Juvenal describes his celebrated _Rhombus_ with “erectas in terga sudes” (IV. 128); “erectas” may be conceded to the licence of a poet as regards the back fin of a Turbot, but not of a Brill, which is yielding and rather wavy. Then, again, Diphilus declares that its flesh is soft, Xenocrates that it is firm, and improves with keeping. Now the flesh of the Brill is soft: that of the Turbot much firmer. _Rhombus_ (unmentioned by Aristotle) probably stood for both Turbot and Brill, as well as for the ψῆττα, “which is called by the Romans the _Rhombus_.”[640] The fish, which derives its name from its supposed likeness to the geometrical figure, was in poetry but not in popularity[641] more celebrated than that other famous flat fish, the Sole. As a dainty the Sturgeon was in vogue long before the _Rhombus_, perhaps because, as Horace (_Sat._, II. 2. 49) suggests, it was introduced by a man of fashion: “ ... Quid? tunc rhombos minus æquora alebant? Tutus erat rhombus, tutoque ciconia nido, Donec vos auctor docuit prætorius.” It ran often to immense size. Martial’s fish (XIII. 81), although “latior patella,” can hold no candle to the one presented to Domitian.[642] That Emperor, though deeming himself and insisting on his subjects acclaiming him, of godlike attributes, was not equal to solving the knotty question of how to cook and to serve his fish _whole_, “Derat pisci patinæ mensura”—if its proportions were in the same street with a _Rhombus_ vouched for by Rondolet, _viz._ three metres long, two broad, and one thick, the fact excites no wonder—so he straightway summoned a special meeting of the Senate.[643] Discover, Montanus advises, a new Prometheus capable of modelling the amplest trencher instantly, but, since to a god like Domitian (he flatteringly adds), offerings of huge fish will frequently be made— “But, Cæsar, thus forewarned make no campaign, Unless some potters follow in your train.” 5. The _Lupus_[644]—_Labrax lupus_—“common Bass” at Athens enjoyed the choicest preference. Aristophanes absolutely refused to be disturbed while feasting on a Milesian _Labrax_. Archestratus eulogises it as “god-begotten” (θεόπαιδα). During the early Roman Republic it indeed ranked (with the _Asellus_) only second to the _Acipenser_.[645] The fish throve best and grew fattest in sewage; hence those “from between the two bridges” of the Tiber were famed far and near; see Horace, _Sat._, II. 2, 31; Macrobius, _Sat._, II. 12; and Juvenal, V. 103-8. The latter’s “et solitus mediæ cryptam penetrare Suburæ” was rendered quite clear only in 1743, when the remains of the Cloaca leading from the low-lying ground to the Tiber were excavated. From this greedy scavenging he is christened by Lucilius (_Sat. 4, frag_., 127, Baehrens) “the platter-licker” (catillo)— “Hunc pontes Tiberinus duo inter captus catillo.”[646]