In Greece and Italy 305 



giving one a desire to step in and buy, out of curiosity if 

 for no other reason, at least a few of those strange-sounding 

 edibles. 



At Argos, we are told, was a kind of cheesecake brought 

 to the bridegroom from the bride, — 



" It is roasted on the coals, and the friends of the bride- 

 groom are invited to eat it ; it is served up with honey, as 

 Philetas tells us in his ' Miscellanies.' " 



Magnes in his " Bacchus" inquires, with what unction one 

 can imagine, — 



" Have you ne'er seen the fresh cheese-cakes hissing 

 When you pour honey over them ? " 



In the " Leptiniscus " of Antiphanes, Athenaeus tells us, 

 occurs the following pleasant dialogue : — 



" A. Then what think you of almonds ? 

 B. I feel very friendly to them, 

 They mingle well with honey. 



A. If a man should bring you honied cheese-cakes.' 



B. I should eat them, 



And swallow down an egg or two besides." 



In Antiphanes are found also these lines, — 



" To eat ducks, and honey-combs of wild bees, and eggs, 

 And cheese-cakes, and unwash'd radishes. 

 And rape, and oat-meal groats, and honey." 



Honeyed cheesecakes were considered a worthy offering 

 to the gods, as says Semus in the second book of the 

 "Deliad," — 



" In the island of Hecate the Delians sacrifice to Iris, 

 offering her the cheesecakes called basyniae ; and this 

 is a cake of wheat-flour, and suet, and honey, boiled up 

 together." 



Honeycakes that were not cheesecakes were also held 



