Note 254 — Chapter V · AZTEC AGRICULTURE—MECHANICAL ARTS—MERCHANTS—DOMESTIC MANNERS
Reading edition
As old as the heroic age of Greece, at least. We may fancy ourselves at the table of Penelope, where water in golden ewers was poured into silver basins for the accommodation of her guests, before beginning the repast:
“Χέρνιβα δʹ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα Καλῇ χρυσείῃ ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος, Νίψασθαι: παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν.” ΟΔΥΣΣ. Α.
The feast affords many other points of analogy to the Aztec, inferring a similar stage of civilization in the two nations. One may be surprised, however, to find a greater profusion of the precious metals in the barren isle of Ithaca than in Mexico. But the poet’s fancy was a richer mine than either.