Fill'd with the purple juice of various grapes;
For the great son of Semele and Jove
Gave wine to men to drive away their cares.
Pour on, in just proportion, one and two,
And let one goblet chase another quickly
Out of my head.
In which words he plainly enough intimates that his meaning is, that one cup of wine is to be mixed with two of water.
36. But Anacreon likes his liquors stronger still; as is shown by the verses in which he says—
Let the cup well be clean'd, then let it hold
Five measures water, three of rosy wine.
And Philetærus, in his Tereus, speaks of two measures of water to three of wine. And he speaks thus,—
I seem to have drunk two measures now of water,
And only three of wine.
And Pherecrates, in his Corianno, speaks even of two measures of water to four of wine, and says—
A. Throw that away, my dear; the fellow has
Given you such a watery mixture.
B. Nay rather, 'tis mere water and nought else.
A. What have you done?—in what proportions,
You cursed man, have you this goblet mix'd?
B. I've put two waters only in, my mother.
A. And how much wine?
B. Four parts of wine, I swear.
A. You're fit to serve as cupbearer to the frogs.
And Ephippus, in his Circe, says—
A. You will find it a much more prudent mixture,
To take three parts of one, and four of th' other.
B. That's but a watery mixture, three to four.
A. Would you, then, quite unmix'd your wine prefer?
B. How say you?
37. And Timocles speaks of half and half in his Conisalus,—
And I'll attack you straight with half and half,
And make you tell me all the truth at once.
And Alexis, in his Dorcis, or the Caressing Woman, says—
I drink now cups brimming with love to you,
Mixed in fair proportions, half and half.
And Xenarchus, or Timocles, in his Purple, says—
By Bacchus, how you drink down half and half!
And Sophilus, in his Dagger, says,—
And wine was given in unceasing flow,
Mix'd half and half; and yet, unsatisfied,
They ask'd for larger and for stronger cups.
