§2.8.1‘Ut Nasidieni iuvit te cena beati?
"How did the dinner of the wealthy Nasidienus please you?
§2.8.2nam mihi quaerenti convivam dictus here illic §2.8.3de medio potare die. ’ ‘sic, ut mihi numquam §2.8.4in vita fuerit melius. ’ ‘da, si grave non est, §2.8.5quae prima iratum ventrem placaverit esca. ’ §2.8.6‘in primis Lucanus aper: leni fuit Austro §2.8.7captus, ut aiebat cenae pater: acria circum §2.8.8rapula, lactucae, radices, qualia lassum §2.8.9pervellunt stomachum, siser, allec, faecula Coa.
For when I was looking for you as a guest yesterday, you were said to be drinking there from midday." "So much so, that never in my life has it been better for me." "Tell me, if it is not troublesome, what food first appeased your angry stomach." "First of all, a Lucanian boar: it was captured when the South wind was mild, as the father of the feast said; around it were sharp radishes, lettuces, radishes, such things as stimulate a tired stomach, skirret, fish-pickle, Coan dregs.
§2.8.10his ut sublatis puer alte cinctus acernam §2.8.11gausape purpureo mensam pertersit et alter §2.8.12sublegit quodcumque iaceret inutile quodque §2.8.13posset cenantis offendere, ut Attica virgo §2.8.14cum sacris Cereris procedit fuscus Hydaspes §2.8.15caecuba vina ferens, Alcon Chium maris expers.
When these were removed, a servant with tucked-up tunic wiped the maple table with a purple wool cloth, and another gathered up whatever lay useless and whatever could offend the guests; then, like an Attic maiden advancing with the sacred vessels of Ceres, dark Hydaspes advanced bringing Caecuban wine, and Alcon brought Chian wine untouched by the sea.
§2.8.16hic erus “Albanum, Maecenas, sive Falernum §2.8.17te magis adpositis delectat, habemus utrumque. ”’ §2.8.18‘divitias miseras! sed quis cenantibus una,
Here the host says: 'Maecenas, if Albanian or Falernian wine pleases you more than those set before you, we have both.'" "Wretched wealth!
§2.8.19Fundani, pulcre fuerit tibi, nosse laboro. ’ §2.8.20‘summus ego et prope me Viscus Thurinus et infra, §2.8.21si memini, Varius; cum Servilio Balatrone §2.8.22Vibidius, quos Maecenas adduxerat umbras.
But I long to know, Fundanius, who were your fellow-diners to make it so pleasant for you." "I was at the top, and near me was Viscus of Thurii, and below him, if I remember, Varius; Vibidius with Servilius Balatro, whom Maecenas had brought as shadows.
§2.8.23Nomentanus erat super ipsum, Porcius infra, §2.8.24ridiculus totas semel absorbere placentas; §2.8.25Nomentanus ad hoc, qui, siquid forte lateret, §2.8.26indice monstraret digito; nam cetera turba, §2.8.27nos, inquam, cenamus avis, conchylia, piscis, §2.8.28longe dissimilem noto celantia sucum, §2.8.29ut vel continuo patuit, cum passeris atque §2.8.30ingustata mihi porrexerit ilia rhombi.
Nomentanus was above him himself, Porcius below him, a ridiculous fellow for swallowing whole cakes at one mouthful; Nomentanus was there for this purpose, to point out with his index finger if anything by chance lay hidden; for the rest of the crowd, we, I mean, dined on birds, shellfish, fish, which concealed a juice far different from the known one, as indeed was immediately plain, when he offered me the entrails of a flounder and a turbot, which I had never tasted before.
After this he informed me that sweet apples are red when gathered during a waning moon.
quid hoc intersit, ab ipso §2.8.33audieris melius.
What difference this makes, you would hear better from himself.
tum Vibidius Balatroni §2.8.34“nos nisi damnose bibimus, moriemur inulti,” §2.8.35et calices poscit maiores.
Then Vibidius says to Balatro: 'Unless we drink to his ruin, we shall die unavenged,' and demands larger cups.
vertere pallor §2.8.36tum parochi faciem nil sic metuentis ut acris §2.8.37potores, vel quod maledicunt liberius vel §2.8.38fervida quod subtile exsurdant vina palatum.
Then paleness turned the face of the host, who feared nothing so much as hard drinkers, either because they speak more freely, or because hot wines dull a subtle palate.
§2.8.39invertunt Allifanis vinaria tota §2.8.40Vibidius Balatroque secutis omnibus: imi §2.8.41convivae lecti nihilum nocuere lagoenis.
Vibidius and Balatro empty whole wine-jars into Allifanian cups, with everyone following; only the guests of the lowest couch did no harm to the flagons.
A lamprey is brought in, stretched out on a platter among swimming prawns.
sub hoc erus “haec gravida” inquit §2.8.44“capta est, deterior post partum carne futura.
Upon this the host says: 'This was caught when pregnant, its flesh would be inferior after spawning.
§2.8.45his mixtum ius est: oleo, quod prima Venafri §2.8.46pressit cella; garo de sucis piscis Hiberi; §2.8.47vino quinquenni, verum citra mare nato, §2.8.48dum coquitur — cocto Chium sic convenit, ut non §2.8.49hoc magis ullum aliud —; pipere albo, non sine aceto, §2.8.50quod Methymnaeam vitio mutaverit uvam.
The sauce is mixed with these ingredients: with oil which the first press of Venafrum squeezed; with garum from the juices of the Spanish fish; with five-year-old wine, but grown this side of the sea, while it is boiling — when boiled, Chian wine suits it so well that no other does more than this —; with white pepper, and not without vinegar, which by fermentation has changed the grape of Methymna.
§2.8.51erucas viridis, inulas ego primus amaras §2.8.52monstravi incoquere; inlutos Curtillus echinos, §2.8.53ut melius muria quod testa marina remittat. ” §2.8.54interea suspensa gravis aulaea ruinas §2.8.55in patinam fecere, trahentia pulveris atri §2.8.56quantum non Aquilo Campanis excitat agris.
I was the first to show that green rockets and bitter elecampane should be boiled in it; Curtillus showed that unwashed sea-urchins should be used, as being better than the pickle which the sea-shell yields.'" Meanwhile, the heavy canopy suspended above made a ruinous fall upon the platter, dragging down as much black dust as the North wind never stirs up on Campanian fields.
§2.8.57nos maius veriti, postquam nihil esse pericli §2.8.58sensimus, erigimur; Rufus posito capite, ut si §2.8.59filius inmaturus obisset, flere.
We, having feared worse, once we perceived there was no danger, raised ourselves; Rufus, hanging his head, wept as if an immature son had died.
quis esset §2.8.60finis, ni sapiens sic Nomentanus amicum §2.8.61tolleret: “heu, Fortuna, quis est crudelior in nos §2.8.62te Deus? ut semper gaudes inludere rebus
What would have been the end, had not the wise Nomentanus thus raised his friend: 'Alas, Fortune, what god is more cruel to us than you?
How you always delight in mocking human affairs!' Varius could scarcely stifle his laughter with his napkin.
Balatro suspendens omnia naso §2.8.65“haec est condicio vivendi” aiebat, “eoque §2.8.66responsura tuo numquam est par fama labori.
Balatro, turning up his nose at everything, said: 'This is the condition of living,' and therefore a reputation equal to your labor will never answer to it.
§2.8.67tene, ut ego accipiar laute, torquerier omni §2.8.68sollicitudine districtum, ne panis adustus, §2.8.69ne male conditum ius adponatur, ut omnes §2.8.70praecincti recte pueri comptique ministrent.
To think that you, so that I may be sumptuously received, should be racked and distracted by every anxiety, lest the bread be burnt, lest badly seasoned sauce be served, and that all the servants, well-girt and neat, should minister!
§2.8.71adde hos praeterea casus, aulaea ruant si, §2.8.72ut modo; si patinam pede lapsus frangat agaso.
Add to this these accidents besides, if the canopy should fall, as just now; or if a groom, slipping his foot, should break a platter.
§2.8.73sed convivatoris, uti ducis, ingenium res §2.8.74adversae nudare solent, celare secundae. ” §2.8.75Nasidienus ad haec “tibi Di, quaecumque preceris, §2.8.76commoda dent: ita vir bonus es convivaque comis” §2.8.77et soleas poscit. tum in lecto quoque videres §2.8.78stridere secreta divisos aure susurros. ’
But the genius of a host, like that of a general, adversity usually lays bare, prosperity conceals.' Nasidienus to this: 'May the gods grant you whatever blessings you pray for: so good a man and so courteous a guest are you,' and demands his sandals.
§2.8.79‘nullos his mallem ludos spectasse; sed illa §2.8.80redde age quae deinceps risisti. ’ ‘Vibidius dum §2.8.81quaerit de pueris, num sit quoque fracta lagoena, §2.8.82quod sibi poscenti non dentur pocula, dumque §2.8.83ridetur fictis rerum Balatrone secundo, §2.8.84Nasidiene, redis mutatae frontis, ut arte §2.8.85emendaturus fortunam; deinde secuti §2.8.86mazonomo pueri magno discerpta ferentes §2.8.87membra gruis sparsi sale multo non sine farre, §2.8.88pinguibus et ficis pastum iecur anseris albae §2.8.89et leporum avolsos, ut multo suavius, armos, §2.8.90quam si cum lumbis quis edit.
Then on every couch you might have seen secret whispers buzzing, divided ear to ear." "I would have preferred to watch no games rather than these; but come, relate those things which you laughed at next." "While Vibidius asks the boys whether the flagon also was broken, because cups are not given to him when he demands them, and while there is laughter under false pretenses, with Balatro seconding him, Nasidienus, you return with a changed countenance, as if to correct fortune by art; then followed servants bringing on a large dish the torn limbs of a crane sprinkled with much salt and not without spelt, and the liver of a white goose fattened on rich figs, and the torn-off shoulders of hares, as being much sweeter than if one ate them with the loins.
tum pectore adusto §2.8.91vidimus et merulas poni et sine clune palumbis, §2.8.92suavis res, si non causas narraret earum et §2.8.93naturas dominus; quem nos sic fugimus ulti, §2.8.94ut nihil omnino gustaremus, velut illis §2.8.95Canidia adflasset, peior serpentibus Afris. ’
Then we saw both blackbirds served with burnt breasts, and wood-pigeons without their rumps, pleasant things, if the master did not explain their causes and natures; whom we fled, taking our revenge in such a way that we tasted nothing at all, as if Canidia, worse than African serpents, had breathed upon them."