[496] Robinson, op. cit., p. 45.
[497] Æsch., Proteus, frag., 211; Nauck2, and Soph., Triptolemos, frag. 606, Jebb, ap. Poll. 6. 65 and Athen., II. 75.
[498] Pauly-Winowa, Real-Enc., VII. 841-9, has nine columns on the subject, ending with a bibliography!
[499] Horace, Sat., II. 4. 73; Martial, III. 77. 5; and V. ii., 94. The greatest delicacy of all these mixtures, the so-called Garum Sociorum, exported all over the Empire from Carteia, New Carthage, etc., was compounded of the intestines of the Spanish Mackerel. The absence of beard in the Mackerel is accounted for by this fish being convicted of treason against the reigning Monarch, and condemned to perpetual loss of beard. Keller, op. cit., 326, omits a reference to this Fischeprozess, but cites the habit of writers—especially Bucolic—explaining any natural curiosity by putting into poetic or other shape a legend or Volkslied dealing with the point, e.g. Æsop’s fable why the Camel lacks horns.
[500] Pliny, XXXI. 43: “singulis milibus nummum permutantibus congios fere binos.” Ibid., 44: “transiit deinde in luxuriam creveruntque genera ad infinitum, sicuti garum ad colorem mulsi veteris, adeoque suavitatem dilutum, ut bibi possit.” Cf. Martial, Ep., XIII. 82. 2: “Nobile nunc sitio luxuriosa garum, and Cælius Aurelianus” (De Chronicis, II.; De Paralysi), on the liquor extracted from the Scomber.
[501] Cf. XXXI. 44, and XXXII. 25.
[502] If O. Keller, op. cit., 338, be right in his authorities, Blakey’s, “the praise of Caviare is frequent,” is far astray. Despite the view of Hullmann’s Handelsgesch. d. Gr., 149, Athenæus deals merely with garum and oxygarum, while the classical cookery books maintain a uniform silence.
[503] Athen., III. 90.
[504] Fasti, VI. 239 ff.
[505] Agatharchides, frag. 1 ap. Athen., VII. 50. In these days of the Science of Comparative Curiosity and International Meddling the answer of the Bœotian to a foreigner asking how so singular a victim and sacrifice originated rings out pleasantly refreshing: “I only know one thing: it is right to maintain the customs of one’s ancestors, and it is not right to explain them to foreigners!”