How, then, could a man who was so very devoted to drinking be a sober man, and be content with one or two cups of wine? At all events, his very poem, says Seleucus, testifies against those people who receive the line in this sense. For he says, in the whole passage—
Let us now drink,—why put we out the light?
Our day is but a finger: bring large cups,
Fill'd with the purple juice of various grapes;
For the great son of Semele and Jove
Gave wine to men to drive away their cares.
Pour on, in just proportion, one and two,
And let one goblet chase another quickly
Out of my head.
In which words he plainly enough intimates that his meaning is, that one cup of wine is to be mixed with two of water.
36. But Anacreon likes his liquors stronger still; as is shown by the verses in which he says—
Let the cup well be clean'd, then let it hold
Five measures water, three of rosy wine.
And Philetærus, in his Tereus, speaks of two measures of water to three of wine. And he speaks thus,—
I seem to have drunk two measures now of water,
And only three of wine.
And Pherecrates, in his Corianno, speaks even of two measures of water to four of wine, and says—
A. Throw that away, my dear; the fellow has
Given you such a watery mixture.
B. Nay rather, 'tis mere water and nought else.
A. What have you done?—in what proportions,
You cursed man, have you this goblet mix'd?
B. I've put two waters only in, my mother.
A. And how much wine?
B. Four parts of wine, I swear.
A. You're fit to serve as cupbearer to the frogs.
And Ephippus, in his Circe, says—