Chap. 270 
THE aOOSB. 
499 
them was the constant companion of the philosopher, Lacydes, 
and would never leave him, either in public or when at the bath, 
by night or by day. 
CHAP. 27. WHO PIUST TAXJGHT T7S TO ITSE THE LIVEE OF THE 
GOOSE EOK FOOD. 
Our people, however, are more wise ; for they only esteem the 
goose for the goodness of its liver.^^ When they are crammed, 
this grows to a very large size, and on being taken from the 
animal, is made still larger by being soaked in honeyed milk.^^ 
And, indeed, it is not without good reason that it is matter of 
debate who it was that first discovered so great a delicacy ; 
whether, in fact, it was Scipio Metellus, a man of consular 
dignity, or M. Seius, a contemporary of his, and a Eoman of 
equestrian rank. However, a thing about which there is no 
dispute, it was Messalinus Cotta, the son of the orator Messala, 
who first discovered the art of roasting the webbed feet of the 
goose, and of cooking them in a ragout with cocks' combs : for 
I shall faithfully award each culinary palm to such as I shall 
find deserving of it. It is a wonderful fact, in relation to 
this bird, that it comes on foot all the way from the country 
of the Morini^'' to Eome ; those that are tired are placed in 
the front rank, while the rest, taught by a natural instinct to 
move in a compact body, drive them on. 
A second income, too, is also to be derived from the feathers 
of the white goose. In some places, this animal is plucked 
twice a year, upon which the feathers quickly grow again. 
Those are the softest which lie nearest to the body, and those 
that come from Germany are the most esteemed : the geese 
there are white, but of small size, and are called gantce.^^ The 
price paid for their feathers is five denarii per pound. It is 
from this fruitful source that we have repeated charges brought 
against the commanders of our auxiliaries, who are in the habit 
of detaching whole cohorts from the posts where they ought 
to be on guard, in pursuit of these birds : indeed, we have 
come to such a pitch of efi'eminacy, that now- a- days, not even 
85 See B. viii. c. 87. Horace also mentions tliat they were fattened 
witk figs. 
86 Lacte mulso." Perhaps honey, wine, and milk. 
87 In Gaul. See B. iv. c. 31. 
^ " Gans" is still the German name. Hence our word gander.'* 
