St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-04
THIS WAS ROMAN BANQUET.
Description of Dinner Party
Where the Patricians Were


D
The triclinlum-a beautiful oblong
apartment, gorgeously painted with
arabesques of gold and scarlet upon
deep azure ground work. A circular
table covered with a white cloth, Dor
dered with deep edge of purple, and
deeper fringe of gold, stood in the cen
ter, and around in three couches, nearly
of the same height with the board. each
the segment of circle, the three form
ing horseshoe.
The touches were of the finest rose
wood inlaid with tortoise shell and ivory
and brass, strewed with richest tapes
tries, and wiled with cushions glowing
all, upheld by richly nodded shafts of
Corinthian bronze. was a canopy of
Tyrian purple, tasseled and fringed
with gold.
The method of reclining at the table
was that the guests should place them
selves on the left side propped partly by
the left elbow and partly by pile of
cushions; each couch being made to
contain in general three persons, the
head of the second coming below the
right arm of the first, and the third in
like manner; the body of each being
placed transyersely, so as to allow space
for the limbs of the next below in front
OF him.
The middle place on each couch was
esteemed the most honorable; and the
middle couch of the three was that
assigned to guests of the highest rank,
the master of the feast, for the most,
occupying the central position on the
third, or lefthand, sofa.
The slaves stood around the outer
-. re +hn al hn
erS, but the carver and steward, IL he
might be so termed, occupied that side
OF the table which was left open to
their attendance.
No sooner were all placed and the due
libatiOn made Of wine, with an offering
of salt, to the domestic gods-a silver
group of statues occupying the center
of the board, where we should now
place the plateau and the epergne-
than louder burst Of music ushered in
three beautiful female slaves in sue
cinct TUNES, like those seen in the
sculptures of Diana, with half the
bosom bare. dancing and singing and
carrying in their hands garlands OF
roses and myrtle woven with strips of
the philyra, or inner bark of the linden
tree, which was believed to be specific
against intCxication. Circling around
the board in time to soft music, they
crowned each of the guests, and sprink-
led with rich perfumes the garments
and the hair of each, and then, with
more animated and eccentric gestures,
as the note of the flute waXed shriller
and more piercing, they bounded from
the banquet hall aud were succeeded
by six boys with silver basins full
of tepid water, perfumed with costly eS-
sences, and soft embroidered napkins,
which they handed to every banqueter
to wash the hands before eating. This
done, the music died away into low,
faint close, and was silent, aud in the
hush that followed an aged slave bore
round mighty flask of Chan wine,
diluted with snow water. and replen-
ished the goblets of7stained glass which
stood beside each guest, while another
dispensed bread from lordly basket OF.
wrought giIded scrollwork.
And now the feast commenced in
earnest; as the first course. consisting
of fresh eggs boiled hard, with lettuce,
radishes, endive, and rockets, olives of
Venatrum, anchovies, and sardines, and
the choicest luxury of the day-hot
sausages served upon gridirons Of sill
yer, with the rich gravy drip
ping through the bars upon a
SduCt VI OJlidu PiuHOo oui POhiS
granate berries-was placed upon the
board. Then, to the melody of Lydian
lutes, two slaves introduced huge sill
yer dish loaded by the vast Drawn of
the UmbrIan boar, garnished with leaves
of cheyril. and floating in rich sauce
of anchovies, the dregs of Coan wine,
white pepper, vinegar and olives.
All dainties that were known in those
DAYS miDistered to this feast: oysters
from Bate: pheasants-a rarity but
lately introduced since Pompey's con-
quests in the East. having been brought
all the way from Phasis, pom the south
ern shores of the Black sea; woodcock
from the valleys of Ionia and the watery
plains of Troas; livers Of geese forced
to an unnatural size by examining the
unhappy bird with figs, and turbOts
fricasseed in cream and peacocks stuffed
with truffies. The wines by which these
dainties were diluted differed but little,
as the wisest critics say, from the Ma
deiras and sherrles of the nineteenth
century.