Let us now send your ancient friend from far,
With the swift rowing of our tongues and praises,
To lofty glory while this banquet lasts;
And the quick genius of Phæacian eloquence
Commands the Muses' crew to man the benches.
For let us be guided by the younger Cratinus, who says in his Omphale—
It suits a happy man to stay at home
And drink, let others wars and labours love.
In answer to whom Cynulcus, who was always ready for a tilt at the Syrian, and who never let the quarrel drop which he had against him, now that there was a sort of tumult in the party, said—What is this chorus of Syrbenians?[116] And I myself also recollect some lines of this poetry, which I will quote, that Ulpian may not give himself airs as being the only one who was able to extract anything about the cottabus out of those old stores of the Homeridæ—
Come now and hear this my auspicious message,