While the Romans doubtless shared our view that “time is money,” they often equated time with water. In Rome the phrase aquam dare, “to grant water,” meant to allot time to a lawyer, while aquam perdere, “to lose water,” meant to waste time. If a speaker in the Senate spoke out of turn or talked too long, his colleagues would shout that his water should be taken away. Under other circumstances they might petition that more water be allowed.
