Observations, Historical, Critical, and Medical, on the Wines of the Ancients; And the Analogy Between Them and Modern Wines. with General Observation - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1775 Excerpt: ... by which words, a certain number of Cyath.t is meant, as the Cyathus was the twelfth part of the Sextarius. These measures of the ancients have been described by them, and others, in a perplexed manner, and continued obscure, until Dr. Arbuthnot ascertained their real quantities, without which elucidation, the knowledge of their measures of capacity, or..doses of medicine, could.not be ascertained. f They all are mentioned by »the poets, but more frequently the Deunx Triens, and Sextans. The Deunx was seldom called for, but. by such as were noted for intemperance; the Sex..tans was the most temperate; but the 7rienst which was moderately generous, is most frequently mentioned by them J. Chap. i. Ix. "t" Quincunces et sex cyathos beflemque--Mart. lib. xi. Ep. 37. Poto ego Sextantes, tu potas Cinna deunces, Et quereris quod non, Cinna bibamus idem. Ib. lib. xi. Ep. 28. Cum fuerit multis exacta trientibus hora. Propert. lib. iii. Sed nee post primum legat hæc summumve trientem, Mart. lib. iv. Ep. 38. J Vide Martial, lib. i. jv. x. xi. xiv. This regular proportion will appear more evident from a line of Martial. Two Sextantes were of the Sextariusy or sour Cyathi. According to Cornelius JVepos, Augustus Cæsars highest debauch in Wine was fix Sextantes, a little above our pint, which he could rnot exceed without vomiting. Athenæus observes that the Scythian's were more distinguished than any others for their love of strong Wines, and drinking them freely; and that CleomeneSy after having lived for some time among them, and accustoming himself to their manner of drinking,.was so far deprived of his fenses, that on' his return to Sp'artay he was thought unfit to reign. But it is very evident that their mixtures were not of the strongest kin...