The fiery blasts of glowing coal, adorns
Its back with golden splendour; well exciting
Hunger, the best forerunner of a feast.
So, come in—
Do not delay, but enter: when we've dined
We then can best endure what must be borne.
And so he, meeting him in this appropriate manner, replies with these lines out of the Harper of Clearchus:—
Sup on white congers, and whatever else
Can boast a sticky nature; for by such food
The breath is strengthen'd, and the voice of man
Is render'd rich and powerful.
And as there was great applause on this, and as every one with one accord called to him to come in, he went in and drank, and taking the lyre, sang to us in such a manner that we all marvelled at his skill on the harp, and at the rapidity of his execution, and at the tunefulness of his voice; for he appeared to me to be not at all inferior to that ancient Amœbeus, whom Aristeas, in his History of Harp-players, speaks of as living at Athens, and dwelling near the theatre, and receiving an Attic talent a-day every time he went out singing.
18. And while some were discussing music in this manner, and others of the guests saying different things every day, but all praising the pastime, Masurius, who excelled in everything, and was a man of universal wisdom, (for as an interpreter of the laws he was inferior to no one, and he was always devoting some of his attention to music, for indeed he was able himself to play on some musical instruments,) said,—My good friends, Eupolis the comic poet says—
And music is a deep and subtle science,
And always finding out some novelty
For those who're capable of comprehending it;
on which account Anaxilas, in his Hyacinthus, says—
For, by the gods I swear, music, like Libya,
Brings forth each year some novel prodigy;
for, my dear fellows, "Music," as the Harp-player of Theophilus says, "is a great and lasting treasure to all who have learnt it and know anything about it;" for it ameliorates the disposition, and softens those who are passionate and quarrelsome in their tempers. Accordingly, "Clinias the Pythagorean," as Chamæleon of Pontus relates, "who was a most unimpeachable man
