QUALITIES AND VIRTUES OP FISH. 77 



of the gudgeon is white, it is then in its most tender and 

 digestible state. The Capros or carp, is called by Arches- 

 tratus, " The flower of nectar." (Athemeus, Diepnos, 7). 



Fresh and salt fish were the principal articles of diet with 

 the Hellenes; and we find Aristophanes and Athenaeus 

 alluding to the circumstance in many parts of their writ- 

 ings, accompanied with many bitter sarcasms and jeers, 

 on account of their passionate attachment to the mullet, 

 the scar, and the turbot. 



Lucian has many witty jokes at the expense of a 

 philosopher of his day who instituted an inquiry into the 

 soul of an oyster ! l 



Philoxenes of Cythera being informed by his medical 

 man that he was in a fair way of killing himself by his 

 excessive indulgence in a most delicious food, said ; " Be 

 it so ; but before I go, allow me to finish the remainder." 2 



Rhases and Magninus express themselves unfavourable 

 as to fish diet, and maintain that it breeds viscosities, and a 

 slimy state of the humours, and contains but a very limited 

 portion of real nourishment. Savanarola says, fish are cold, 

 moist, and phlegmatic food, and consequently unwholesome 

 for all cold and melancholy temperaments. Some authors 

 make a distinction, however, among the finny tribes ; 

 recommending some, and excluding others, such as eels, 

 tench, lampreys, crawfish, and such as are bred in muddy 

 and stagnant waters, and have a muddy and earthy taste. 

 Franciscus Eonsuetus poetically describes these : 



1 Lucian, Bion Praxis. 2 Athen. vii, 20. 



