Mf/i^^W^— PRAISE OF KA'nPOi: 263 



" noble conger 

 From Sicyon's bay, the conger which the God 

 Of the deep sea doth bear aloft to Heaven 

 Fit banquet for his brethren." ^ 



8. The Ka-wpoq — by some identified with the Aper, by some 

 translated the " Sea-Hog." Neither scientifically, nor in my 

 list can I place this fish ; it was apparently unknown to the 

 Romans. 



Of the fish as Caper, except in Ennius,^ " Caproque apud 

 Ambracienses," and Phny, XI. 112, " et is qui caper vocatur," 

 Latin literature is silent. Nor do these two quotations aid, 

 because the first occurs in the poet's imitation or translation 

 of Archestratus (Apul., ApoL, p. 384), while PHny simply 

 transUterates Aristotle's KairpoQ,^ 



Of its right to be near the top of the list, the words of 

 Nonnius bear high proof : " Among the fishes which the Greeks 

 sought with mad desire, and at any cost to procure, was first 

 and foremost the Kairpog, which, though called Aper, was 

 unknown to the Romans." 



Archestratus * outdoes even himself in his eulogy of this 

 fish, for he straightly enjoins any one lucky enough to be in 

 Ambracia, 



" Buy it at once, and let it not escape you. 

 Not if you buy it at its weight in gold ; 

 Else will the indignation of the gods 

 O'erpower you : for 'tis the Flower of Nectar," 



The immediate sequel to these lines is of interest. The 

 poet, transported from earth to heaven at the thought of his 

 favourite dainty, describes it in wording which recalls the most 

 solemn rites of Hellenic religion. There were certain foods 

 reserved for communicants. There were mysteries which 

 none but advanced initiates might witness. There were objects 

 of pecuhar sanctity borne by virginal ministrants. There 



^ Philemon, ap. Athen., 7. 32. 



- Hedyphagetica. The reading is most uncertain. 



3 In N. H., II. 13, and IV. 9. This cannot be our boar-fish which is marine, 

 whereas Aristotle talks of it being in the river Achelous. It may possibly 

 be another name for the Glanis. 



* In Athen., 7. 72. 



