Page 58

58-                 THE DEIPNOSOPHISTS.           [EPIT. B. IL 
there sprang up:a vine loaded with grapes.         On which 
account he called hia son Phytius. And he had a son named 
CAnens, who was so. called from   the vines: for the, ancient 
Greeks," says he, " called vines olvat. Now (Eneus was the 
father of iEtolus."  But Plato in his Cratylus, inquiring into 
the etymology of the. word oTvog, says, that it is, equivalent to 
otovovs, as filling the mind, vozs, with oo03t-s, or self-conceit. 
Perhaps, however, the word may be derived from o'vencris, 
succour. For Homer, giving as it were the derivation of the 
word, speaks nearly after this fashion- 
And then you will be succour'd (O'Vier6a) if you drink. 
And he too constantly calls food o6vdara, because it supports us. 
2. Now the author of the Cyprian poems, whoever he was, 
says- 
No better remedies than wine there are, 
o king, to drive away soul-eating care. 
And Diphilus the comic poet says- 
O Bacchus, to all wise men dear, 
How very kind you do appear; 
You make the lowly-hearted proud, 
And bid the gloomy laugh aloud; 
You fill the feeble man with daring, 
And cowards strut and bray past bearing. 
And Philoxenus of Cythera says- 
Good store of wine which makes men talk. 
But Choeremon the tragedian says, that wine inspires those 
who use it with 
Laughter and wisdom and prudence and learning. 
And Ion of Chios calls wine 
Youth of indomitable might, 
With head of bull; the loveliest wight 
Who ever rank'd as Love's esquire, 
Filling men with strength and fire. 
And Mlensitheus says 
Great was the blessing, when the gods did show 
Sweet wine to those who how to use it know; 
But where bad- men its righteous use pervert, 
To such, I trow, it will be rather hurt. 
For to the first it nourishment supplies, 
Strengthens their bodies, and their minds makes wise; 
A wholesome physic 'tis when mix'd with potions, 
Heals wounds as well as plasters or cold lotions.