Kitap 10
56
But Phalæcus, in his Epigrams, makes mention of a woman, whose name was Cleo, as having been a very hard drinker— Cleo bestow'd this splendid gift on Bacchus, The tunic, fringed with gold and saffron hues, Which long she wore herself; so great she was At feasts and revelry: there was no man Who could at all contend with her in drinking. And it is a well-known fact that all the race of women is fond of drinking. And it was not without some wit that Xenarchus introduces, in his Pentathlum, a woman swearing this most horrible oath:— May it be granted me to pass from life Drinking abundant draughts of wine, while you, My darling daughter, live and prosper here. But among the Romans, as Polybius says, in his sixth book, it was forbidden to women to drink wine at all. However, they drink what is called Passum; and that is made of raisins, and when drank is very like the sweet Aegosthenite and Cretan wine, on which account men use it when oppressed by excessive thirst. And it is impossible for a woman to drink wine without being detected: for, first of all, she has not the key of the cellar; and, in the next place, she is bound to kiss her relations, and those of her husband, down to cousins, and to do this every day when she first sees them; and besides this, she is forced to be on her best behaviour, as it is quite uncertain whom she may chance to meet; for if she has merely tasted wine, it needs no informer, but is sure to betray itself."
