The Deipnosophists; or, Banquet of the Learned of Athenæus, Vol. 3 (of 3)

Name: The Deipnosophists; or, Banquet of the Learned of Athenæus, Vol. 3 (of 3)
Author: of Naucratis Athenaeus

By of Naucratis Athenaeus

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Classics of Literature History - Ancient Philosophy & Ethics

About This Book

A lengthy series of erudite conversations framed as a convivial banquet, where learned guests trade anecdotes, quotations, and debates about luxury, dining, music, love, marriage, courtesans, and culinary practice. The dialogue collects accounts of exotic customs, gastronomic recipes and courses, musical forms, dances, perfumes, and social laws, alongside literary excerpts and scandalous stories about ancient cities and famous personages. The result is an encyclopedic miscellany blending tastes, etiquette, and cultural history through successive thematic books that range from extravagant banquets and personal adornment to entertainments, desserts, and ritual libations.

About the Author

of Naucratis Athenaeus

Athenaeus of Naucratis was a Greek rhetorician and grammarian, active during the late 2nd to early 3rd century AD. He is best known for his work "The Deipnosophists," a comprehensive collection of discussions on various topics, including literature, philosophy, and gastronomy, framed as a series of banquets among learned men. This text not only showcases the intellectual milieu of his time but also preserves numerous quotations from lost works of earlier authors, making it an invaluable resource for understanding ancient literature and culture. Athenaeus's engaging style and the breadth of his subject matter reflect the rich tapestry of Hellenistic thought.