Plutarch's morals. Part 2. translated from the Greek by several hands.

Question X. Whether the Antients who provided every one his Mess, or we that set many to the same dish, did best?

WHen I was chief Magistrate, most of my Suppers consisted of distinct Messes, where every particular Guest had his portion of the Sacrifice allow'd him, some were won∣derfully well pleas'd with this order, others blam'd it as unsociable, and ungentiel; and were of the opinion, that as soon as I was out of my Office the manner of Entertainments ought to be reformed; for says Agias, we invite one another not barely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to eat and drink; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to eat and drink together. Now this Division into Messes takes away all so∣ciety, makes many Suppers and many eaters, but not one, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Sups with another; but as at a Cooks Shop, each man takes his pound of Beef, and sets it before himself, and falls on: And is it not the same thing to provide a different Cup, and different Table for every Guest (as the Demophontidae treated Orestes) as now to set each

man his Loaf of Bread, and Mess of Meat, and feed him as 'twere out of his ow•• proper Manger? Only 'tis true we are not (as those that treated Orestes were) obliged to be silent, and not dis∣course: Besides, that all the Guests should have a share in every thing, we may draw an argu∣ment from hence, the same discourse is common to us all, the same Songstress sings, and the same Musician plays to all; the same cup is set in the midst, not appropriated to any, 'tis a large Spring of good fellowship, and each man may take as much as his Appetite requires, not like this most unjust distribution of bread and meat, which prides it self forsooth in being equal to all, tho unequal Stomachs; so to a man of a small Appe∣tite 'tis too much, to one of a greater too little. And, Sir, as he that administers the very same Dose of Physick to all sorts of Patients must be very ridiculous: So likewise must that Enter∣tainer, who inviting a great many Guests that can neither eat nor drink alike, sets before every one an equal mess, and measure what is just and fit by an Arithmetical, not Geometrical propor∣tion: When we go to a Shop to buy, we all use, 'tis true, one and the same public measure; but to an Entertainment each man brings his own belly which is satisfied with a portion, not because equal to that which others have, but be∣cause sufficient for it self: Those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (Enter∣tainments where every one had his single mess) H••••er mentions amongst Souldiers, and in the Camp; we ought not to bring into fashion amongst us; but rather imitate the good fellow∣ship of the Ancients, who to shew what reve∣rence they had for all kinds of Society's, not only honoured 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those that liv'd with

them or under the same roof, but also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those that drank out of the same Cup, or eat out of the same Dish: Let's never mind Homers Entertainments, they were good for no∣thing but to starve a Man, and the Makers of them, Kings more stingy, and observant than the Italian Cooks; insomuch that in the mid'st of a Battel, whilst they were at Handy blows with their Enemies, they could exactly reckon up how many Glasses each Man drank at his Table; but those that Pindar describes are much better,

Where Heroes mixt sate round the noble Board,

because they maintain'd society and good fel∣lowship; for the latter truly mixt and joyn'd friends, the former divided, and aspersed them as persons, tho seemingly very good Friends, who could not so much as eat with one another out of the same dish: To this polite discourse of Agias they urg'd me to reply: And I said, Agias, 'tis true, hath reason to be troubled at this unusu∣al disappointment, because having so great a bel∣ly (for he was an excellent Trencher-man) he had no larger Mess than others: In a common Fish, 'tis true, as Democritus says, there are no Bon••s but that very thing hath introduc'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

For 'tis equality, as the old woman in Euripi∣des hath it,

That fastens Towns to Towns, and Friends to Friends;

and Entertainments chiefly stand in need of this, the necessity is from nature, not custom, new, lately introduc'd, or founded only on opinion;

when the same dish lies in common before all, the Man that is slow and eats little, must be offended at the other that is too quick for him, as a slow Ship at the swift Sailer: Besides, snatch∣ing, contention, shoving, and the like, are not in my mind neighbourly beginnings of Mirth and Jollity; but absurd, doggish, and which often end in anger, or reproaches, not only against one ano∣ther, but also against the Entertainer himself, or the Carvers of the Feast; but as long as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Division or Distribution, keep an e∣quality in our Feasts, nothing uncivil or disorder∣ly appear'd, and they call'd the Feasts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Distributions, the Entertain'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Carvers 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Distributers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from dividing and distributing to every Man his pro∣per Mess: The Lacedemonians had Officers call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, distributers of the Flesh, no mean Men, but the chief of the City, for Lysander him∣self by King Agesilaus was constituted one of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Asia; but when Luxury crept into our Feasts, Distributing was thrown out, for I suppose they had not leasure to divide these numerous Tarts, Cheese-cakes, Pies, and other delicate varieties; but surpriz'd with the pleasantness of the taste, and tir'd with the varie∣ty, they left off cutting it into portions, and left all in common; and this is confirm'd from the present practice; for in our Religious or publick Feasts, where the Food is simple and in∣artificial, each Man hath his Mess assign'd him; so that he that endeavours to retreive the Anti∣ent custom, will likewise recover thrift, and almost lost frugality again: But you object, where only property is, community is lost: True indeed, where equality is not, for not the posses∣sion

of what is proper, and our own, but the tak∣ing away of anothers, and coveting that, that is common, is the cause of all injury, and contention; which the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Laws restraining, and confining within the bounds of proper, receive their name from their Office, being a Power 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, distri∣buting equal to every one in order to the common good: Thus every one is not to be honoured by the Entertainer with the Garland, or the chiefest place: Now if propriety in these things doth not in the least hinder, but that things of greater moment, and the only considerable, as discourse and civility may be still common, let us leave off disgracing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Distributions, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Lot (as Euripides hath it) the Son of For∣tune; which hath no respect either to Riches or Honour; but in its inconsiderate Wheel now and then raiseth up the humble and the poor, and makes him Master of himself; and by ac∣customing the great and rich to endure; and not be offended at equality, pleasingly instructs.