Now, when all this had been said, one of the guests who were present said,—We ought, then, when we consider these things, to guard against indulging our appetites too much; For a frugal supper breeds no drunkenness, as Amphis says, in his Pan: nor does it produce insolence or insulting conduct; as Alexis testifies in his Ulysses Weaving, where he says— For many a banquet which endures too long, And many and daily feasts, are wont t' engender Insult and mockery; and those kind of jests Give far more pain than they do raise amusement. For such are the first ground of evil-speaking; And if you once begin t' attack your neighbour, You quickly do receive back all you bring, And then abuse and quarrels surely follow; Then blows and drunken riot. For this is The natural course of things, and needs no prophet. 18. And Mnesimachus, in his Philip, on account of the immoderate indulgence in suppers of people of his time, introduces an entertainment which professes to be a preparation for war, and which really is what that admirable writer Xenophon calls a workshop of war. And he speaks thus— Know you now with what men you must fight? With us, who sup upon well-sharpen'd swords, And swallow lighted firebrands for dainties: And then, for our dessert, our slaves bring in, After the first course, Cretan bows and arrows; And, 'stead of vetches, broken heads of spears, And fragments of well-batter'd shields and breastplates; And at our feet lie slings, and stones, and bows, And on our heads are wreaths of catapults. And Phoenix the Colophonian says— A cask of wine shall be our sword—a cup Shall be our spear—our hair shall arrows be; Goblets shall be our enemies—wine our horses— Ointments and perfumes our war-cry fierce. And in the Parasite, Alexis, speaking of some very voracious person, says— And all the younger men do call him parasite, Using a gentler name; but he cares not. And Telephus in speechless silence sits, Making but signs to those who ask him questions; So that the inviter often offers prayers To the great Samothracian gods o' the sea, To cease their blowing, and to grant a calm; For that young man's a storm to all his friends. And Diphilus, in his Hercules, speaking of some similar kind of person, says— Do you not now behold me drunk and merry, Well fill'd with wine, and all inflamed with anger? Have not I just devour'd a dozen cakes, Every one larger than a good-sized shield? On which account, Bion of the Borysthenes said, cleverly enough, that "A man ought not to derive his pleasures from the table, but from meditation;" and Euripides says— I pleased my palate with a frugal meal; signifying that the pleasure derived from eating and drinking is chiefly limited to the mouth. And Æschylus, in his Phineus, says— And many a most deceitful meal they snatch'd Away from hungry jaws, in haste t' enjoy The first delight of the too eager palate.