如果不下雨或者天气不太冷，一家人就生活在庭院里。在院子的一角，有厨师（是奴隶）在烹调食物；在院子的另一角，有家庭教师（也是奴隶）在教孩子们背诵希腊字母和乘法表；在又一个角落，屋子的女主人和裁缝（也是奴隶）在缝补男主人的外套。女主人少有出门，因为在古希腊，一个已婚妇女经常出现在大街上，这被认为是不体面的事情。在紧挨门后的一间小办公室里，男主人正细心查看着农庄监工（也是奴隶）刚刚送过来的帐目。

　　When dinner was ready the family came together but the meal was a very simple one and did not take much time. The Greeks seem to have regarded eating as an unavoidable evil and not a pastime, which kills many dreary hours and eventually kills many dreary people. They lived on bread and on wine, with a little meat and some green vegetables. They drank water only when nothing else was available because they did not think it very healthy. They loved to call on each other for dinner, but our idea of a festive meal, where everybody is supposed to eat much more than is good for him, would have disgusted them. They came together at the table for the purpose of a good talk and a good glass of wine and water, but as they were moderate people they despised those who drank too much.

　　当晚饭准备好时，全家人便围坐在一起就餐。饭菜很简单，不用多长时间便吃好了。古希腊人似乎把饮食当成一件无法避免的罪恶，不像娱乐，既能打发无聊的时光，又能治情益智。他们主要吃面包，喝葡萄酒，外加少许的肉类和蔬菜。他们只在没有别的饮料可喝时，才饮水，因为他们认为喝水不利于健康。他们喜欢请朋友一起进餐，但在我们现代人宴会上常常出现的胡 吃海塞、纵情 狂饮的情形，只能令古希腊人感到作呕。他们喜欢在餐桌上聚集一堂，主要是为了更风趣的交 谈及品味美酒饮料。不过，他们懂得节制的美德，喝得酩酊大醉是遭人蔑视的行为。