[168] PHEASANTS FROM THE CASPIAN SEA. At the time of our story, these birds were a newly-introduced delicacy. Phasis was the name of the boundary river between Asia-Minor and Colchis; hence their name _phasianus_; (_avis Phasiana_, or merely _Phasiana_, or _Phasianus_--the pheasant.) Martial also calls them _volucres Phasides_. [169] DATES. The best quality were imported into Rome from Egypt. [170] DAINTY CAKES. Bread from Picenum is mentioned in the _menu_ of a banquet given in the latter half of the century B. C., (Marquardt Handbuch, IV, 1.) [171] FIGS FROM CHIOS. Varro, (_R. Rust._ I, 41) speaks of Chian, Lydian, Chalcedonian and African figs. [172] PISTACHIO NUTS. The best pistachio nuts came from Palestine and Syria, whence Lucius Vitellius introduced them into his garden at Albanum. [173] EUPHEMUS. Caesar’s head-cook or butler. (See Martial _Ep._ IV. 8.) “The tenth hour’s proper for my book and me, And Euphem, thou who dost the board o’ersee.” ANON, 1695. [174] THE LONG FLOWING HAIR OF A FEMALE SLAVE. This fancy was not at all unusual. (See _Petron._, 27.) [175] HISPALIS. A city in southern Spain, now Seville. [176] CASTANETS. Castanet dances are often represented in pictures. (See O. Jahn, Fresco-paintings on the walls of the columbarium, in the Villa Pamfili.) [177] JESTER. Jesters, especially dwarfs, were very popular in ancient Rome. The scene that follows here is based upon various incidents in a description by Lucian, which has come down to modern times: “The Banquet, or The Lapithae” 18, 19. In this a hideous little fellow, who gives utterance to all sorts of jests and witticisms, appears at Aristaenetus’ banquet. “Finally he addressed each person with some mischievous joke--and each laughed as his turn came. But when he accosted Alcidamas, calling him a Maltese puppy, the latter, especially as he had long been jealous of the applause and attention bestowed on the jester by the whole company, grew angry, threw off his cloak and challenged the dwarf to a boxing-match. What could the poor jester do? It was infinitely comical to see a philosopher fight with a clown. Many of the spectators were ashamed of the scene, but others laughed merrily, until Alcidamas was at last beaten black and blue.” CHAPTER VIII.