3. The _Acipenser_, a Latin name, adopted by some Greek writers, which is often, if not convincingly, identified with the _Sturio_, the “Sturgeon,” and by Archestratus[633] is affirmed but wrongly, to be the γαλεός, enjoyed a long and glorious reign of supremacy from the early times of the Republic down to Vespasian. For it alone, with perhaps one exception, was reserved the high honour of being served at a banquet to the music of flutes and pipes, crowned itself, borne by slaves likewise crowned.[634] Its praise and its price (Varro styles it _multinummus_) seem alike exorbitant. We find the name of Gallonius the glutton-auctioneer, the first to bring the fish into fashion, occurring again and again.[635] On Ovid’s (_Hal._ 134) “Tuque peregrinis acipenser nobilissimus” may be piled passage upon passage. Plautus in a fragment of his _Bacaria_[636] asks: “Quis est mortalis tanta fortuna affectus umquam Qua ego nunc sum? quoius hæc ventri portatur pompa: Vel nunc qui mihi in mari acipenser latuit antehac, Quoius ego latus in latebras reddam meis dentibus et manibus.” Cicero—no fish story-teller he—makes at least four references to it. In _De Fato, frag. 5_, he sets forth the tale of the Acipenser (‘piscis ... in primis nobilis’) presented to Scipio, to whom, as he persisted in inviting all and every one who saluted him, Pontius anxiously whispered, “Do you know what you are about? Lo! this is a fish fit only for a few choice palates!” As to its decline from its high estate, Pliny’s definite assertion (IX. 27), “Apud antiquos piscium nobilissimus habitus acipenser ... nullo nunc in honore est,” finds corroboration by Martial, XIII. 91: “Ad Palatinas acipensem mittite mensas; Ambrosias ornent munera rara dapes.”[637] The _Elops_ or _Helops_ has been deemed to be the _Acipenser_,[638] but this conflicts with Ovid (_Hal._, 96)—“Et pretiosus elops _nostris incognitus undis_”—with Columella (VIII. 16), and with Pliny (XXXII. 54). Whatever the _Elops_, Varro and Epicharmus testify to its extortionate price, while Pliny lets us know that by many of the _cognoscenti_ its flavour was deemed to be the very best of all. The capture of this rare and elusive fish—its usual habitat was off Pamphylia—became the occasion of great rejoicing; the crew of the successful boat were crowned with wreaths, and welcomed by the music of the flute-players.[639] It is noteworthy that the _Acipenser_ does not occur in the pages either of Varro or of Columella, while the _Elops_ does. 4. The _Rhombus_, whether it were _R. maximus_, the “Turbot,” or _R. lævis_, the “Brill,” has been long in dispute.