[4] Then Theon interrupting him said: By no means, if we must trust those who have delivered down to us the
ancients’ way of living. For they say that those being used to work, and very temperate in a morning, ate a bit of bread dipped in wine, and nothing else, and that they called that meal
ἀκράτισμα, from the
ἄκρατον (
wine). Their supper they called
ὄψον, because returning from their business they took it
ὀψέ (
late). Upon this we began to enquire whence those meals
δεῖπνον and
ἄριστον took their names. In Homer
ἄριστον and
ἀκράτισμα seem to be the same meal. For he says that Eumaeus provided
ἄριστον by the break of day; and it is probable that
ἄριστον was so called from
αἴριον, because provided in the morning; and
δεῖπνον was so named from
διαναπαύειν τῶν πόνων,
easing men from their labor. For men used to take their
δεῖπνον after they had finished their business, or whilst they were about it. And this may be gathered from Homer, when he says,
Then when the woodman doth his supper dress.
1
But some perhaps will derive
ἄριστον from
ῥᾷστον,
easiest
provided, because that meal is usually made upon what is ready and at hand; and
δεῖπνον from
διαπεπονημένον,
labored, because of the pains used in dressing it.