A HARD-WORKING DIET. 379 



Deipnosophists," we find a much wider scope in diet 

 was adopted, and fish assumes an important place, Its place 

 whether from a falling off from heroic taste or from age of luxury, 

 enlarged knowledge is not clear. It is evident how- 

 ever from his statements that fish was by some not 

 only eaten as a matter of taste, but also from an 

 empirical knowledge of the principles of dietetics. 

 He quotes in his work (bk. iii.) the opinions of several 

 Greek writers and epicures as to the relative suitability 

 of certain fish and preparations of them for the table. 

 On the authority of Diphilus the Siphnian, salt 

 pickled fish was to be avoided on account of its 

 irritant character. Diocles, the Carystian, is his au- 

 thority on the various kinds of tunny (bk. iii., sec. 85), 

 while Archestratus, the epicure, who sailed round the 

 then known world in search of delicacies, is his au- 

 thority as to the most wholesome modes of cooking. 

 In the banquets fish appears in both the first and 

 second course, oysters and salt or pickled fish being 

 taken as hors cFceuvres. Quoting che parodist Matron 

 (bk. ii.) he thus describes the course. After the bread 

 which formed the first part of the Greek banquet both 

 in the Heroic and later ages 



" Then all to pot herbs stretch their hands in haste, 

 But various viands lur'd my nicer taste, 

 Choice bulbs, asparagus, and, daintier yet, 

 Fat oysters help my appetite to whet." 



It is probable that the Egyptian birth of Athenseus, 

 he being a native of the city of Naucratis, may have 

 made him so ardent an admirer of fish, and led him 

 to devote the greater part of his seventh book to 

 their study, and to laud in flowing hexameters 

 the various edible kinds. This lavish praise by 



