All of us have the habit to toast in various occasions. In a simple family moment, at a wedding, a birthday party, to celebrate a new job, or even to baptize a boat, it is very common to hear “cheers”.
Why do we clink glasses?
It is a tradition related to trust. In the old times when poisoning was a common way to eliminate enemies, to accept a drink from someone was a risk.
To prove the wine was not poisoned, greeks had the habit of sharing and drinking the wine with the guest. If the guest trusted the host his life , both of them clinked their mugs as a proof of good faith.
With this practice, toasts became a very common. Even though, there are very different legends and stories behind it.
Let’s see…
On the VI century b.C., the old greeks used to toast as a way to assure the wine they drank was not poisoned. The goal was to mix the liquid by making the wine jump off the each persons’ glass.
On the other way, Romans used to clink the mugs, believing the poison would be deposited on the bottom.
There is also a myth that Dionysus, the greek God of wine, gave a party on the Mount Olympus. Guests were enjoying the pleasures of wine – with their vision, olfact and taste – but they were missing an auditive pleasure. Dionysus proposed to clink the glasses, creating a melody for wine lovers.
A toast!!
