And other shepherds then, witnessing the unseemly behaviour that the excess of wine had caused in their comrades, thought that Icarius 2 had given them poison. Now, because of this suspicion they killed him and threw his body into a well, or buried it near a certain tree. That is why they believe that a man should be content with the two first toasts and return home from a still pleasant feast, thus avoiding all harm. However, if he instead persisted drinking in excess, then Violence and Ruin come upon him with many other evils in their train. For Violence excites Wrath in the hearts of men and leads entertainment to an evil end, bringing blows, insults, and outrages.
All joys die without it.
And without wine, they say, Love lives not, and all the joys of mortals die. And taking this into account some have said that one may hide all things, except that he is drinking wine, and that he has fallen in love. For both the eyes and the words of those possessed by Love or wine betray them, so that the more these things are denied, the more they are made plain. And he who drinks moderately, some believe, becomes full of ideas, but he who drinks continually loses thought altogether. This page belongs to the Greek Mythology Link , created and maintained by Carlos Parada since September 18, 1997.