ACCUBATION, (from accubo, to lie down to,) a posture of the body between sitting and lying. In this posture the Greeks and Romans reclined at table ; a custom which they borrowed from the nations of the East. During the first ages of the republic, the Romans sat at meals ; and Homer represents his heroes as sit ting around the wall, on separate seats, with a small ta ble belinte each, on which was set his portion of meat and drink. When the custom of reclining was first introdu ced at Rome, it was adopted only by the men ; but after wards, when the prevalence of luxury had overcome the sense of delicacy, women also were allowed to recline at table. It was only at supper that they were placed in this indulgent posture. They took their other meals without ally fornialitv, either alone or in company, sitting or standing.
The Romans arranged themselves at supper in the following manner : In the cxnaculum, or 00111, three couches were placed around the table ; three per sons reclining on each couch. They reclined on the
left arm, with the head a little raised, and the back sup ported by The feet of the first were stretch ed behind the back of the tit conch and the feet of the se cond behind the back of the third. Thus the head of the second was opposite to the breast of the first, sepa rated only by a pillow ; and when any of them wished to converse with another, placed higher on the same couch, he was obliged to lean upoti his bosom. The middle place was reckoned the most honourable ; but w hen a consul happened to he present at an entertain ment, he occupied the lowest place on the middle couch ; because there he could most cony eniently receive and answer messtIges. Before coming to table, the huests put on the c‘cratria r;s.iis, or dining garment ; ;tittl pulled off their slippers, that they might not injure the couches. (k)