3 Review(s)

In The Deipnosophists, Volume 3, Athenaeus continues the detailed and varied discussions among the guests at the elaborate banquet. This volume explores a mix of subjects, from the origins of foods and the significance of specific ingredients to poetic interpretations of luxury and moderation. Guests share knowledge of ancient festivals, elaborate drinking customs, and the symbolic meaning of particular dishes within Greek and Roman cultures. The banter often weaves mythological and historical anecdotes into conversations about the pleasures and rituals surrounding food and drink.The dialogues in this volume place greater emphasis on the philosophical aspects of dining, as participants delve into topics like temperance and indulgence, exploring the ethical boundaries of luxury and simplicity in a society marked by social hierarchies. References to authors and texts that have since been lost continue to populate the discussions, as Athenaeus preserves valuable quotations from ancient playwrights, historians, and philosophers. This volume thus remains a critical source for historians studying classical literature and provides rare insights into antiquity’s intellectual traditions.