Now of their accumbing places, the one was called Stibadion and Sigma, carrying the figure of an half Moon, and of an uncertain capacity, whereupon it received the name of Hexaclinon, Octoclinon, according unto that of _Martial_,
_Accipe Lunata scriptum testudine Sigma: Octo capit, veniat quisquis amicus erit._
Hereat in several ages the left and right horn were the principal places, and the most honorable person, if he were not master of the feast, possessed one of those rooms. The other was termed Triclinium, that is, Three beds about a table, as may be seen in the figures thereof, and particularly in the _Rhamnusian_ Triclinium, set down by _Mercurialis_[SN: Merc. De Arte Gymnastica.]. The customary use hereof was probably deduced from the frequent use of bathing, after which they commonly retired to bed, and refected themselves with repast; and so that custom by degrees changed their cubiculary beds into discubitory, and introduced a fashion to go from the bathes unto these.
[Sidenote: _The ancient gesture or position of the body at feasts._]
As for their gesture or position, the men lay down leaning on their left elbow, their back being advanced by some pillow or soft substance: the second lay so with his back towards the first, that his head attained about his bosome; and the rest in the same order. For women, they sat sometimes distinctly with their sex, sometime promiscuously with men, according to affection or favour, as is delivered by _Juvenal_,
And by _Suetonius_ of _Caligula_, that at his feasts he placed his sisters, with whom he had been incontinent, successively in order below him.
Again, As their beds were three, so the guests did not usually exceed that number in every one; according to the ancient Laws, and proverbial observations to begin with the Graces, and make up their feasts with the Muses. And therefore it was remarkable in the Emperour _Lucius Verus_, that he lay down with twelve: which was, saith _Julius Capitolinus, præter exempla majorum_, not according to the custom of his Predecessors, except it were at publick and nuptial suppers. The regular number was also exceeded in this last supper, whereat there were no less than thirteen, and in no place fewer than ten, for, as _Josephus_ delivereth, it was not lawful to celebrate the Passover with fewer than that number.