By Water & Blood

Book 1, Chapter 1: The Gathering at Praetextatus's House

During the Saturnalia (Saturnalia), at the house of Vettius Praetextatus, the leading men of the Roman nobility and other learned men assemble and devote the solemnly holiday time to liberal conversation, also offering one another banquets with mutual courtesy and not parting from one another except for nocturnal rest. For through the whole space of the holidays, occupying the better part of the day with serious discussions, at dinner time they pursue convivial talks, so that no time of the day is left empty of putting forward something learned or witty; but at table the conversation will be more pleasant, so that it may have more of pleasure and less of severity.

For both among others by whom banquets have been described, and in that symposium of Plato, the talk of the guests is not about some austerer matter, but a varied and charming description of Cupid (Cupido); in which indeed Socrates does not, as is his custom, press and entangle his adversary with tighter knots, but, having taken hold of him in the manner of playing rather than of contending, gives him almost room to slip away and escape. For conversations at a banquet ought to be so whole in chasteness, and so desirable in grace.

But the morning discussion will be more robust, such as becomes men both learned and most distinguished. For Cottae, Laelii, and Scipiones will discuss the most ample matters in the books of the ancients, so long as Roman letters endure; yet shall it not be permitted that Praetextati, Flaviani, Albini, Symmachi, and Eustathii—whose splendor is similar and whose virtue is not inferior—speak something in the same manner?

Nor let it be a fraud upon me if one or another of those whom the gathering assembled was of mature age later than the generation of Praetextatus, because that this may lawfully be done the dialogues of Plato are witness. Indeed Parmenides was so much older than Socrates that the boyhood of the latter scarcely overtook the old age of the former, and yet among them there is discussion of arduous matters; Socrates finishes a famous dialogue with a debate held with Timaeus, whom it is agreed were not of the same generation. Again Paralus and Xanthippus, whose father was Pericles, discourse with Protagoras in Plato while he was lingering at Athens on his second visit—yet that infamous Athenian plague had carried them off long before. Therefore it is not fitting that the years of those assembling be counted on the fingers, when the example of Plato supports us.

But so that what was said by all might more easily appear and be distinguished, we have made Decius inquire of Postumianus what that conversation was and among whom it took place. And that we may not longer delay the reader's desires, already the talk of Decius and Postumianus will make plain what was either the origin of this colloquy or the order in which it proceeded.