THE OTSTEE. 41 



the name of seas by the writers of classical antiquity, 

 and round the headland of Eaia, to the north, in the 

 open ^Mediterranean — the Tyrrhenian Sea — just such 

 another bay, the present Lago di Fusaro, was called the 

 Lucrine Sea, with its far-famed oyster-beds, easy of 

 access fi'om Baia and Pozzuoli, both situated in a 

 charming country. Here, close to the Lucrine, under 

 a clear sky, surrounded by a delightful atmosphere, 

 were situated the country houses of the more wealthy 

 Eomans, where, far away fi'om business and the noise 

 and turmoil of the forum, these accomplished disciples 

 of Epiciu-us, without fear or care, used to give them- 

 selves up to the delights of the table. Here they tasted 

 the little-shelled oysters which Martial liked so much, 

 and which, but a few hours previously to being served 

 up, had been gathered on the sea-shore. 



Gastronomic annals mention the names of some of 

 these dainty persons who daily swallowed several 

 hundreds of oysters ; but Yitellius in this respect beat 

 them all. That emperor, it is said, ate oysters four 

 times a day, and at each meal swallowed neither more 

 nor less than 1200 of them. Seneca himself, who so 

 admirably praises the charms of poverty, yet left pro- 

 digious wealth behind him ; Seneca the wise and mode- 

 rate, ate several hundreds of them every week. 



"Oyster, so dear to people of taste!" he exclaims; 

 " thou dost but excite instead of satisfying the appetite, 

 never causing indisposition, not even when eaten to 

 excess ; for thou art easy of digestion, and the stomach 

 yields thee back with facility." Cicero did not hesitate 

 to confess that he had a special predilection for oysters ; 



D 



