Book 7
124
And Epicharmus, in his Hebe's Wedding, says— The polypus, likewise the cuttle-fish, And the swift-moving squid.
124
And we must also take notice of this, with reference to Speu- sippus, who says that the cuttle-fish and the squid are the same fish. But when Hipponax, in his Iambics, uses the words σηπίης ὑπόσφαγμα, the interpreters have explained the expression as meaning the ink of the cuttle-fish. But the word ὑπόσφαγμα is, properly speaking, equivalent to ὑπότριμμα, a dish compounded of various ingredients, as Erasistratus tells us, in his Cookery Book. And he writes as follows—But ὑπόσφαγμα is made with roast meat and blood stirred up and compounded with cheese, and salt, and cummin, and assafœtida; but the meat may also be boiled. And Glaucus the Locrian, in his Cookery Book, writes as follows— ʽὑπόσφαγμα is blood boiled, and assafœtida, and boiled lees of wine; or sometimes honey and vinegar, and milk and cheese, and sweet-smelling herbs are shred and mixed together in it. And Archestratus, that man of the most varied learning, says— The cuttle-fish of Abdera and the middle of Maronea. And Aristophanes, in his Thesmophoriazuss, says— Has any fish or cuttle-fish been bought? And in the Danaides he says— Osmulia, mœnidea, and cuttle-fish. Theopompus, in his Aphrodite, says— . . . But eat, my friend, This cuttle-fish, and this small polypus. But concerning the boiling of the small polypus, Alexis, in his Wicked Woman, introduces a cook speaking as follows— Now these three cuttle-fish I have just bought For one small drachma. And when I 've cut off Their feelers and their fins, I then shall boil them. And cutting up the main part of their meat Into small dice, and rubbing in some salt, After the guests already are sat down, I then shall put them in the frying-pan, And serve up hot towards the end of supper.
