Cup-bearer

Acup-bearerwas historically an officer of high rank inroyal courts,whose duty was to pour and serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues (such as poisoning), a person had to be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold the position. He would guard against poison in the king's cup, and was sometimes required to swallow some of the drink before serving it. His confidential relations with the king often gave him a position of great influence.

The cup-bearer as an honorific role, for example as the Egyptian hieroglyph for "cup-bearer", was used as late as 196 BC in theRosetta Stonefor theKanephoroscup-bearer Areia, daughter of Diogenes; eachPtolemaic Decreestarting with theDecree of Canopushonored a cup-bearer. A much older role was the appointment ofSargon of Akkadas cup-bearer in the23rd century BC.

In the Bible

Cup-bearers are mentioned several times in the Bible.

The position is first mentioned inGenesis40:1, although the Hebrew word (elsewhere translated as "cup-bearer" ) is here sometimes rendered as "butler".The phrase" chief of the butlers "(Genesis 40:2) accords with the fact that there were often a number of such officials under one as chief.^[1]In the Post-exilic period,Nehemiahrose to the high ranking palace position of cup-bearer toKing Artaxerxes,the sixth King of the Median / Persian Empire. The position placed his life on the line every day, but gave Nehemiah authority and high pay. He was held in high esteem by Artaxerxes, as the record shows. His financial ability^[2]would indicate that the office was a lucrative one.

Cup-bearers are mentioned further in1 Kings 10:5,and2 Chronicles 9:4,where they, among other evidences of royal splendor, are stated to have impressed theQueen of ShebawithSolomon's glory. The titleRabshakeh(Isaiah 36:2), once thought to mean "chief of the cupbearers" is now given a different derivation and explained as "chief of the officers" or "princes".^[3]^{[full citation needed]}^[4]

In Greek myth

InGreek mythology,Hebe,the goddess of youth, was the original cup-bearer to theGreek godsofMount Olympus,serving themnectarandambrosia.Hebe is the daughter ofZeusandHeraand is described performing her duties as cup-bearer in theIliad:

The gods were seated near to Zeus in council,
upon a golden floor. Graciously Hêbê
served them nectar, as with cups of gold
they toasted one another, looking down
toward the stronghold ofIlion.

— Homer.Iliad.5.1–5.

Hêbê's role of cup bearer ended when she was then replaced byGanymede.She then married the deified heroHeracles,who joined Hêbê among the gods and goddesses and started a family.

TheRoman godsare also closely related to Greek mythology, with the Roman goddess of youthJuventasbeing the counterpart to GreekHebe.

In Byzantium

As palatine officers in Visigothic Spain

One of thepalatineofficers who was in the service of the Visigothic kings was calledComes Scanciorum,or "Count of the Cup-bearers." The count headed thescancia(singularscancium), which in English would be called cellars or buttery and in Frenchéchansonnerie,which is a cognate to the Latinized Gothic term used in Spain. The count would have poured the king's wine or drink personally while the other cup-bearers served other distinguished guests at the royal table.

As a Great Office in the Holy Roman Empire

TheKing of Bohemiaranked as Arch-Cupbearer of theHoly Roman Empire.His duties were normally performed only during coronations. At other times, theCount of Limpurgand, after 1714,Count of Althannserved as cupbearers for theEmperor.

In Anglo-Saxon England

The office of butler or cup-bearer (pincernainMedieval Latin) inAnglo-Saxon Englandwas occupied by aristocrats who were in charge of drinks at royal feasts. In the tenth and eleventh centuries they were appointed from among thethegns,the third rank of nobles, after the king andealdormen.^[5]

In Shakespeare

Camillo inThe Winter's Taleis cupbearer to Leontes, King of Sicily, and Polixenes, King of Bohemia. When Leontes becomes convinced of his wife Hermione's infidelity with Polixenes, he entreats Camillo to use his privileged position as his cupbearer to poison Polixenes:

Ay, and thou
his cupbearer, whom I from meaner form
have benched and reared to worship, who mayst see
plainly, as heaven sees earth sees heaven,
how I am gallèd, might bespice a cup
to give mine enemy a lasting wink
which draft to me were cordial.

— Shakespeare,The Winter's Tale(1.2)

In Ireland

Theobald Walterwas the first Chief Butler of Ireland. Although the terms "cup-bearer" and "butler" are sometimes used interchangeably, they were two distinct roles at the coronation feast.^[6]

Kingdom of Hungary

Thepohárnokmester(Master of the Cupbearers), also called thefőpohárnok,was the supervisor of the cupbearers at court and across the royal court system, a chief court officer/dignitary. The first mention of him dates from 1148.

Poland and Lithuania

The cup-bearer (Polish:cześnik,Lithuanian:taurininkas) was a court office inPolandandLithuaniauntil the end of the 13th century. The holder was responsible for the wine cellar of the King and Grand Duke, serving him cups of wine at banquets. Since the 14th century, it has been an honorary court title in theCrown of PolandandGrand Duchy of Lithuania,and in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

cześnik koronny– King's Cup-Bearer of the Crown
cześnik litewski– Grand Duke's Cup-Bearer of Lithuania
cześnik ziemski– District King's Cup-Bearer

According to the district office hierarchy in 1768, the position inthe Crownwas overŁowczyand underPodstoli;In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania over Horodniczy (Gorodnyčius) and underPodczaszy(Pataurininkis).

References

^compareXenophon.Hellenica.vii.1, 38.
^Nehemiah.Book of Nehemiah.5:8, 10, 14, 17.
^see BDB under the wordRabshakeh.
^
See further on cupbearers:
- Herodotus.Histories.iii.34.
- Xenophon.Cyropaedia.i.3, 8, 9.
- Josephus.Antiquities of the Jews.XVI, viii, 1.
- Book of Tobit.1:22.
^Gautier, Alban (May 2017)."Butlers and Dish-Bearers in Anglo-Saxon Courts: Household Officers at the Royal Table"(PDF).Historical Research.90(248): 278–279.doi:10.1111/1468-2281.12181.ISSN 0950-3471.S2CID 159587154.
^National archives

This entry incorporates text from the public domainInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia,originally published in 1915.

External links

International Standard Bible Encyclopediapublic-domain article
Walton, O.F. (2005).The King's Cup-bearer.
Manguel, Alberto.The Iliad.book IV, 1–5. Atlantic Monthly Press.
(The Holy Bible: 1 Kings 10:3-7 RSV)
(The Holy Bible: Nehemiah 1:11-2:6 RSV)
(The Holy Bible: 1 Corinthians 10:21)
"Mythography- The Greek Goddess Hêbê in Myth and Art"

[1] reXenophon.Hellenica.vii.1, 38.

[2] Nehemiah.Book of Nehemiah.5:8, 10, 14, 17.

[3] see BDB under the wordRabshakeh.

[4] See further on cupbearers:
Herodotus.Histories.iii.34.

Xenophon.Cyropaedia.i.3, 8, 9.

Josephus.Antiquities of the Jews.XVI, viii, 1.

Book of Tobit.1:22.

[5] Herodotus.Histories.iii.34.

[6] Xenophon.Cyropaedia.i.3, 8, 9.

[7] Josephus.Antiquities of the Jews.XVI, viii, 1.

[8] Book of Tobit.1:22.

[5] Gautier, Alban (May 2017)."Butlers and Dish-Bearers in Anglo-Saxon Courts: Household Officers at the Royal Table"(PDF).Historical Research.90(248): 278–279.doi:10.1111/1468-2281.12181.ISSN 0950-3471.S2CID 159587154.

[6] National archives

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