When they came to their couches, the dinner-table was covered with rare and costly things.

On platters of silver and gold one might have seen tunny fishes from Chalcedon, murcenas from the Straits of Gades, peacocks from Samos, grouse from Phrygia, cranes from Melos.

Slaves were kept busy bringing boar's head and sow's udder and roasted fowls, and fish pasties, and boiled teals.
Other slaves kept the goblets full of old wine.

Soon the banquet had become a revel of song and laughter.

Suddenly Antipater raised a calix high above his head.
"My noble friends," he shouted, "I bid you drink with me to Arria, sister of Appius, and fairest daughter of Rome--" Vergilius had quickly risen to his feet.