The poetical histories being a compleat collection of all the stories necessary for a perfect understanding of the Greek and Latine poets and other ancient authors / written originally in French, by the learned Jesuite, P. Galtruchius ; now Englisht and enricht with observations concerning the gods worshipped by our ancestors in this island, by the Phœnicians, and Syrians in Asia ... ; unto which are added two treatises, one of the curiosities of old Rome, and of the difficult names relating to the affairs of that city, the other containing the most remarkable hieroglyphicks of Ægypt, by Marius d'Assigny ...

CHAP. VI.

Of the Customs of the Romans in Eating.

* 1.1 IN every country there is a great difference in the manner of lying down, and taking those things which are necessary for our su∣stenance. The Turks feed sitting, as Tay∣lors. The Jews did lie down upon Couches made on purpose; the Europeans do com∣monly eat sitting at Tables. But my design in this place, is only to describe the Roman manner, and to mention those words which may give us a perfect understanding of the Authors which speak of their Banquetiugs and Feasts.

* 1.2 The place where they did eat, was named Coenaculum, fron Caena; as our Dining∣room, from Dinner; because the Supper was the chief Meal of the Romans, as ou•• Dinner is ours. It was also stiled * 1.3Tricli∣nium, from three Beds which were placed round a little Table standing in the middle. Before Supper they did commonly wash their hands and face, change their Cloaths, and take off their shooes, that they might not spoil the Beds. When the Table was fur∣nished, the Master of the Feast did compell all those that were invited, to sit or lay down, by * 1.4pulling their garments with some kind of violence, which was interpreted an expression of kindness, and a sign of being welcom: * 1.5Whereas if this action was per∣formed with indifference, and without ear∣nestness, it was a sign that the Master of the House cared not for the company of such a one. Such as came of their own accord without invitation to a Supper, were named Muscae, flies, or Ʋmbrae. The Guests did com∣monly lay upon the Bed, leaning upon their * 1.6left elbow, with their upper part raised up. There were two or three on every Bed, the one at the upper end, the next had his head leaning in the others breast, so was it of the third. In publick Feasts where many hun∣dreds were invited, the Couches were made capacious, and fit to hold four five at a Ta∣ble. When they were thus ready for their Victuals, they did adorn their heads with

Garlands of Roses, and other pleasant flow∣ers, * 1.7to refresh the Brain, and preserve it from the ill consequences of the excess of drinking, and the powerful operations of the Wine. They did also for that purpose gird their heads with Fillets of Wool and Linnen, to stop the Veins of the Temples which do convey up to the Brain the evil vapours that do disturb it. They did some∣times * 1.8make use of Colewort-leaves when they were resolved to drink much; for as our learned Herbalist hath taken notice, there is no greater enemy to Wine, or to the ope∣rations of it, than Colewort, and Cabbage. Their supping room was usually adorned with the Trophies and noble relicks of their Predecessors, as the other part of the House * 1.9named Atrium, was with their Images.

* 1.10 Ʋel tibi Medorum pugnaces ire per hostes Atque ornare tuam fixa per arma domum.

In all stately Suppers, there were three services or parts; The first was called Gusta∣tio Ant••••oena, or Promulsis. It was compo∣sed * 1.11of such Dishes as did whett the appetite, and prepare the stomach for more corrobo∣rating Meats. The Fruits most in season, were then served on the Table, with Eggs, Salads, Oysters, Spraragus, &c. The second Course was named Coena, because it was the chief part of the supper, and the Princi∣pal Dish of it was called Caput coenae, or fun∣damentum coenae; as the first was the Proemi∣um,

and last the Epilogue. In the last Course they did present upon the table all manner of Fruits, Cream, but especially Apples, as they did Eggs in the first. * 1.12Their Suppers were so ordered, that there was a convenient time between each Course, to discourse of plea∣sant matters. It was not lawful to mention any sad accident at such seasons, because there is nothing that helps Digestion so much as mirth, and nothing is a greater impediment to a right use of Meats, than sadness; They did therefore bannish from the Table all me∣lancholick humours.

* 1.13 In the flourishing state of the Empire they were very expensive in their suppers. Vitelli•• as Suetonius informs us, had a supper where •• thousand rare and forrein Fishes were pre∣sented upon the Table, and several strange * 1.14Birds fetcht from the strai s of Gibraltar, by Galleys sent on purpose, to transport them to Rome. And that they might not burden their stomachs with the courser sort of meats; and neglect others more pleasing to their pallats. It was sometimes the custom in the entrance of supper, to give unto every one a little Note of the names of the several dishes prepared for them. There were several offi∣cers appointed at Feasts, named Magister scri∣bendi, obsonij, Diribitor, Scissor Chironomantae, and carptor. Structor obsonij, was the Garnisher of the Feast, who did adorn the Dishes with all manner of Flowers, and plea∣sant sights. It seems the Carvers and Gar∣nishers

were instructed how to behave them∣selves with ceremony, by persons who made it their Profession to shew such as would learn. Now in every Feast there was a † portion for * 1.15Mercurius, whose Image was placed at the entry of many Houses, as we have already taken notice. And that they might please * 1.16the ears with grateful sounds, aswel as the Pallate with dainty meats, it was the custom to have a Consort of Musick; some of their Instruments were named Hydraulae. The word doth make many conjecture, that wa∣ter did contribute to the sound; but I rather imagine that they were such kind of Instru∣ments of Musick as they did use at Sea, to en∣courage men to fight, or to drownd the noise of the dying soldiers. Our Trumpets, in which some of our Na••ion do much delight, are derived from the Romans.

Nam veluti resonante diu Tritone canor•• Pellit opes collectus aquae victusque movere Spiritus, & long as emugit buccina vaces.

And in their Feasts they had pleasant Boyes out of Alexandria, and fair Girls, to give them all manner of delights which they did fancy. The Girls of Cadiz in Spain, were famous at Rome for their sportful humour, which they did express in great Banquets. At such times they made use of many sorts of Vessels to drink; It was a common custom to have a Horn enricht with silver, or gold; * 1.17but their common drinking vessels were made

of the earth of the Island of Samos, of Beech tree, of Olive-tree, of Glass, of Crystal, of Amber, of Black-stone, of silver, of gold, of precious stotes, and of dead mens skuls. This last kind of Drinking-vessels was in use, es∣pecially * 1.18amongst the Scythians, and the bar∣barous Nations: For when they had de∣stroyed their enemies, they caused their skulls to be cleansed and tipt with silver, for them to drink in. This insolent custom was seldom practis'd, unless it be amongst the Getae, the Hunni, and other Northern peo∣ple. These were the names of their ordi∣nary drinking vessels; Calices pteroti, or pi••∣nati, or alati, cups with ears. Trulla, or ••ruella, was a deep and a large cup, proper for Husband-men. Phiala, was a lesser cup▪ Cymbium was like a ship; scyphus was ano∣ther sort of drinking vessel come from Greece &c. They had several sorts of Wine in re∣quest at Rome; some Wine they did per∣fume with smoak, to render it more potable and pleasant to the taste; but Plinius doth not esteem it wholsome.

* 1.19 Nunt mihi fumosas veteres proferte falernos consulis, & Chio solvite vincla cado.

It seems they did preserve their Wine a very long while with smoak; for some do speak of wine 100 years old. It may be that the Wine was not so old as the vessels that were mark'd with such a Date. Ʋinum albanum, was very * 1.20famous at Rome, as Ʋin de la Ciudad is at

Paris. Cuidad is a little Canton near Mauseils, * 1.21that yields most excellent Wine; it costs at Paris twenty shillings a Quart.

From the Romans is come the custom of drinking Healths, which was first a kind of invocation proper to their Gods and Empe∣rors, whose names they did often mention amongst their merry cups, with many good wishes. At the conclusion of their Meet∣ings, they did drink the cup of their good genius, which was the same with that of Ju∣piter sospitator, otherwise called Poculum be∣ni dei.

* 1.22 This custom was also among the Greeks. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Notes

• * 1.1

  Jentaculum is a Breakfast, pran∣dium a Dinner taken about Noon. Merenda a Bea∣ver, coena a Supper in the evening, com∣messatio is pro∣perly a drink∣ing after Sup∣per, which was much used in Rome.
• * 1.2

  The Men did eat but once in a day at Supper seldom twice, but not more: Children and Women did eat three times.
• * 1.3

  It was as near the top of the House, as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Jews.
• * 1.4

  Penulam mihi scidit.
• * 1.5

  Tangere vestem is, to not make a man welcom.
• * 1.6

  The middle was the place of Honour. E•• ce••sus medio con∣spectus in agmi∣ne Caesar. Lucan. lib. 1. Accumbebat ux∣or in gremio mariti.
• * 1.7

  Hungry fellows who were nim∣ble at their meat, were said to have calcea∣tos dentes D••m∣pst.
• * 1.8

  Cella, the But∣tery; a cellan∣dis rabus, was joyning to the T••iclinium.
• * 1.9

  Seneca.
• * 1.10

  Propert. lib. 3. Eleg. 8.
• * 1.11

  Quia dabatu•• ante mulsum antiqui non nisi mulso primam fitim sedabant. Rosin. lib. 5. cap. 29.
• * 1.12

  From hence is the Proverb ab ovo ad mala, from the begin∣ning to the end
• * 1.13

  they did blame Luxury & Glut∣tony; the glut∣tons were sir∣named Asini.
• * 1.14

  Phaenicopter mentioned by Sueton; are cal∣led by our En∣glish in Tan∣gier, Bee-eaters, they do come every Spring in pursuance of the Bees to de∣vour them.
• * 1.15

  * Mercurij sors vocabatur.
• * 1.16

  Sportula, was a Basket out of which Meat was given to the People: It is taken for an imperfect Meal, whereas coena recta was perfect Supper; as also coena dubia, in which there were so many Dishes, that the Guests did scarce know of which to choose.
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.18

  Scordisci in osti∣bus capitum hu∣manorum bibe∣bant avidius. Amm. Marcel.
• * 1.19

  Rosin. Dicitur opinia∣num Vinum quia opimius Consul morem illum induxit. Tibul. l. 2. El. 1
• * 1.20

  See Rosin. lib. 5.
• * 1.21

  It is a kind of Frontiniack.
• * 1.22

  Sophocl.