STRONA PRAWA TEKST 2.

The Feast Begins 

The symposium, derived fromthe 
Greek words meaning "drinking together," 
might be held to mark any number of festive occasions: an ath-lete's triumph, the successful opening of a play-wright's new tragedy, a family celebration, or the homecoming or departure of a friend. At the host's home, a slave welcomed guests into the hall designed for such get-togethers: the andron, or "men's room:" A slave would be present to wash their hands, take off their san-dals, and offer them a couch on which to re-dine. Politeness dictated that once guests were settled, they would take a few moments to look around and praise the ceiling, decorations, and 
tapestries in the room. Then the dinner itself, de ipnon, would be served. In Classical Greece this was simple, even frugal fare: Cheese, onions, olives, figs, and garlic were the essential dishes, along with mashed beans and lentils . Meat was served in bite-size pieces, which guests would eat with their fingers. There was no cutlery or napkins; diners wiped their fingers on slices of bread, which were then dropped for the house-hold dogs. Dessert generally consisted of fruit such as grapes, figs, or perhaps honey-based sweets, all the food washed down with diluted Greek wine. The feast itself was the prelude to the eve-ning's real purpose. Once appetites were 
