Then came a sumptuous antepast; for we were all seated, but only Trimalchio, for whom, after a new fashion, the chief place was reserv’d.  Besides that, as a part of the entertainment, there was set by us a large vessel of metheglin, with a pannier, in the one part of which were white olives, in the other black; two broad platters covered the vessel, on the brims of which were engraven Trimalchio’s name, and the weight of the silver, with little bridges soldered together, and on them dormice strew’d over with honey and poppy:  There were also piping-hot sausages on a silver gridiron, and under that large damsons, with the kernels of pomegranats.

In this condition were we when Trimalchio himself was waddled into the consort; and being close bolster’d with neck-cloaths and pillows to keep off the air, we could not forbear laughing unawares:  For his bald pate peep’d out of a scarlet mantle, and over the load of cloaths he lay under, there hung an embroidered towel, with purple tassels and fringes dingle dangle about it:  He had also on the little finger of his left hand, a large gilt ring, and on the outmost joint of the finger next it, one lesser, which I took for all gold; but at last it appeared to be jointed together with a kind of stars of steel.  And that we might see these were not all his bravery, he stripp’d his right arm, on which he wore a golden bracelet, and an ivory circle, bound together with a glittering locket and a meddal at the end of it:  Then picking his teeth with a silver pin, “I had not, my friends,” said he, “any inclination to have come among you so soon, but fearing my absence might make you wait too long, I deny’d myself my own satisfaction; however suffer me to make an end of my game”:  There followed him a boy with an inlaid table and christal dice; and I took notice of one thing more pleasant than the rest; for instead of black and white counters, his were all silver and gold pieces of money.

In the mean time while he was squandering his heap at play, and we were yet picking a relish here and there, a cupboard was brought in with a basket, in which was a hen carved in wood, her wings lying round and hollow, as sitting on brood; when presently the consort struck up, and two servants fell a searching the straw under her, and taking out some peahens eggs, distributed them among the company:  At this Trimalchio changing countenance, “I commanded my friends,” said he “the hen to be set with peahens eggs; and so help me Hercules, am afraid they may be half hatcht:  however we’ll try if they are yet suppable.”

The thing we received was a kind of shell of at least six pounds weight, made of paste, and moulded into the figure of an egg, which we easily broke; and for my part, I was like to have thrown away my share; for it seemed to me to have a chick in it; till hearing an old guest of the tables saying, it was some good bit or other, I searched further into it, and found a delicate fat wheatear in the middle of a well-pepper’d