Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-11-25
The Greeks IL Table.


Greeks AMI the Romans, Of the gnests
carrying away with them the Viands
that remained uneaten Martial has al
extremely witty epigram on this, bu'
the drollest account Of il is in the
Symposium of LuciGn. The party
consisted of learned and digniiied
philosophers, whom Of course the au-
thor intends to sasirize. Up 20 a cer-
tain point the remnants were fairly
divided, but unfortunately one chicken
more plump than tie rest attracted the
attention of one Of the party who had
no Just claim to it. The proper owner
would not let go, so they both tugged
at it; a general tumnlt ensued ard the
guests graspod the birds by the legs
and hit each other in the face with
them. pulled boards, shouted and
pelted with cups. That such scenes
really took place at the dinners given
to Roman clients is seriously affirmed
by Juvenal and in one Of the Satire
plays of IEschylus, guest comp 81 IS
| that certain vessel was broken over
his head, by no means as fragrant az
pot CT spikenard." Indeed, it would
bs a rather curious inquiry how far
drunkenness was sottishness or mere
excitement, for it is obvious that such
term is but relative, and it is likely
enough that the Greek temperament
was easily reused to fury by a very
small amount of alcohol. Certainly
no rigid etiquette prevented practical
Jokes of q serious kind. We read in
Plautus of an unfortunate parasite
having a pot full of ashes flung 1T his
head at dinner for no other purpose
than to raise general laugh against
him.
Some anecdotes are told which con-
firm this view. One Philoxenus, q
poet of Cythera, was dining with
Dionysius. Observing small mullet
served on his plate but large one on
that of the host, 10 took the cooked
fish in his hands and applied it to bis
ear. "What are you doing?' afked
the host. 81 am writing poem en-
titled .Galatea,' and 1 want to learn
from this fish something about Nereus!
But it says it was caught too young,
whereas the big fish on your plate
followed in Nereus' train and knows all
about him." The host laughed, and
ordered the fishes to be exchanged.
A certain Spartan was dining at a
table on which sea-urchins were served.
He took one, and not knowing how to
manipulate it. put it into his mouth
and crunched it shell and all. After
making wry face over it, he exclaimed.
with true Spartan bravery, Filthy
eating! am not going to turn u cow
ard and give you up now, and l shan't
take you any mOrel"
Rather neat repartee is recorded of
one Philoxenus, parasite. Observing
that the host supplied black bread, he
quietly said, "Don't put on any more
of that or you will make the room
dark" Another seeing an entree that
was being carried round stop at the
host inquired, IAN tipsy or is it a
fancy of mine that these things are
going round 2"
The extraordinary fondness of both
the Greeks and Romans for almost every
kind of fish is we'll known. In the time of
the Emperor Tiberius. says Athermus.
lived one Apicius, wealthy gourmand.
He was particularly fond of prawps,
and used to live at Minturn@. on the
shore of Csmpania, for the sake of these
crustaceans, for which he paid large
sums as they are there very large.
Hearing that still bigger prawns we're
caught off the coast of Libya, he sailed
thither without waiting single day
for fine weather. Arriving after bad
voyage, he was visited by fishermen
who had somehow heard of his object
and brought to him their finest prswns.
"Are these the very largest ?" he asked.
"Have you none lsrger?" Ga their
replying in the negative he exclaimed,
"Csptain! back to Italy directly; and
mindi don't lose time by touching
land!'
The Eastern custom of reclining at
meals on sofas or divans was almost
universal with both Greeks and r romans,
and this is generally represented on the
Greek vases, though sometimes the
guests are seen sitting. 1.-THE heroes,
says Athermus. est at the barquets.
and do not recline." The sofa soon
became an important article of furni
ture. 'and great deal of art and orua.
ment was expended upon it, as we'll AS
on the tapestry coverings.
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