Magpie Tales: Red Falernian

Lucius had forgotten to bring his napkin to Gaius Aquilius Scipio's dinner party. But it didn't really matter, because most of the guests were too absorbed in the platters of honeyed eel or the fine Falernian wine to notice. A slave offered a bowl of wine for the guests to wash their hands in. Instead of dipping his fingers, the confused and somewhat drunk young tribune next to Lucius tipped the bowl and drank the crimson liquid. The others laughed, a little too loudly, and Lucius found himself eating something that might have been dormice, and wishing that he could have stayed quietly at home, the night before leaving for the Frontier.

this is part two in an ongoing series. to read more, click on the label at the end of this post. 

(Check out Magpie Tales for more stories inspired by this photo.)