The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-04-02
A ROMAN BANQUET.
Description of Dinner Party Where the
Patrlcians Were Feasted.

The triclinium: A beautiful oblong
apartment, gorgeously painted with
arabesques of gold and scarlet upon a
deep azure groundwork. A circular
table covered with a white cloth, bor-
dered with deep edge of purple and
deeper fringe of gold, stood in the CEN
ter and around it three couches, nearly
of the same height with the board, each
of the segment of circle, the three
forming horseshoe.
The couches were of the finest rose
wood inlaid with tortoise shell and
ivory and brass, strewed with richest
tapestries, and piled with cushions glow
ing with splendid needlework. And
over all, upheld by richly nodded shafts
of Corinthian bronze, was 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 con-
! tain 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
transversely, 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 as
signed to guests of the highest rank;
the master of the feast, for the most,
occupied the central position on the
third, or left-hand sofa.
The slaves stood round the outer cir
cult of the whole with the cup-bearers,
but the carver and steward, if he might
so be termed, occupied that side of the
table which was left open to their at
tendance.
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 epergne-than louder
burst of music ushered in three beauti-
full female slaves in succinct tunics, like
those seen in the sculptures of Diana,
with half the bosom bare, dancing and
singing and carrying in their hands gar
lands of roses and myrtle woven with
stripes of the philyra, or inner bark of
the linden tree, which was believed to
be specific against intoxication. Cir
cling around the board in time to soft
music they crowned each of the guests,
and sprinkled with rich perfumes the
garments and the hair of each, and then,
with more animated and eccentric gest-
ures, as the note of the flute waxed
shriller and more piercing, they bounded
from the banquet hall and were sue
ceeded by six boys with silver basins
full of tepid water, perfumed with
costly essences, 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,
and in the hush that followed an aged
slave bore round a mighty flask of Chan
! wine, diluted with snow water, and re-
, plenished the goblets of stained glass
, which stood beside each guest, while
, another dispensed bread from a lordly
basket of wrought gilded seroll-work.
And now the feast commenced iT
arnest; as the first course, consisting
of fresh eggs, boiled hard, with lettuce
radishes, endive and rocke S, olives O
: Venatrum; anchovies, and sardines, anC
| til choicest luxury of the day, hot sau
sages served upon gridirons of silver
f with the rich gravy dripping through
: the bars upon sauce of Syrian prune
r and pomegranate berries was placed
4 upon the board Then, to the mel d!
S cf Lydian lutes, two slaves introduced ;
6 huge silver dish loaded by the vas
Drawn of the Umbitan boar, garnisheC
with leaves of chevril, and floating in
rich sauce of anchovies, her dregs o
: Coan wine, white pepper, vinegar. ant
olives.
: All dainties that were known in thos
n ,iays ministered to this feast; oyster
e from Baie; pheasants-a rarity bu
d lately introduced since Pompeys cor
d quests in the east, having been brough
: all the way from Phasis, upon the south
z: ern shores of the Black Sea; woodcoc
from the valleys of Ionia and th
watery plains of Troas; livers OF gees
forced to an unnatural size by cram
ming the unhappy bird with figs, an
turbots fricaseed in cream, and peacock
stuffed with truffies. The wines
], which these da;1ties were diluted di
fered but little, as the wisest critic
IT say, from the Madeiras and sherries {
the nineteenth century Journa