And Timocles speaks of half and half in his Conisalus,—
And I'll attack you straight with half and half,And Alexis, in his Dorcis, or the Caressing Woman, says—
And make you tell me all the truth at once.
I drink now cups brimming with love to you,And Xenarchus, or Timocles, in his Purple, says—
Mixed in fair proportions, half and half.
By Bacchus, how you drink down half and half!And Sophilus, in his Dagger, says,—
And wine was given in unceasing flow,[p. 681] And Alexis, in his play entitled The Usurer, or Liar, says—
Mix'd half and half; and yet, unsatisfied,
They ask'd for larger and for stronger cups.
A. Don't give him wine quite drown'd in water, now;—And again, in his Supposititious Son, he says—
Dost understand me? Half and half, or nearly:
That's well.
B. A noble drink: where was the land
That raised this noble Bacchus by its flavour,
I think he came from Thasos.
A. Sure 'tis just
That foreigners should foreign wines enjoy,
And that the natives should drink native produce.
He drank and never drew his breath, as oneAnd Menander, in his Brethren—
Would quaff rich wine, mix'd half and half with care.
Some one cried out to mingle eight and twelve,And the verb κατασείω was especially used of those who fell down from drinking, taking its metaphor from the shaking down fruit from the tree. And Alexis, in his Man cut off, says—
Till he with rivalry subdued the other (κατέσεισε).
He was no master of the feast at all,
But a mere hangman, Chæreas his name;
And when he'd drunk full twenty cups of wine,
Mix'd half and half, he ask'd for more, and stronger.