“The table was strewn with garlands and flowers, and laden with tankards and pitchers. . . . There were terra-cotta platters of plump eels sprinkled with seasoning; there were wax-coloured alphestae, and sacred beauty-fish. Besides these there was a pompilus, a purple fish said to have been born of the same foam as Aphrodite, boopoe, bebradons, a grey mullet served up with calmars, and multi-colored scorpenae. Certain dishes were served in little saucepans in order that they might be eaten foaming hot, and among these were a great slice of myra, fat tunny-fish, and hot devil-fish with tender tentacles. Finally came the belly of a white electric eel, as round as the belly of a beautiful woman.
    Such was the first course.”

—Pierre Louys, Aphrodite, 1896; translated by Lewis Galantiere, 1933.