CHAPTER XXI. 

 OPSOPHAGY. 



Aeyofiiv ovv 6\JA0^dyovs oil Tois /3oeia itrBiovras [olos ^v'KpaKXrjs), 

 ouSc <f)iX6(ruKov {oTos tjv HXaratv 6 <^iK6<to^os) oKKa rovs irepl ttjv 

 l^dvoTTcoXiav avao'Tpe^ofiivovs. — A.then. 



Ancient Fish-Dealers. 



Tunc immensa cavi spirant mendacia folles 

 Conspuiturque sinus. — Juv. 



TTAVING now brought our ancient and modern no- 

 -LJ- tices of fish to a close^ we purpose, before taking 

 leave of our readers, to give a short outline sketch of 

 the fish-dealers and cooks, the ' flies' and the feasts of 

 classic times; beginning with the purveyors of these 

 universal luxuries, and ending with the parasites who 

 came in for so large and undeserved a share. 



No two classes can well be more unlike in character 

 and worldly circumstances, than fishermen and fish- 

 dealers : of the modest, placid nature of the former, we 

 have already spoken in our introductory chapter ; their 

 lot is as lowly as their career is one of toil and danger : 



Hard is the life the weary fisher finds, 

 Who trusts his floating mansion to the winds, 

 Whose daily bread the fickle sea maintains, 

 Unceasing labour and uncertain gains.* 



But the dealer in fish is a very different being, beloug- 

 * Oppian. 



