The Greeks thought highly of eels. “Behold the Helen of feasts!” cried Eidicastes, at the moment when one was served; “I will be her Paris!”[XXI_123] and the glutton seized and devoured it immediately.
Bœotia—where this fish was immolated to the gods[XXI_124]—the straits of Sicily,[XXI_125] and the Copian lake, furnished eels remarkable for their delicacy and size;[XXI_126] these were served fried and enveloped in beet leaves.[XXI_127] They enjoyed a high reputation among the Sybarites, a choice nation, who would have invented cookery if the art had not already existed, and among whom a repast was so serious a matter, that a whole year was not thought too long in order to meditate upon it and get it ready.[XXI_128]
But Hippocrates did not like the eel, and he forbade it to his patients, and to persons attacked with a pulmonary affection.[XXI_129] So that this Queen of Luxury, as Archestrates calls it,[XXI_130] met with as many enemies as partisans. Egypt adored it, Greece was enamoured of it, Rome despised it, and the plebeian alone reserved it to the humiliation in his brutal orgies.[XXI_131]
Apicius, however, has condescended to notice this fish. Mix, says he, pepper, alisander, parsley seed, dill, and dates; add to this honey, vinegar, garum, oil, mustard, and cooked wine;[XXI_132] serve this sauce with the eel.
Nations have their ages of splendour—viands have their epochs of celebrity and glory. This one seems to us fast falling into decay, in spite of some isolated efforts in order to make it reflourish.
When Rockingham was named member of parliament, he ordered thirteen barrels of eels to be brought to London, for the banquet he gave on that occasion.[XXI_133] No one to our knowledge has since prepared so gigantic a matelote.
Travellers formerly saw in the Ganges beautiful eels 300 feet long[XXI_134]—a magnificent species never seen in Europe.
“The eel, so much despised by the Romans, is rather in favour in several countries; certain species are much esteemed, that named Guiseau, among others, deserves the preference it always obtains at Rouen.”—Bosc.