1892 The flowing bowl when and what to drink (1892, c1891)

OUR ANCESTORS.

84

Great were his terrors of such drinking folk, Because with too much bitterness they joke. Or that hot wines, dishonoring his feast, Deafen the subtle judgment of the taste. When our two champions had their goblets crown'd, We did them justice, and the glass went round; His parasites alone his anger fear'd. And the full flask unwillingly they spar'd. In a large dish an outstretch'd lamprey lies, With shrimps all floating round ; " This fish, Maecenas, full of roe was caught, For, after spawning time, its flesh is naught. The sauce is mixed with olive-oil; the best And purest from the vats Venafran press'd. And as it boil'd we pour'd in Spanish brine, Nor less than five year old Italian wine. A little Chian 's better when 'tis boil'd, By any other it is often spoil'd. Then was white pepper o'er it gently pour'd, And vinegar of Lesbian vintage sour'd. I, first among the men of sapience, knew, Roquets and herbs in cockle brine to stew; Though in the same rich pickle, 'tis confess'd, His unwash'd crayfish sage Curtillus dress'd." the master cries: But lo ! the canopy that o'er us spreads, Tumbled in hideous ruin on our heads; With dust, how black ! not such the clouds arise When o'er the plain a northern tempest flies. Some horrors yet more horrible we dread, But raise us when we found the danger fled. ******** Poor Rufus droop'd his head, and sadly cried, As if his only son untimely died. Sure he had wept, till weeping ne'er had end, But Nomentanus thus upraised his friend: " Fortune, thou cruelest of powers divine, To joke poor mortals is a joke of thine."