that teaches the best seasons, e.g. for mackerel and haddock; in geometry,—­that he might know how a boiler or gridiron should be set to the best advantage; in medicine, that he might prepare the most wholesome dishes.  In any case he is a perfect tyrant around the kitchen, grumbling about the utensils, cuffing the spit-boy, and ever bidding him bring more charcoal for the fire and to blow the bellows faster.[*]

[*]The Greeks seem to have cooked over a rather simple open fireplace with a wood or charcoal fire.  They had an array of cooking utensils, however, according to all our evidence, elaborate enough to gladden a very exacting modern chef.

By the time evening is at hand Prodicus and his house are in perfect readiness.  The bustle is ended; and the master stands by the entrance way, clad in his best and with a fresh myrtle wreath, ready to greet his guests.  No ladies will be among these.  Had there been any women invited to the banquet, they would surely be creatures of no very honest sort; and hardly fit, under any circumstances, to darken the door of a respectable citizen.  The mistress and her maids are “behind the scenes.”  There may be a woman among the hired entertainers provided, but for a refined Athenian lady to appear at an ordinary symposium is almost unthinkable.[*]

[*]In marriage parties and other strictly family affairs women were allowed to take part; and we have an amusing fragment of Menander as to how, on such rare occasions, they monopolized the conversation.

162.  The Coming of the Guests.—­As each guest comes, he is seen to be elegantly dressed, and to wear now, if at no other time, a handsome pair of sandals.[*] He has also taken pains to bathe and to perfume himself.  As soon as each person arrives his sandals are removed in the vestibule by the slaves and his feet are bathed.  No guest comes alone, however:  every one has his own body servant with him, who will look after his footgear and himation during the dinner, and give a certain help with the serving.  The house therefore becomes full of people, and will be the scene of remarkable animation during the next few hours.

[*]Socrates, by way of exception to his custom, put on some fine sandals when he was invited to a banquet.

Prodicus is not disappointed in expecting some extra visitors.  His guest of honor, Hermogenes, has brought along two, whom the host greets with the polite lie:  “Just in time for dinner.  Put off your other business.  I was looking for you in the Agora and could not find you."[*] Also there thrusts in a half genteel, half rascally fellow, one Palladas, who spends all his evenings at dinner parties, being willing to be the common butt and jest of the company (having indeed something of the ability of a comic actor about him) in return for a share of the good things on the table.  These “Parasites” are regular characters in Athens, and no symposium is really complete without them, although often their fooleries cease to be amusing.[+]