The Proper Way to Hold a Dinner Party
νῦν γὰρ δὴ ζάπεδον καθαρὸν καὶ χεῖρες ἁπάντων
καὶ κύλικες· πλεκτοὺς δ’ ἀμφιτιθεῖ στεφάνους,
ἄλλος δ’ εὐῶδες μύρον ἐν φιάληι παρατείνει·
κρητὴρ δ’ ἕστηκεν μεστὸς ἐυφροσύνης·
ἄλλος δ’ οἶνος ἑτοῖμος, ὃς οὔποτέ φησι προδώσειν,
μείλιχος ἐν κεράμοις, ἄνθεος ὀζόμενος·
ἐν δὲ μέσοις ἁγνὴν ὀδμὴν λιβανωτὸς ἵησιν,
ψυχρὸν δ’ ἐστὶν ὕδωρ καὶ γλυκὺ καὶ καθαρόν·
παρκέαται δ’ ἄρτοι ξανθοὶ γεραρή τε τράπεζα
τυροῦ καὶ μέλιτος πίονος ἀχθομένη·
βωμὸς δ’ ἄνθεσιν ἂν τὸ μέσον πάντηι πεπύκασται,
μολπὴ δ’ ἀμφὶς ἔχει δώματα καὶ θαλίη.
χρὴ δὲ πρῶτον μὲν θεὸν ὑμνεῖν εὔφρονας ἄνδρας
εὐφήμοις μύθοις καὶ καθαροῖσι λόγοις,
σπείσαντάς τε καὶ εὐξαμένους τὰ δίκαια δύνασθαι
πρήσσειν· ταῦτα γὰρ ὦν ἐστι προχειρότερον,
οὐχ ὕβρεις· πίνειν δ’ ὁπόσον κεν ἔχων ἀφίκοιο
οἴκαδ’ ἄνευ προπόλου μὴ πάνυ γηραλέος.
ἀνδρῶν δ’ αἰνεῖν τοῦτον ὃς ἐσθλὰ πιὼν ἀναφαίνει,
ὡς ἦι μνημοσύνη καὶ τόνος ἀμφ’ ἀρετῆς,
οὔ τι μάχας διέπειν Τιτήνων οὐδὲ Γιγάντων
οὐδέ τε Κενταύρων, πλάσματα τῶν προτέρων,
ἢ στάσιας σφεδανάς· τοῖς οὐδὲν χρηστὸν ἔνεστιν·
θεῶν δὲ προμηθείην αἰὲν ἔχειν ἀγαθήν.
Now the floor is clean- so too everyone’s hands
And cups. One servant crowns us with woven garlands,
Another holds out fragrant myrrh in a saucer.
The mixing-bowl stands by, full of delight.
Another type of wine is ready, which boasts it will never give out-
Honey-sweet in jars, smelling of flowers.
In the center frankincense gives off a sweet odor,
And cold water is at hand, both sweet and pure.
Yellow cakes are set alongside- likewise a table of honor
Laden with cheese and rich honey.
It is necessary for men of good will first to hymn the gods
With well-omened utterances and pure words,
After pouring libations and praying they be given the power
To do what is just- for it is more appropriate to pray for these things,
Not for misdeeds. Then you should drink as much as allows you
To walk home without a servant’s aid, provided you aren’t very old.
Next, praise the man who behaves well as he drinks,
So that you may recall and strive for excellence;
But don’t talk of battles of Titans or Giants or Centaurs,
Fictions crafted by men of old,
Or of violent civil strife- there’s no profit in such things.
Instead, always keep excellent forethought for the gods.
Heracles at a symposium, Attic red-figure bell krater attributed to the Berlin Painter, ca. 500-490 BCE
