Song of Solomon 2:4

He brought me to the banqueting house - Literally, the house of wine. The ancients preserved their wine, not in barrels or dark cellars under ground, as we do, but in large pitchers, ranged against the wall in some upper apartment in the house, the place where they kept their most precious effects. We have a proof of this in Homer: -

Ως φαν· ὁ δπ ' ὑψοραφον θαλομον κατεβησατο πατρος<-144 Ευρυν, ὁθι νητος χρυσος και χαλκος εκειτο,Εσθης τπ ' εν χηλοισιν, ἁλις τπ ' ευωδες ελαιον.Εν δε πιθοι οινοιο παλαιου ἡδυποτοιοΕστασαν, ακρητον θειον ποτον εντος εχοντες,Ἑξειης ποτε τοιχον αρηροτες· ειποτπ ' ΟδυσσευςΟικαδε νοστησειε, και αλγεα πολλα μογησας.Κληΐσται δπ ' επεσαν σανιδες πυκινως αραρυιαι,Δικλιδες· εν δε γυνη ταμιη νυκτας τε και ημαρΕσχπ ' κ. τ. λ. . Od. lib. ii., ver. 337.

Meantime the lofty rooms the prince surveys,

Where lay the treasures of th' Ithacian race.

Here, ruddy brass and gold refulgent blazed;

There, polished chests embroider'd gestures graced.

Here, pots of oil breathed forth a rich perfume;

There, jars of wine in rows adorn'd the dome.

(Pure flavorous wine, by gods in bounty given,

And worthy to exalt the feasts of heaven).

Untouch'd they stood, till, his long labors o'er,

The great Ulysses reach'd his native shore.

A double strength of bars secured the gates;

Fast by the door wise Euryclea waits, etc.

Pope.