Volume 1

The Deipnosophists, or, Banquet of the learned, of Athenæus / literally translated by C.D. Yonge, B.A. ; with an appendix of poetical fragments, rendered into English verse by various authors, and a general index.

  • Athenaeus
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Deipnosophists, or, Banquet of the learned, of Athenæus / literally translated by C.D. Yonge, B.A. ; with an appendix of poetical fragments, rendered into English verse by various authors, and a general index. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    451/468 (page 431)
    C. 108.] tatious manner. Moreover they displayed wonderful piety towards the Deity, and gi-eat justice, and great care to behave equitably towai’ds all men, and great diligence in cultivating the eartL And we may see this from the national sacrifices which we celebrate. For we proceed by ways regulai-ly settled and defined. So that we bear regidarly appointed offerings, and we utter regular petitions in our prayers, and we per- form stated acts in all our sacred ceremonies. They are also simple and plain. And we do all this without being cither clothed or attired as to our persons in any extraordinary manner, and without indulging in any extraordinary pomp when offering the first-fruits. But we wear simple gar- ments and slices, and on our heads we have rough hats made of the skins of sheep, and we carry vessels to minister in of earthenware and brass. And in these vessels we carry fhose meats and liquors which are procured with the least trouble, thinking it absurd to send offerings to the gods in accordance with our national customs, but to provide for our- selves according to foreign customs. And, therefore, all the things which arc expended upon oui’selves arc measured by their use; but what we offer to the gods arc a sort of first- fruits of them. 108. Now Mucins Screvola was one of the three men in Koine who were particular in their observance of the Fannian law ; Quintus yEliiis Tubero and Kutilius Rufus being the other two, the latter of whom is the man who Mwote the History of his country. Which law enjoined men not to entertain more than three people besides those in the house; but on mai’ket-days a man might entertain five. And these market- days happened three times in the month. The law also for- bade any one to spend in provisions more than two drachmae and a half. And they were allowed to spend fifteen talents a-year on cm-ed meat and whatever vegetables the earth produces, and on boiled pulse. But as this allowance was insufficient, men gradually (because those who transgTCssed the law and spent money lavishly raised the price of whatever w'as to be bought) advanced to a more liberal style of living without violating the law. For Tubero used to biiy birds at a drachma a-piece from the men who lived on his own farms. And Kutilius used to buy fish from his own slaves who worked as fishermen for three obols for a pound of fish;