85. Now with respect to what is called the Brain of the Palm.--Theophrastus, speaking of the plant of the palm-tree, states, "The manner of cultivating it, and of its propagation from the fruit, is as follows: when one has taken off the upper rind, one comes to a portion in which is what is called the brain." And Xenophon, in the second book of the Anabasis, writes as follows: "There, too, the soldiers first ate the brain of the palm or date-tree. And many of them marvelled at its appearance, and at the peculiarity of its delicious flavour. But it was found to have a great tendency to produce headache; but the date, when the brain was taken out of it, entirely dried up." Nicander says in his Georgics-- And at the same time cutting off the branches Loaded with dates they bring away the brain, A dainty greatly fancied by the young. And Diphilus the Siphnian states--"The brains of the dates are filling and nutritious; still they are heavy and not very digestible: they cause thirst, too, and constipation of the stomach." But we, says Athenæus, O my friend Timocrates, shall appear to keep our brains to the end, if we stop this conversation and the book at this point. _Some Fragments omitted in the Second Book of the Deipnosophists of Athenæus._ 86. Menander says-- It is a troublesome thing to fall in with An entire party of none but relations; Where as soon as he has taken his cup in his hand The father first begins the discourse, And stammers out his recommendations: Then after him the mother, in the second place; And then some old aunt gossips and chatters; And then some harsh-voiced old man, The father of the aunt aforesaid; then too Another old woman calls him her darling: And he nods assent to all that is said. 87. And a little afterwards he says-- Before the shade they wear a purple cloth, And then this comes after the purple; Being itself neither white nor purple, But a ray of the brilliancy of the woof as it were Of divers colours curiously blended. * * * * * Antiphanes says: "What do you say? Will you not bring something hither to the door which we may eat? and then I will sit on the ground and eat it as the beggars do: and any one may see me." * * * * * The same man says in another place-- Prepare then A fanner to cool me, a dish, a tripod, a cup, An ewer, a mortar, a pot, and a spoon. * * * * * _About the Ascent of the Nile._