“All that have legacies in this my last will and testament, my freed men excepted, receives ’em on these conditions, that they divide my body, and eat it before the people.  And that they may not think it an unjust demand, let them know, that to this day ’tis the custom of many countries, that the relations of the dead devour the carcase; and for that reason they often quarrel with their sick kindred, because they spoil their flesh by lingering in a disease.  I only instance this to my friends, that they may not refuse to perform my will; but with the same sincerity they wisht well to my soul, they might devour my body.”

When he had read the chief articles, some that were more intimately acquainted with him, enter’d the chamber, and viewing the will, earnestly intreated him to impart the contents of it; he readily consented and read the whole.  But when they heard the necessity of eating the carcass, they seem’d much concern’d at the strange proposal; but their insatiate love of the money made ’em stifle their passion, and his person was so awful to ’em, they durst not complain.  But one of ’em, Gorgias by name, briskly told him he was willing to accept the conditions, so he might not wait for the body.

To this Eumolpus, “I’m not in the least apprehensive of your performance, nor that your stomach wou’d refuse the task, when to recompense one distasteful minute you promise ages of luxury.  ’Tis but shutting your eyes, and supposing instead of man’s flesh you were eating an hundred sesterces.  Some sauce may be added to vary the tast; for no flesh pleases alone, but is prepar’d by art to commend it to the stomach.  If you desire instances of this kind, to make ye approve my advice; the Saguntines when they were besieg’d by Hannibal eat humane bodies, without the hopes of an estate for doing it.  The Petavii reduc’d to the last extremity did the like; nor had they further hopes in this banquet than to satisfie nature.  When Scipio took Numanita, mothers were found with their children half eaten in their arms.  But since the thoughts only of eating man’s flesh create the lothing; ’tis but resolving, and you gain the mighty legacies I leave you.”

Eumolpus recounted these shameless inhumanities with so much confusion, that his parasites began to suspect him, and more nearly considering our words and actions, their jealousie encreas’d with their observation, and they believ’d us perfect cheats.  Upon which those who had receiv’t us most nobly, resolv’d to seize us, and lustly take their revenge; but Chrysis, privy to all stratagems, gave me notice of their designs; the frightful news so struck me, that I made off with Gito immediately, and left Eumolpus to the mercy of his enemies; and in a few days we heard the Crotonians raging, that that old rascal shou’d live so long at such a sumptuous rate on the publick charge, sacrific’d him the Massilian way.  Whenever the Massilians were visited with a plague, some one of the poorest of the people, for the sake of being well fed a whole year at the publick charge, wou’d offer himself a sacrifice to appease the gods:  He after his year was up, drest in holy wreath and sacred garment, was led about the city with invocations on the gods that all the sins of the nation might be punisht in him; and so was thrown from a precipice.