τοῦ νέου οἴνου Ἀθήνησι μὲν ἑνδεκάτῃ μηνὸς κατάρχονται, Πιθοίγια τὴν ἡμέραν καλοῦντες· καὶ πάλαι γʼ ὡς ἔοικεν εὔχοντο, τοῦ οἴνου πρὶν ἢ πιεῖν ἀποσπένδοντες, ἀβλαβῆ καὶ σωτήριον αὐτοῖς τοῦ φαρμάκου τὴν χρῆσιν γενέσθαι. παρʼ ἡμῖν δʼ ὁ μὲν μὴν καλεῖται Προστατήριος, ἕκτῃ δʼ ἱσταμένου νομίζεται θύσαντας ἀγαθῷ Δαίμονι γεύεσθαι τοῦ οἴνου μετὰ ζέφυρον· οὗτος γὰρ μάλιστα τῶν ἀνέμων ἐξίστησι καὶ κινεῖ τὸν οἶνον, καὶ ὁ τοῦτον διαφυγὼν ἤδη δοκεῖ παραμένειν βέβαιος. ἔθυσεν οὖν ὁ πατὴρ ὥσπερ εἰώθει τὴν θυσίαν, καὶ μετὰ τὸ δεῖπνον, ἐπαινουμένου τοῦ οἴνου, τοῖς φιλοσοφοῦσι μειρακίοις μεθʼ ἡμῶν προύβαλε ζητεῖν λόγον, ὡς τὸ γλεῦκος ἣκιστα μεθύσκει. τοῖς μὲν οὖν πολλοῖς παράδοξον ἐφάνη καὶ ἄπιστον· ὁ δʼ Ἁγίας ἔφη τὸ γλυκὺ πανταχοῦ προσίστασθαι καὶ πλήσμιον εἶναι· διὸ καὶ γλεύκους οὐκ ἄν τινα πιεῖν ῥᾳδίως; ὅσον εἰς μέθην ἱκανόν ἐστιν· ἀπαγορεύειν γὰρ ἀηδίᾳ τὴν ὄρεξιν ἄχρι τοῦ μὴ διψῆν προελθοῦσαν. ὅτι δὲ τοῦ γλυκέος διαφέρει τὸ ἡδὺ καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν ἐπιστάμενον λέγειν τυρῷ καὶ μέλιτι γλυκερῷ καὶ ἡδέι οἴνῳ· τὸν γὰρ οἶνον ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν εἶναι γλυκύν, γίγνεσθαι δʼ ἡδὺν ὅταν εἰς τὸ αὐστηρὸν τῇ πέψει μεταβάλῃ παλαιούμενος.
AT Athens on the eleventh day of February (thence called Πιυοίγια, (the barrel-opening), they began to taste their new wine; and in old times (as it appears), before they drank, they offered some to the Gods, and prayed that that cordial liquor might prove good and wholesome. By us Thebans the month is named Προστετήριος, and it is our custom upon the sixth day to sacrifice to our good Genius and taste our new wine, after the zephyr has done blowing; for that wind makes wine ferment more than any other, and the liquor that can bear this fermentation is of a strong body and will keep well. My father offered the usual sacrifice, and when after supper the young men, my fellow-students, commended the wine, he started this question: Why does not new wine inebriate as soon as other? This seemed a paradox and incredible to most of us; but Hagias said, that luscious things were cloying and would presently satiate, and therefore few could drink enough to make them drunk; for when once the thirst is allayed, the appetite would be quickly palled by that unpleasant liquor; for that a luscious is different from a sweet taste, even the poet intimates, when he says, With luscious wine, and with sweet milk and cheese. Wine at first is sweet; afterward, as it grows old, it ferments and begins to be pricked a little; then it gets a sweet taste.
Ἀρισταίνετος δʼ ὁ Νικαεὺς ἔν τισιν ἐνίοις γράμμασιν ἀνεγνωκὼς ἔφη μνημονεύειν, ὅτι γλεῦκος μιχθὲν οἴνῳ παύει μέθην· τῶν δʼ ἰατρῶν τινας λέγει τοὺς πλέον πιόντας κελεύειν ἐμεῖν, εἶθʼ, ὅταν μέλλωσι καθεύδειν, ἄρτον εἰς μέλι καταβάψαντας ἐμφαγεῖν ἔδοσαν. εἴ τι οὖν αἱ γλυκύτητες ἀμβλύνουσι τὸν ἄκρατον, εἰκότως ὁ νέος οἶνος οὐ μεθύσκει, πρὶν ἂν ἡ γλυκύτης μεταβάλῃ.
Aristaenetus the Nicaean said, that he remembered he had read somewhere that sweet things mixed with wine make it less heady, and that some physicians prescribe to one that hath drunk freely, before he goes to bed, a crust of bread dipped in honey. And therefore, if sweet mixtures weaken strong wine, it is reasonable that new wine should not be heady till it hath lost its sweetness.
σφόδρʼ οὖν ἀπεδεξάμεθα τὴν εὑρησιλογίαν τῶν νεανίσκων, ὅτι τοῖς ἐμποδὼν οὐκ ἐπιπεσόντες ἰδίων εὐπόρησαν ἐπιχειρημάτων. ἐπεὶ τά γε πρόχειρα καὶ ῥᾴδια λαβεῖν ἥ τε βαρύτης ἐστὶ τοῦ γλεύκους, ὡς Ἀριστοτέλης φησίν, ἡ διακόπτουσα τὴν κοιλίαν, καὶ τὸ πολὺ συμμἐνειν πνευματῶδες καὶ ὑδατῶδες· ὧν τὸ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐκπίπτει βιαζόμενον, τὸ δὲ πέφυκε τὸ ὑδατῶδες ἀμβλύτερον ποιεῖν τὸν οἶνον· παλαίωσις δʼ ἐπίτασιν ποιεῖ, ἐκκρινομένου τοῦ ὑδατώδους· καὶ γίγνεται μέτρῳ μὲν ἐλάττων ὁ οἶνος δυνάμει δὲ σφοδρότερος.
We admired the acuteness of the young philosophers, and were well pleased to see them propose something out of the common road, and give us their own sentiments on this matter. Now the common and obvious reason is the heaviness of new wine,—which (as Aristotle says) violently presseth the stomach,—or the abundance of airy and watery parts that lie in it; the former of which, as soon as they are pressed, fly out; and the watery parts are naturally fit to weaken the spirituous liquor. Now, when it grows old, the juice is improved, and though by the separation of the watery parts it loses in quantity, it gets in strength.
οὐκοῦν εἶπεν ὁ πατήρ ἐπεὶ παρακεκινήκαμεν τὸν Ἀριστοτέλη, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀκροθωράκων τι καλουμένων ἴδιον ἐπιχειρήσομεν εἰπεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἱκανῶς μοι δοκεῖ, καίπερ ὀξύτατος ὢν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ζητήμασι, διηκριβωκέναι τὴν αἰτίαν. φησὶ γὰρ οἶμαι τοῦ μὲν νήφοντος εὖ καὶ κατὰ τὰ ὄντα κρίνειν τὸν λογισμόν, τοῦ δʼ ἄγαν μεθύοντος ἐκλελυμένην κατέχεσθαι τὴν αἴσθησιν, τοῦ δʼ ἀκροθώρακος ἔτι μὲν ἰσχύειν τὸ φανταστικὸν ἢδη δὲ τεταράχθαι τὸ λογιστικόν· διὸ καὶ κρίνειν καὶ κακῶς κρίνειν ἐπακολουθοῦντα ταῖς φαντασίαις. ἀλλὰ πῶς εἶπεν ὑμῖν δοκεῖ περὶ τούτων;
WELL then, said my father, since we have fallen upon Aristotle, I will endeavor to propose something of my own concerning those that are half drunk; for, in my mind, though he was a very acute man, he is not accurate enough in such matters. They usually say, I think, that a sober man’s understanding apprehends things right and judges well; the sense of one quite drunk is weak and enfeebled; but of them that are half drunk the fancy is vigorous and the understanding weakened, and therefore, following their own fancies, they judge, but judge ill. But pray, sirs, what is your opinion in these matters?
ἐμοὶ μέν ἔφην ἐπισκοποῦντι κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἀποχρῶν οὗτος ἦν πρὸς τὴν αἰτίαν ὁ λόγος· εἰ δὲ κελεύεις ἴδιόν τι κινεῖν, ὅρα πρῶτον εἰ τὴν εἰρημένην διαφορὰν ἐπὶ τὸ σῶμα μετοιστέον ἐστί. τῶν γὰρ ἀκροθωράκων ἡ διάνοια μόνον τετάρακται, τὸ δὲ σῶμα ταῖς ὁρμαῖς ἐξυπηρετεῖν δύναται, μήπω βεβαπτισμένον· ὅταν δὲ κατασεισθῇ καὶ πιεσθῇ, προδίδωσι τὰς ὁρμὰς καὶ παρεῖται· μέχρι γὰρ ἔργων οὐ πρόεισιν· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τὸ συνεξαμαρτάνον ἔχοντες οὐ τῷ μᾶλλον ἀλογιστεῖν ἀλλὰ τῷ μᾶλλον ἰσχύειν ἐλέγχονται. ἀπʼ ἄλλης δʼ εἶπον ἀρχῆς σκοποῦντι τοῦ οἴνου τὴν δύναμιν, οὐδὲν κωλύει ποικίλην εἶναι καὶ τῇ ποσότητι συμμεταβάλλουσαν. ὥσπερ τὸ πῦρ τὸν κέραμον, ἂν μὲν μέτριον, συγκρατύνει καὶ πήγνυσιν· ἂν δʼ ὑπερβολῇ πλήξῃ, συνέτηξε καὶ ῥεῖν ἐποίησεν ἀνάπαλιν δʼ ἡ ὥρα τοὺς πυρετοὺς ἀρχομένη μὲν ἀνακινεῖ καὶ ἐκκάει, προϊούσης δέ, μᾶλλον καθίστανται καὶ ἀπολήγουσι· τί οὖν κωλύει καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν ὑπὸ τοῦ οἴνου φυσικῶς κινουμένην, ὅταν ταραχθῇ καὶ παροξυνθῇ, πάλιν ἀνίεσθαι καὶ καθίστασθαι πλεονάζοντος; ὁ γοῦν ἐλλέβορος ἀρχὴν τοῦ καθαίρειν ἔχει τὸ ταράττειν τὸν ὄγκον· ἀλλʼ ἢν ἐλάττων τοῦ μετρίου δοθῇ, ταράττει μὲν οὐδὲν δὲ καθαίρει. καὶ τῶν ὑπνωτικῶν ἔνιοι λαβόντες ἐνδοτέρω τοῦ μετρίου θορυβωδέστερον διατίθενται, πλέον δὲ λαβόντες ἔνιοι καθεύδουσιν. εἰκὸς δέ που καὶ ταύτην τὴν περὶ τὸν ἀκροθώρακα ταραχήν, ὅταν ἀκμὴν λάβῃ, μαραίνεσθαι, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο συνεργεῖν τὸν οἶνον πολὺς γὰρ εἰσελθὼν τὸ σῶμα συνεξέκαυσε καὶ κατανάλωσε τὸ μανιῶδες τῆς ψυχῆς. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ θρηνῳδία καὶ ὁ ἐπικήδειος αὐλὸς ἐν ἀρχῇ πάθος κινεῖ καὶ δάκρυον ἐκβάλλει, προάγων δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς οἶκτον οὕτω κατὰ μικρὸν ἐξαιρεῖ καὶ ἀναλίσκει τὸ λυπητικόν ὁμοίως; ἴδοις ἂν καὶ τὸν οἶνον, ὅταν σφόδρα ταράξῃ καὶ παροξύνῃ τὸ ἀκμαῖον καὶ θυμοειδές, αὖθις καταδύοντα καὶ καθιστάντα τὴν διάνοιαν, ὡς πορρωτέρω μέθης προϊοῦσαν ἡσυχάζειν.
This reason, I replied, would satisfy me upon a private disquisition; but if you will have my own sentiments, let us first consider, whether this difference doth not proceed from the different temper of the body. For of those that are only half drunk, the mind alone is disturbed, but the body not being quite overwhelmed is yet able to obey its motions; but when it is too much oppressed and the wine has overpowered it, it betrays and frustrates the motions of the mind, for men in such a condition never go so far as action. But those that are half drunk, having a body serviceable to the absurd motions of the mind, are rather to be thought to have greater ability to comply with those they have, than to have worse inclinations than the others. Now if, proceeding on another principle, we consider the strength of the wine itself, nothing hinders but that this may be different and changeable, according to the quantity that is drunk. As fire, when moderate, hardens a piece of clay, but if very strong, makes it brittle and crumble into pieces; and the heat of the spring fires our blood with fevers, but as the summer comes on. the disease usually abates; what hinders then but that the mind, being naturally raised by the power of the wine, when it is come to a pitch, should by pouring on more be weakened again, and its force abated? Thus hellebore, before it purges, disturbs the body; but if too small a dose be given, it disturbs only and purges not at all; and some taking too little of an opiate are more restless than before; and some taking too much sleep well. Besides, it is probable that this disturbance into which those that are half drunk are put, when it comes to a pitch, conduces to that decay. For a great quantity being taken inflames the body and consumes the frenzy of the mind; as a mournful song and melancholy music at a funeral raises grief at first and forces tears, but as it continues, by little and little it takes away all dismal apprehensions and consumes our sorrows. Thus wine, after it hath heated and disturbed, calms the mind again and quiets the frenzy; and when men are dead drunk, their passions are at rest.
ἐμοῦ δὲ ταῦτʼ εἰπόντος, Ἀρίστων ἀναβοήσας ὥσπερ εἰώθει πέφανται εἶπεν εἰς τὰ συμπόσια τῷ δικαιοτάτῳ καὶ δημοκρατικωτάτῳ τῶν μέτρων κάθοδος, ὑπὸ δή τινος καιροῦ νήφοντος ὥσπερ τυράννου πεφυγαδευμένῳ πολὺν χρόνον. καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ περὶ λύραν κανονικοὶ τῶν λόγων φασὶ τὸν μὲν ἡμιόλιον τὴν διὰ πέντε συμφωνίαν παρασχεῖν τὸν δὲ διπλάσιον τὴν διὰ πασῶν, τὴν δὲ διὰ τεσσάρων ἀμυδροτάτην οὖσαν ἐν ἐπιτρίτῳ συνίστασθαι· οὕτως οἱ περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον ἁρμονικοὶ τρεῖς κατεῖδον οἴνου συμφωνίας πρὸς ὕδωρ, διὰ πέντε καὶ διὰ τριῶν καὶ διὰ τεσσάρων, οὕτω μὲν λέγοντες καὶ ᾄδοντες ἢ πέντε πίνειν ἢ τρίʼ ἢ μὴ τέσσαρα. πέντε γὰρ […] ἐν ἡμιολίῳ λόγῳ, τριῶν ὕδατος κεραννυμένων πρὸς δύʼ οἴνου· τρία δʼ ἐν διπλασίῳ πρὸς ἕνα μιγνυμένων δυεῖν· τέσσαρα δʼ, εἰς ἕνα τριῶν ὕδατος ἐπιχεομένων, οὗτός ἐστιν ἐπίτριτος λόγος, ἀρχόντων τινῶν ἐν πρυτανείῳ νοῦν ἐχόντων ἢ διαλεκτικῶν τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνεσπακότων, ὅταν τὰς μεταπτώσεις τῶν λόγων ἀνασκοπῶσι, νηφάλιος καὶ ἀδρανὴς κρᾶσις. ἐκείνων δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἡ μὲν δυεῖν πρὸς ἕνα τὸν ταρακτικὸν τοῦτον καὶ ἀκροθώρακα τῆς μέθης ἐπάγει τόνον κινοῦντα χορδὰς τὰς ἀκινήτους φρενῶν οὔτε γὰρ ἐᾷ νήφειν οὔτε καταδύειν παντάπασι τὸ ἀνόητον εἰς τὸν ἄκρατον· ἡ δὲ δυεῖν πρὸς τρία μουσικωτάτη, πᾶσʼ ὑπνοφόρος; καὶ λαθικηδὴς καὶ κατὰ τὴν Ἡσιόδειον ἐκείνην ἀλεξιάρην παίδων εὐκηλήτειραν τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγερώχων καὶ ἀκόσμων παθῶν διὰ βάθους ποιοῦσα γαλήνην καὶ ἡσυχίαν;
WHEN I had said this, Aristo cried out aloud, as his manner was, and said: I see well now that there is opened a return again of measures unto feasts and banquets; which measures, although they are most just and democratical, have for a long time (I wot not by what sober reason) been banished from thence, as by a tyrant. For, as they who profess a canonical harmony in sounding of the harp do hold and say, that the sesquialteral proportion produceth the symphony diapente (διὰ πέντε), the double proportion the diapason (διὰ πασῶν), and that the accord called diatessaron (διὰ τεσσάρων), which is of all most obscure and dull, consisteth in the epitrite proportion; even so they that make profession of skill in the harmonies of Bacchus have observed, that three symphonies or accords there are between wine and water, namely, diapente, diatrion (διὰ τριῶν), and diatessaron; and so they say and sing,—Drink either five or three, but not four. For the fifth has the sesquialteral proportion, three cups of water being mingled with two of wine; the third has the double proportion, two cups of water being put to one of wine; but the fourth answereth to the epitrite proportion of three parts of water poured into one of wine. Now this last proportion may be fit for some grave magistrates sitting in the council-hall, or for logicians who pull up their brows when they are busy in watching the unfolding of their arguments; for surely it is a mixture sober and weak enough. As for the other twain; that medley which carrieth the proportion of two for one bringeth in that turbulent tone of those who are half-drunk, Which stirs the heart-strings never moved before; for it suffereth a man neither to be fully sober, nor yet to drench himself so deep in wine as to be altogether witless and past his sense; but the other, standing upon the proportion of three to two, is of all the most musical accord, causing a man to sleep peaceably and forget all cares, and, like the corn-field which Hesiod speaks of, Which doth from man all curses drive, / And children cause to rest and thrive, / stilling and appeasing all proud and disordered passions within the heart, and inducing instead of them a peaceable calm and tranquillity.
πρὸς ταῦτα τῷ Ἀρίστωνι ἀντεῖπε μὲν οὐδείς· δῆλος γὰρ ἦν παίζων· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκέλευσα λαβόντα ποτήριον ὥσπερ λύραν ἐντείνεσθαι τὴν ἐπαινουμένην κρᾶσιν καὶ ἁρμονίαν, καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ παῖς ὑπήχει τὴν ἄκρατον· ὁ δʼ ἀνεδύετο, λέγων ἅμα γέλωτι τῶν λογικῶν εἶναι περὶ μουσικὴν οὐ τῶν ὀργανικῶν. ὁ μέντοι πατὴρ τοσοῦτον ἐπεῖπε τοῖς εἰρημένοις, ὅτι δοκοῦσιν αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ παλαιοὶ τοῦ μὲν Διὸς δύο ποιεῖν τιθήνας, τὴν Ἴτην καὶ τὴν Ἀδράστειαν, τῆς δʼ Ἥρας μίαν, τὴν Εὔβοιαν ἀμέλει δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος δύο, τὴν Ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὴν Κορυθάλειαν τοῦ δὲ Διονύσου πλείονας, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν θεὸν τοῦτον ἐν πλείοσι μέτροις νυμφῶν τιθασευόμενον καὶ παιδευόμενον ἡμερώτερον ποιεῖν καὶ φρονιμώτερον.
These speeches of Aristo no one there would contradict, for it was well known that he spoke in jest. But I willed him to take a cup, and, as if it were a harp, to set and tune it to that accord and harmony which he so highly praised. Then came a boy close unto him, and offered him strong wine; but he refused it, saying with laughter, that his music consisted in theory, and not in practice of the instrument. Then my father added to what had been said, that the ancient poets gave two nurses to Jupiter, namely, Ite and Adrastea; one to Juno, Euboea; two, moreover, to Apollo, Alethea and Corythalea; while they gave many more to Bacchus. For, as it seemed to him, Bacchus was nursed and suckled by many Nymphs, because he had need of many measures of water (νύμφαι), to make him more tame, gentle, witty, and wise.
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