The fish that lives in seaweed, the alphestes,
The scorpion also with its rosy meat.
And Epicharmus, in his Marriage of Hebe, says—
Mussels, alphestæ, and the girl-like fish,
The dainty coracinus.
Mithæcus also mentions it in his Culinary Art.
16. There is another fish called Anthias, or Callicthys; and this also is mentioned by Epicharmus, in his Marriage of Hebe:—
FISH.
The sword-fish and the chromius too,
Who, as Ananius tells us,
Is far the best of all in spring;
But th' anthias in the winter.
And Ananius speaks as follows:—
For spring the chromius is best;
The anthias in winter:
But of all fish the daintiest
Is a young shrimp in fig-leaves.
In autumn there's a dainty dish,
The meat of the she-goat;
And when they pick and press the grapes,
Young pigs are dainty eating.
Then, too, young puppies you may eat,
And hares, and also foxes.
But when the grasshopper does sing,
Just at the height of summer,
Is the best time for mutton fat;
Then, too, the sea-born tunny
Will many a savoury dish afford,
And beats his compeers all
With garlic seasoning richly drest;
Then, too, the fatted ox
Is sweet to eat both late at night,
And at a noon-day feast.
And I have quoted this piece of Ananius at length, thinking that it might give some suggestions to the present race of Epicures.