“OEneus, from plenteous harvests' full success Rejoicing, primal fruits to Ceres gave; To Bacchus pour'd libations of his wine; To yellow-hair'd Minerva offer'd oil: The rites invidious, from the rural gods Commencing, all the bright celestials shar'd. Latona's daughter only, in her fane, Nor flames nor offerings on her altar saw. Rage fires ev'n heavenly breasts.--"Not unreveng'd,"-- She cry'd,--shall this be suffer'd; honor'd not! "Not unappeas'd by vengeance will I rest."-- Then through th' OEneian fields the maid, despis'd, Sends the fierce boar to ravage. Such his size, The bulls that in Epirus' pastures graze More huge appear not: in Sicilia's meads Far less are seen. Red are his sparkling eyes, Fire mixt with blood; high rears his fearful neck, Thick clustering spears the threatening bristles seem: Hoarse as he grunts, down his wide shoulders spreads The boiling foam: his tusks the tusks outvie Of India's hugest beast: the lightening's blast, Driven from his mouth, burns all the verdant leaves. Now o'er the corn, but yet in budding ears, He tramples, immature he reaps the crop; The loud-lamenting tiller's hopes destroy'd: The harvest intercepting in the shoot. In vain the barns, the granaries in vain, Their promis'd loads expect. Prostrate alike Are thrown the fruitful clusters of the vine, With shooting tendrils; and the olive's fruit With branches ever-blooming. On the flocks He rages: these not shepherds, not their dogs Could save; nor could the furious bull his herd. Wide fled the people; safety none durst hope Save in their cities' walls; till thirst of fame Fir'd Meleager, with his chosen band Of valiant youths. And first were seen the twins Of Tyndarus, for wond'rous skill renown'd, This at the caestus, that to curb the steed: Jason, whose art the primal ship design'd: Theseus, in happy concord with his friend Pirithous, join'd: Thestius' two valiant sons: Lynceus, Aphareus' offspring: Idas swift: Leucippus fierce: Acastus unexcell'd To dart the javelin: Caeneus, now no more Cloth'd in a female figure: Phoenix, sprung From old Amyntor: Actor's equal sons: Hippothooes: Dryas: and from Elis' town Dispatch'd, came Phileus. Nor was absent there, Brave Telamon, nor great Achilles' sire: Nor stout Eurytion; with Pheretus' son: Nor Hyantean Ioelaues brave: Echion in speed unconquer'd: Nestor then In primal youth: Lelex, Narycian born: Panopeus: Hyleus: Hippasus the fierce: Nor those whom Hippocooen sent in aid, From old Amyclae: nor Ulysses' sire: Ancaeus of Parrhasia: Mopsus sage: Amphiareus, then by his false spouse's guile Betray'd not. With them Atalanta came, The grace and glory of Arcadia's woods. A shining buckle from the ground confin'd Her garment's border: simply bound, her hair One knot confin'd: her ivory quiver, slung O'er her left shoulder, sounded as she stepp'd: Her hand sustain'd a bow: and thus array'd Appear'd her form. Her lineaments disclos'd, What scarce might feminine in boys appear; Or hardly boyish in a virgin's face. The chief of Calydon the maid beheld,-- Beheld, and lov'd: while heaven his love oppos'd. The secret flames inhaling deep, he cry'd,-- "O, blessed youth! if youth to gain thy hand "Worthy were deem'd!"--Nor bashful shame, nor time Would more allow; a mightier deed now claim'd Their utmost efforts for the furious war.”
A cook of roughly the same moment, setting down the same dish.
[79] ANOTHER WAY, MASHED _CUCURBITAS FRICTAS TRITAS_ FRIED [1] PUMPKIN, SEASONED WITH PEPPER, LOVAGE, CUMIN, ORIGANY, ONION, WINE BROTH AND OIL: STEW THE PUMPKIN [in this] IN A BAKING DISH, TIE THE LIQUID WITH ROUX [mash] AND SERVE IN THE DISH. [1] V. Baking the fruit reduces the water contents, renders the purée more substantial. G.-V. _Tritas_--mashed. Tor. connects _tritas_ up with pepper, hence it is doubtful whether this dish of pumpkin is mashed pumpkin.
Sources: The passage is from Ovid, The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Vols. , tr. Howard, J. J., free to read in full at Project Gutenberg. The recipe is from Apicius, Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome, also free in full. Both are in the public domain in the United States. The binding above is ours — plum cloth, grapes stamp.