Page:The Deipnosophists (Volume 3).djvu/405

In order to create variety
Of the same dish, the art of cookery
Began t' invent new modes of dressing it.
In off'rings to the gods we still preserve
The ancient custom, and abstain from salt;
For in those early days salt was not used,
Though now we have it in abundance; still,
In solemn sacrifices, we conform
To usage of old times: in private meals
He who can season best is the best cook,
And the desire of savoury meat inspires
The invention of new sauces, which conduce
To bring the art of cookery to perfection.

B. You are, indeed, a new Palæphatus.

A. Use gave experience, and experience skill.
As cooks acquired more knowledge, they prepared
The delicate tripe, with nice ingredients mix'd,
To give it a new relish; follow'd soon
The tender kid, sew'd up between two covers,
Stew'd delicately down, and smoking hot,
That melted in the mouth; the savoury hash
Came next, and that disguised with so much art,
And season'd with fresh herbs, and pungent sauce,
That you would think it most delicious fish.
Then salted meats, with store of vegetables,
And fragrant honey, till the pamper'd taste,
High fed with luscious dainties, grew too nice
To feed on human garbage, and mankind
Began to feel the joys of social life;
The scatter'd tribes unite; towns soon were built
And peopled with industrious citizens.
These and a thousand other benefits
Were the result of cookery alone.

B. Oh, rare! where will this end?

A. To us you owe
The costly sacrifice, we slay the victims,
We pour the free libations, and to us
The gods themselves lend a propitious ear,
And for our special merits scatter blessings
On all the human race; because from us
And from our art, mankind were first induced