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What do you think? Is it disgraceful for a philosopher who is no rude and unlearned person of the reckless Cynic type, but who remembers that he is a disciple of Plato, is it disgraceful for such an one to know and care for such learning or to be ignorant and indifferent? To know how far such things reveal the workings of providence, or to swallow all the tales his father and mother told him of the immortal gods?

Quintus Ennius wrote a poem on dainties: he there enumerates countless species of fish, which of course he had carefully studied. I remember a few lines and will recite them:

Clipea's sea-weasels are of all the best,

for 'mice' the place is Aenus; oysters rough

in greatest plenty from Abydos come.

The sea-comb's found at Mitylene and

Ambracian Charadrus, and I praise

Brundisian sargus: take him, if he's big.

Know that Tarentum's small sea-boar is prime;

the sword-fish at Surrentum thou shouldst buy;

Blue fish at Cumae. What! Have I passed by

Scarus? The brain of Jove is not less sweet.

You catch them large and good off Nestor's home.

Have I passed by the black-tail and the 'thrush',

the sea-merle and the shadow of the sea?

Best to Corcyra go for cuttle-fish,

for the acarne and the fat sea-skull

the purple-fish, the little murex too,

mice of the sea and the sea-urchin sweet.