Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-15
Classic Dining.

From an English Magazine.
The domestic dinner of the Greeks was a
highly intellectual and conversational meal
They certainly did not sit down as we do to de-
your roast beef and legs of mutton purchased
from butcher meat was, for the reason lust
given. rather an occasional treat than an article
of daily fare; and hence the ingenuity shown in
made dishes, and the general lightness and
whOlesOmeness of a diet largely composed of
fish. vegetables olive oil and farinaceOus fix
ings, TO which poultry and various wild birds
were often added Flowers. myrtle, chaplets
and fragrant scents and essences were intro
duced at the more elegant banquets and riddles
and anecdotes were passed round for the
amusement of the guests, or verses were
quoted, drinking-sOngs sung, or speeches from
some tragedy were rected. To the best per-
Torrance of these prizes were attached
curious custom prevailed with the Greeks,
Ofeach guest bringing his own viands in a box,
or basket Such dinner was called ''frOm the
hamper" or ''club dinner" or 'picnic," or
'cOntributary:" of course the viands were inter-
changed according to the taste Of each guest
And we read in AristOphanes of shabby fellow
who used to claim share of the good things at
a rich table though he himself brought only an
apple and pOmegranate. Like our dinner
supplied from college kitchen or restaurant
the dishes were put into a box (cista) and so
conveyed piping hot to the house of the enter
ia liner.
Wine was drunk from the bowl ready mixed
and ladled out to the guests, much as punch
used to be served Oh English tables in the last
century. Then conversation began. We have
three extant treatises, seyerally by Plato Keno
phOn and Lucan, entitled Symposium" be-
sides nine books of SympOsiaca by Plutarch. all
of which contain imaginary conversations held
at such parties. In days when there was Very
little reading there was naturally very much
talk. 1t is probable that the modern newspaper
has done much to make the higher kind of din
nertalk or that which involves much thought,
questionable, to say the least. in our parties.
Every topic of interest is discussed in the morn
ing paper; and as everybody has read it few care
to open the subject again in conversation at the
evening meal. Again the great diffusion of
knowledge has lifted the subjects of inquiry.
Some of the topics in Plutarch's treatise seem
trifiing enough, as the questions: ''Why do old
men prefer neat (unmiXed) wine?" ''Why do old
men read with the letters further from the
eye:" why are clothes washed in fresh and not
in salt water?" "Why do we eat more at the
end of autumn" why cannot pine-trees be
grafted:" why is the flesh of lamb that has
been killed by a wolf sweeter and why does
wool engender vermin?" ''Why does meat turn
bad under moonlight more than under sun
lght! why do mushrooms grow after
thunder-stOrms and what is the origin of the
belief that persons asleep are never struck by
lightning" do the Jews abstain from pork
from veneratiOn or from disiike:'' 'Who is the
God of the Jews:" WHY is snow kept from
melting by covering it with chaff and wooden
against cows horn harder and less ready to
grow" These subjects. trifiing as many of them
are show an interest in natural history and
disposition rerum cOgnOscere causas. In
PlatO's Symposium" the topic of discussion,
love. is treated philosophically, with occasional
sallies of humOr.
The exclusion of women, generally at least,
favored the more. heavy kind of conversation
The admission of the other sex in the parties of
dancing girls OF light character was blot on
a tayN mt fhn hxrk
natural result of the unnatural isolation. In
the Platonc dialogue we find one of the guests.
physician, proposing that the fute-girl should
be dismissed, ITO pipe to herself on to the ladies
in the drawing-rOOm."
1t would seem, however, from passage of
H.schylus Gag. $3.50 that in the heroic ages even
princess would come in after dinner to sing
to the guests with her maiden voice."
A very strange custom prevailed with both
the Greeks and the Romans, of the guests car
Tying away with them the vantis that remained
uneaten- Martial has an extremely witty cpl
gram on this; but the droest account of if is i'm
the Symposium" of LuciaD. The party con-
sisted OF learned and dignified philosophers.
whom of course the author intends to satirize
up to certain point the remnants were fairly
divided. but unfortunately one chicken more
plump than the rest attracted the attention of
one of the party who had no just claim to it.
The proper owner would not let 90. SO they
both tugged at it; a general tunult ensued and
the guests grasped the birds by the legs and hit
each other in the face with them. pulled beards
shouted and pelted with cups. That snch
scenes really took place at the dinners given tn
Roman clients is seriously affirmed by Juyenal
". 26) and i'm one of the satiric plays of Esehy
lus The 0stologi'), a guest complains that n
certain vessel was broken over his head, sby M
means as fragrant as a pct of spikenard.' In
| deed, it would be rather curious inquiry how
| far drunkenness was sottishness OF mere excite.
ment, for 1t Is obvious that such term is but
relative. and 1t is likely enough that the Greek
! temperament was easily reused to fury by a
very small amount of alcohol. Certainly nc
| rigid etiquette prevented practical jokes of a
serious kind. We read in Piautus of an unfor-
tunate parasite having potful of ashes flung at
| his head at dinner for no other purpose than to
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