CONGER-EEL.
Near Sicyona, a city of the Peloponnesus,[XXI_113] they formerly caught conger-eels of such immense size, that it required a waggon drawn by oxen to carry a single one.[XXI_114] The body, the whole of the head, and even the intestines[XXI_115] were eaten. This dish, worthy of being offered by Neptune to his divine colleagues, was capable, like ambrosia, of bestowing immortality on those who had the good fortune of tasting it, and the dead would return to life, had it been possible to serve them with a piece of this exquisite fish.[XXI_116]
These childish exaggerations have not prevented Galen from treating the conger-eel with very little respect: he affirms, that nothing is more hard or indigestible.[XXI_117] And, indeed, epicureans of some repute allowed only the head to appear on their tables;[XXI_118] and then only at rare intervals, and under the auspices of a relishing sauce which assured its reception.
The Romans had still less esteem for this too highly praised fish. However, sometimes a fried conger-eel occupied on the sigma an obscure place, in the midst of a seasoning flavoured highly with pepper, alisander, cummin, wild marjoram, dried onion, and hard yolks of eggs; with which a skilful hand carefully mixed to the whole, vinegar, sweet wine, garum, and cooked wine.[XXI_119]