Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Xenia

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

XEN'IA (ξένια). Presents which it was customary amongst the Greeks and Romans for a host to give or send to his guests, as a mark of hospitality and friendship (Plin. Ep. vi. 31. 14.), consisting, for the most part, of delicacies for the table; as may be collected from the thirteenth book of Martial, which is inscribed with the title Xenia, and relates chiefly to articles of consumption.

2. Pictures of still life, such as dead game, poultry, fish, fruit, vegetables, &c. (Vitruv. vi. 7. 4. Philostr. Imag. i. 31. ii. 25.); so termed because they represented such objects as a host sent in presents to his guests. Many pictures of this kind have been found amongst the paintings of Pompeii, one of which is inserted as a specimen (Xenia/2.1) of the style. It contains a fowl trussed in the modern manner, a bundle of asparagus, a loaf of bread, two oysters, and several kinds of fish.

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  Xenia/2.1