Pollux, to whom your correspondent refers us, says that [Greek: zomos
melas] was a Lacedaemonian food; and that it was called [Greek:
aimatia], translated in Scott and Liddell's _Lexicon_, "_blood-broth_."
These lexicographers add, "The Spartan black broth was made with blood,"
and refer to Manso's _Sparta_, a German work, which I have not the
advantage of consulting.
Gesner, in his _Thesaurus_, upon the word "jus," quotes the known
passage of Cicero, _Tusc. Disp_. v. 34., and thinks the "jus nigrum" was
probably the [Greek: aimatia], and made with an admixture of blood, as
the "botuli," the _black_ puddings of modern time, were.
Coffee would not be of much lighter colour than blood. A decoction of
senna, though of a red-brown, is sometimes administered in medicine
under the common name of a "_black_ dose."
As regards the _colour_, then, whether blood or coffee were the
ingredient, the mess would be sufficiently dark to be called "_black_."
In respect of _taste_, it is well known, from the story told by Cicero
in the passage above referred to, that the Lacedaemonian black broth was
_disagreeable_, at least to Dionysius, and the Lacedaemonians, who
observed to him that he wanted that best of sauces, hunger, convey a
confession that their broth was not easily relished.
The same story is told with a little variation by Stobaeus, _Serm_.
xxix., and Plutarch, _Institut. Lacon_., 2. The latter writer says, that
the Syracusan, having tasted the Spartan broth, "spat it out in
disgust," [Greek: dyscheranunta apoptusai].
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