“Lately Natalis, that man with a tongue as malicious as it is impure, in whose mouth women used to eject their monthly purgation....”
Both of them were consequently “imbibers of menses,” an appellation which, as we have seen in chapter III., Galen applies to cunnilingues.
Now too we can clearly understand the meaning of Nicharchus’ epigram against Demonax, vol. III., p. 334 of Brunck’s Analecta:
“Do not, Demonax, regard all things with downcast head, and do not spoil your tongue with over-gratification; the sow has threatening bristles. You live amongst us, but you sleep in Phœnicia, and though no son of Semelé, you are thigh-reared.”
He never looks up, exactly like the Cinede Maternus of Martial, I., 97; he gratifies his tongue, which likes erection; whether the vulva be covered with hair or depilated, he does not mind; during the day he lives in Greece, but sleeps in Phœnicia, because he stains his mouth with the monthly flux, which is, as every one knows, of the Phœnician dye, viz., purplish red[[103]]; like another Bacchus, he draws his nourishment from a thigh.[[104]] This scarcely needs an explanation. You can picture the cunnilingue, with his mouth glued between the thighs, at work.
This strange depravity was still in favor in succeeding centuries. Ausonius, in his Epigrams CXX., CXXIII., CXXV., CXXVI., CXXVII., and CXXVIII., has bequeathed a very unenviable notoriety to the names of Castor and of Eunus:
Epigram CXX.:
“Castor[[105]] wanted to lick the middle part of men, but he could not persuade any one to go with him; however the fellator did not miss his treat; he went and licked his own wife’s privates.”
Epigram CXXIII., entitled In Eunum liguritorem.—On Eunus the Licker:
“Eunus, why do you pay court to Phyllis, the perfume seller? Men say your tongue knows her parts, but not your member! Mind you make no mistakes in the names of her scents and perfumes, and that Seplasia’s atmosphere play you no tricks; think not costus and cysthus have the same odor,—that sardines and nard exhale the same savor. Poor Eunus! the things that he tastes and smells are very different; his mouth and his nose have tastes widely dissimilar!”