Mark Royzenblat

HIS1000

Dr. Hans Hummer

January 31st, 2018

For this week’s paper, I decided to send the prince from China on a conquest that

resulted in a shipwreck on the island of Sicily. Our good friend Archestratos saw the situation

and quickly helped him back on his feet and invited him over for some grub to which the prince

would agree to.

The whole situation would then become incredibly awkward because of the meticulous

ceremonial procedures done before, during and after the meal in the Prince’s country. The

Prince might feel dishonorable that he does not have any beautiful dress clothes that he would

normally wear on an occasion such as this. The Prince would then assume that Archestratos’

servants are already putting out the millets in the six-round tortoise covered holders and the

beef standing to the opposite of it. As the prince and Archestratos are walking to the location of

their meal (most likely Archestratos’ house), Archestratos would most likely be yammering

away at how good the barley-meal from Lesbos and Thessalian baked-bread is going to be as

their first course. The Prince would be fairly confused because they do not eat barley or bread,

they eat millet which he assumes is already on the table. Upon entering the chamber, the

prince would then bow to Archestratos who would be thoroughly confused because the prince

would be expecting a bow back. Instead Archestratos would be beckoning the prince to try a

bunch of exotic looking fish including Parrot Wrasse from Byzantion, the lower-belly portions of
the saw-tooth shark, Tuna, grey mullet, and sea-bass all prepared in different ways because of

the different texture and toughness of the fish. The Prince would be wondering where the

various meat broths are and why is everything just amassed on the table, since the prince is

used to every dish having a certain position directionally. It would be doubtful that the prince

would eat even any of the food considering the book of etiquette and ceremonial does not

mention fish but rather various meats such as sliced beef, mutton, and pork. It also includes the

Grand soup which evidently Archestratos does not have either. The prince would feel again

dishonored as he does not have a dinner gift to give to his host because he just survived a

shipwreck. The whole situation would ultimately be extremely awkward for the two individuals

since they both come from two different countries from two different classes. The Prince would

continuously keep attempting to bow while Archestratos would be explaining to his guest the

various types of food they would be eating, none of which are familiar to the prince.