Apophorēta
1.
(
ἀποφόρητα). Presents which were given to friends at the
end of an entertainment, to carry home with them (
Petron.56).
Although the name is Greek, the custom is Roman, for Athenaeus expressly tells us that when
Cleopatra presented to Antony and his staff the gold and silver dinner service which they had
been using at a banquet in Cilicia, she was imitating a Roman usage. Book xiv. of Martial
consists of an introductory epigram and 222 distichs, each describing and designed to
accompany one of these presents, which range from nuts to works of art and slaves. The first
epigram speaks of the Saturnalia as the special time for their distribution. They were also
given at weddings (
Juv.vi. 203, schol.).
2.
(
ἀποφορήτη). A utensil mentioned by Isidore as a kind of
plate.