the roman church, and especially for members of the benedictine and other religious orders. the same form is also a title of honour in portugal, as formerly in brazil, used by members of the blood royal and others on whom it has been conferred by the sovereign. the spanish form "don" is also a title, formerly applicable only to the nobility, and now one of courtesy and respect applied to any member of the better classes. the feminine form "donna" is similarly applied to a lady. the english colloquial use of "don" for a fellow or tutor of a college at a university is derived either from an application of the spanish title to one having authority or position, or from the academical use of _dominus_. the earliest use of the word in this sense appears, according to the _new english dictionary_, in south's _sermons_ (1660). an english corruption "dan" was in early use as a title of respect, equivalent to "master." the particular literary application to poets is due to spenser's use of "dan chaucer, well of english undefyled" (_faery queen_, iv. ii. 32). domitian (titus flavius domitianus), roman emperor a.d. 81-96, the second son of titus flavius vespasianus and flavia domitilla, twelfth of the caesars, and third of the flavian dynasty, was born at rome on the 24th of october a.d. 51. when vespasian was proclaimed emperor at alexandria, domitian escaped with difficulty from the temple of the capitol, which had been set on fire by the vitellians, and remained in hiding till his father's party proved victorious. after the fall of vitellius he was saluted as caesar, or prince imperial, by the troops, obtained the city praetorship, and was entrusted with the administration of italy till his father's return from the east. but although in his father's lifetime he several times filled the office of consul, and after his death was nominally the partner in the empire with his brother titus, he never took any part in public business, but lived in great retirement, devoting himself to a life of pleasure and of literary pursuits till he succeeded to the throne. the death of titus, if not hastened by foul means, was at least eagerly welcomed by his brother. domitian's succession (on the 13th of september 81) was unquestioned, and it would seem that he had intended, so far as his weak volition and mean abilities would allow, to govern well. like augustus, he attempted a reformation of morals and religion. as chief pontiff he inquired rigorously into the character of the vestal virgins, three of whom were buried alive; he enforced the laws against adultery, mutilation, and the grosser forms of immorality, and forbade the public acting of mimes. he erected many temples and public buildings (amongst them the odeum, a kind of theatre for musical performances) and restored the temple of the capitol. he passed many sumptuary laws, and issued an edict forbidding the over-cultivation of vines to the neglect of corn-growing. finally, he took a personal share in the administration of justice at rome, checked the activity of the informers (_delatores_), and exercised a jealous supervision over the governors of provinces. such public virtues at first counterbalanced his private vices in the eyes of the people. domitian was the first emperor who arrogated divine honours in his lifetime, and caused himself to be styled _our lord and god_ in public documents. doubtless in the poems of writers like martial this deification was nothing but fulsome flattery, but in the case of the provincials it was a sincere tribute to the impersonation of the roman empire, as the administrator of good government and the peacemaker of the world. even when rome and italy smarted beneath his proscriptions and extortions, the provinces were undisturbed. though he took the title of imperator more than twenty times, and enjoyed at least one triumph, domitian's military achievements were insignificant. he defeated the chatti, annexed the district of the taunus, and established the _limes_ as a line of defence; but he suffered defeats at the hands of the quadi, sarmatae and marcomanni; in dacia he received a severe check, and was obliged to purchase peace (90) from decebalus by the payment of a large sum of money and by guaranteeing a yearly tribute--the first instance in roman history. his jealousy was provoked by the successes of agricola in britain, who was recalled to rome (85) in the midst of his conquests, condemned to retirement, and perhaps removed by poison. the revolt of antonius saturninus, the commander of the roman forces in upper germany (88 or 89), marks the turning-point in his reign (on the date see h. schiller, _geschichte der romischen kaiserzeit_, i. pt. 2, p. 524, note 2). it was speedily crushed; but from that moment domitian's character changed. he got rid of all whom he disliked on the charge of having taken part in the conspiracy, and no man of eminence was safe against him. he was in constant fear of assassination and distrusted all around him. during the last three years of his life his behaviour was that of a madman. he sentenced to death his own cousin and nephew by marriage, flavius clemens, whose wife he banished for her supposed leaning towards judaism (christianity). a conspiracy among his own freedmen--set on foot, it is said, by his wife domitia longina, who knew her own life to be threatened--cut short his career. he was stabbed in his bedroom by a freedman of clemens named stephanus on the 18th of september 96. authorities. _ancient._--tacitus, _histories_, iii. iv.; suetonius, _domitian_; dio cassius lxvi., lxvii.; tacitus, _agricola_, 18-22. modern accounts by a. imhof, _t. flavius domitianus_ (halle, 1857), which, while not claiming any special originality, is based on a conscientious study of authorities; a. halberstadt, _de imperatoris domitiani moribus et rebus_ (amsterdam, 1877), an attempt to rehabilitate domitian; s. gsell, _essai sur le regne de l'empereur domitien_ (1894), very complete in every respect; h. schiller (as above), pp. 520-538; c. merivale, _hist. of the romans under the empire_, ch. 61, 62. for domitian's attitude towards christianity see v. schultze in herzog-hauck's _realencyklopadie fur protestantische theologie_, iv. (1898); sir w. m. ramsay, _the church in the roman empire_ (1903); e. g. hardy, _christianity and the roman government_ (1894); j. b. bury, appendix 8 to vol. ii. of his edition of gibbon. domremy-la-pucelle, a village of eastern france, in the department of vosges, on the left bank of the meuse, 7 m. n. of neufchateau by road. pop. (1906) 233. domremy was the birthplace of joan of arc, and the cottage in which she was born still stands. above the door are the arms of france and of joan of arc and an inscription of 1481 reading "vive labeur; vive le roi louys." there are several monuments to the heroine, and a modern basilica has been erected in her honour on a neighbouring hill, where she is said to have heard the voices in obedience to which she took up the sword. the story of the heroine is annually celebrated by a play in which the villagers take part. don (anc. _tanais_), a river of european russia, called _tuna_ or _duna_ by the tatars, rising in lake ivan (580 ft. above sea-level) in the government of tula, where it has communication with the volga by means of the yepifan canal, which links it with the upa, a tributary of the oka, which itself enters the volga. the don, after curving east through the government of ryazan, flows generally south through the governments of tambov, orel, voronezh and the don cossacks territory, describing in the last-named a sweeping loop to the east, in the course of which it approaches within 48 m. of the volga in 49° n. in the middle of the don cossacks territory it turns definitely south-west, and finally enters the north-east extremity of the sea of azov, forming a delta 130 sq. m. in extent. its total length is 1325 m., and its drainage area is calculated at 166,000 sq. m. the average fall of the river is about 51⁄4 in. to the mile. in its upper course, which may be regarded as extending to the confluence of the voronezh in 51° 40', the don flows for the most part through a low-lying, fertile country, though in the government of ryazan its banks are rocky and steep, and in some places even precipitous. in the middle division, or from the mouth of the voronezh to the point where it makes its nearest approach to the volga, the stream cuts its way for the most part through cretaceous rocks, which in many places rise on either side in steep and elevated banks, and at intervals encroach on the river-bed. a short distance below the town of rostov it breaks up into several channels, of which the largest and most southern retains the name of the river. before it receives the voronezh the don has a breadth of 500 to 700, or even in a few places 1000 ft., while its depth varies from 4 to 20 ft.; by the time it reaches its most eastern point the depth has increased to 8-50 ft., and the ordinary breadth to 700-1000 ft., with an occasional maximum of 1400 ft.; in the lowest division the depth is frequently 70 ft., and the breadth in many places 1870 ft. generally speaking, the right bank is high and the left flat and low. shallow reaches are not uncommon, and there are at least seven considerable shoals in the south-western part of the course; partly owing to this cause, and partly to the scarcity of ship-timber in the voronezh government, the don, although navigable as far up as voronezh, does not attain any great importance as a means of communication till it reaches kachalinskaya in the vicinity of the volga. from that point, or rather from kalach, where the railway (built in 1862) from the volga has its western terminus, the traffic is very extensive. of the tributaries of the river, the voronezh, the khoper, the medvyeditsa and the donets are navigable--the donets having a course of 680 m., and during high water affording access to the government of kharkov. the manych, another large affluent on the left, marks the ancient line of water connexion between the sea of azov and the caspian sea. the lower section of the don is subject to two annual floods, of which the earlier, known as the "cold water," is caused by the melting of the snow in the country of the don cossacks, and the later, or the "warm water," is due to the same process taking place in the region drained by the upper parts of the stream. about the beginning of june the river begins to subside with great rapidity; in august the water is very low and navigation almost ceases; but occasionally after the september rains the traffic with small craft is again practicable. since the middle of the 18th century there have been five floods of extraordinary magnitude,--namely, in 1748, 1786, 1805, 1820 and 1845. the river is usually closed by ice from november or december to march or april, and at rare intervals it freezes in october. at aksai, in the delta, it remains open on the average for 250 days in the year, at the mouth of the medvyeditsa for 239, and at novo-cherkask, on another arm of the delta, for 246. this river supports a considerable fishing population, who despatch salt fish and caviare all over russia. salmon and herrings are taken in large numbers. (p. a. k.; j. t. be.)