No. 4. A large silver vase, to hold wine and water; when placed on the table, the liquor was taken out with simpulum, to fill the drinking cups.
No. 5. A large-bellied cantharus—“Herculaneum.”
was replaced by a large urn, and two cups of Bacchus were gracefully balanced at either extremity of the yard,[XXXI_18] along which were suspended craters, or vases, used in drinking wine.[XXXI_19]
The buffet of the Greeks and Romans survived the ruins of those two celebrated nations; we find it again in the middle ages, and even in more modern times. Then also, rich people loved to display their plate on a very apparent piece of furniture, which, being dressed, took the name of “dresser.” Monstrelet, describing the magnificence of the Duke of Burgundy during his sojourn in Paris, relates: “that in the room of his mansion in which he eat was a square dresser (dressoir) with shelves, which dresser was covered and loaded with very rich gold and silver plate.”[XXXI_20]