Page:The Deipnosophists (Volume 2).djvu/50

 They say in other things the Egyptian race Is clever also, since they think the eel On a level with the gods; or I may say By far more valuable. For, as to the gods,— Those we gain over by our prayers alone; But as for eels, without you spend at least Twelve drachmas you can scarce get leave to smell them. So it is altogether a holy beast.

And Anaxandrides, in his Cities, directing what he says to the Egyptians, speaks as follows—

I never could myself your comrade be, For neither do our manners nor our laws Agree with yours, but they are wholly different. You do adore an ox; I sacrifice him To the great Gods of heaven. You do think An eel the mightiest of deities; But we do eat him as the best of fish. You eat no pork; I like it above all things. You do adore a dog; but I do beat him If e'er I catch him stealing any meat. Then our laws enjoin the priests to be Most perfect men; but yours are mutilated. If you do see a cat in any grief You weep; but I first kill him and then skin him. You have a great opinion of the shrew-mouse; But I have none at all.

And Timocles, in his Egyptians, says—

How can an ibis or a dog be able To save a man? For where with impious hearts Men sin against the all-acknowledged Gods, And yet escape unpunish'd, who can think The altar of a cat will be more holy, Or prompter to avenge itself, than they?

56. But that men used to wrap eels up in beet, and then eat them, is a fact constantly alluded to in the poets of the old comedy; and Eubulus says in his Echo—

The nymph who never knew the joys of marriage, Clothed with rosy beet will now appear, The white-flesh'd eel. Hail, brilliant luminary, Great in my taste, and in your own good qualities.

And in his Ionian he says—

And after this were served up the rich Entrails of roasted tunnies; then there came Those natives of the lake, the holy eels, Bœotian goddesses; all clothed in beet.

And in his Medea he says—