Book 4
34
But among the Galatians, says Phylarchu in his sixth book, it is the custom to place on the tables a great number of loaves broken promiscuously, and meat just taken out of the kettles, which no one touches without first waiting for the king to see whether he touches anything of what is served up before him. But in his third book the same Phylarchus says that Ariamnes the Galatian, being an exceedingly rich man, gave notice that he would give all the Galaians a banquet every year; and that he did so, managing in this manner: He divided the country, measuring it by convenient stages along the roads; and at these stages he erected tents of stakes and rushes and osiers, each containing about four hundred men, or somewhat more, according as the district required, and with reference to the number that might be expected to throng in from the villages and towns adjacent to the stage in question. And there he placed huge kettles, full of every sort of meat; and he had the kettles made in the preceding year before he was to give the feast, sending for artizans from other cities. And he caused many victims to be slain, —numbers of oxen, and pigs, and sheep, and other animals,— every day; and he caused casks of wine to be prepared, and a great quantity of ground corn. And not only, he continues, did all the Galatians who came from the villages and cities enjoy themselves, but even all the strangers who happened to be passing by were not allowed to escape by the slaves who stood around, but were pressed to come in and partake of what had been prepared.
