VII Refectio Scholastica — School Meals
Nepotulus, Piso, Magister, Hypodidascalus
In this dialogue Vives treats of a banquet. The division into five parts:—
Jentaculum
Prandium
Merenda
Coena
Comessatio } An enumeration
of different kinds.
See Grap. lib. 2, cap. 3.
He describes convivial disputations.
Nepotulus is a diminutive from nepos, used for one who drinks.
Piso is a young nobleman.
Hypodidascalus, ὁ ὑπώ τὲ διδασκαλον, provisor, cantor.
In the beginning of this dialogue there are three αμφιβολίας or ambiguities. The first is in the adverb lautè, the signification of which is twofold, one proper, the other improper and metaphorical.
Nep. Are you bathed in luxury (vivitisne lautè?) living here?
Piso. What do you mean by that? Do we wash ourselves (an lavamur)? Every day, hands and face, and indeed, frequently, for cleanliness of body is conducive to health and to nurture.
Nep. That is not what I ask—but whether you get food and drink to your mind?
Piso. We don’t eat according to our desire, but according to the call of the palate.
Nep. I ask, if you eat, as you wish.
Piso. Certainly, forsooth, as hunger dictates. Who wishes to eat, eats; who does not wish, abstains.
Nep. Do you go from the table hungry?
Piso. By no means sated. For this is not wise. For it is the part of beasts, not men, to glut themselves. They say that a certain wise king never sat down to table without hunger, and never stood up sated.
Nep. What do you eat, then?
Piso. What there is.
Nep. Oh! I was thinking that you eat what you hadn’t got! But what is there, then?
Piso. Troublesome questioner! What they give us.
Nep. But what do they give you, then?