Antiquity of Smoking (Vol. ii., pp. 41. 216. 465.).—Mr. Lane, in his edition of the Arabian Nights, infers the very late date of that book from there being no mention of tobacco or coffee in it.
As two of the ancient authorities have broken down, it occurred to me that others might.
The reference to Strabo, vii. 296. leads me only to this; that the Mysians were called καπνοβάται (some correct to καπνοπάται) because they did not eat animals, but milk, cheese, and honey; but of religion, living quietly.
One cannot imagine that this can be meant. I referred to Almaloveen's edition, the old paging.
In the next page he repeats the epithet, coupling it, as before, with the word religious, and arguing from both as having the same meaning.
It occurred to me that somebody might have read καπνοπόται, "fumum bibentes," which might have given occasion to the reference to this passage: and I find in the English Passow that καπνοβόται, "smoke-eaters," has been proposed.
Καπνοπάται, is there derived from πάομαι.
But if these are the readings, they can have nothing to do with smoking, but with religion. From the context they would mean as we say, "living on air;" like Democritus, who subsisted three days upon the steam of new loaves.
Καπνοβάται meant, as I believe, to describe their religiousness more directly; treading on the clouds, living in the air: like Socrates in Aristophanes, Νεφ. 225.:
"Ἀεροβατῶ καὶ περιφρονῶ τὸν ἤλιον,"