ch. The debates of the scientists, it
appears, are not yet closed.

As a matter of fact, the various differences of opinion in minor
questions are of little import to us as compared with the delightful
fact that we here possess an Apicius, not only a genuine Roman, but an
"honest-to-goodness" human being besides. A jolly fellow is Apicius
with a basketful of happy messages for a hungry world. We therefore
want to make this work of ours the entertainment and instruction the
subject deserves to be. If we succeed in proving that Apicius is not a
mummified, bone-dry classic but that he has "the goods," namely some
real human merit we shall have accomplished more than the savants to
whom this popularization of our hero has been denied so far.

After all, we live in a practical age, and it is the practical value,
the matter-of-fact contribution to our happiness and well-being by the
work of any man, ancient or modern, which counts in these days of
materialism.

So let us tell the truth, and let us sum up in a few words:

We do not know who Apicius is. We do not know who wrote the book
bearing his name. We do not know when it was written, or whether it
is of Greek or of Roman origin. Furthermore, we do not understand many
of its precepts!

We do know, however, that it is the oldest work dealing with the food
and the cookery of the ancient world's greatest empire, and that, as
such, it is of the utmost interest and importance to us.

In this sense we have endeavored to treat the book.

DINING IN APICIAN STYLE

Past attempts to dine a l'Apicius invariably have ended disastrously.
Eager _gourmets_, ever on the look-out for something new, and curious
scholars have attempted to prepare dishes in the manner prescribed by
Apicius. Most of such experimenters have executed the old precepts
literally, instead of trying to enter into their spirit.

"_Das Land der Griechen mit der Seele suchen!_" says Goethe. The
friends of Apicius who failed to heed this advice, also failed to
comprehend the precepts, they were cured of their curiosity, and
blamed the master for their own shortcomings. Christina, queen of
Sweden, was made ill by an attempt of this kind to regale her majesty
with a rare Apician morsel while in Italy as the guest of some noble.
But history is dark on this point. Here perhaps Apicius is blamed for
a dastardly attempt on the royal lady's life for this daughter of the
Protestant Gustavus Adolphus was in those day