I've been working more and more on the cups and balls, but I'm lacking in patter. I'm still pretty thoroughly a newbie, and really haven't got any good ideas. I have some thoughts on where to start. I mention that the trick I am about to perform is one of the oldest in magic, and explain that depictions of it have been found in ancient egyptian tombs. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts? Even a pointer to an example of good patter would be great. Thanks.

Very quickly, the whole ancient Egyptian tomb thing has been proven false. They were baking bread.

If you're looking for general presentational ideas, here's a page on my blog that's got a few dozen videos to consider...

http://sleightly.com/blog/cups-and-balls/

Being a new "returner" to magic myself, I cannot offer any suggestions in the way of patter for the trick. I have been working on building a show and cups and balls is trick #2 in my list. I talk about the heiroglyph, then use a TT to produce a copy of it on a small silk (that is trick #1). I do talk about the tomb of Baqet III at Beni Hassan, saying "scholars and researchers have determined that this isn't the oldest depiction of a magic trick, but all I know is that yesterday's myth can become tomorrow's scientific fact, and here is what I think the man is doing," then I launch into the Mark Wilson routine. This way I can address the fact that cups and balls is a really, really old trick, but hedge any statement about the heiroglyph itself. When I do the routine, I just explain what the balls are doing, penetrating and vanishing and such.

Premise of the day: A wannabee three shell game player who just can't get a break.
They even put the ball away and still it's on the table under the selected cup.
And the guy way in the back of the hall can pick the right cup - no idea how he can see the ball from there (first giant ball produced)
*
have fun.

I myself have the same problem as for finding cups and balls patter. However gazzo performs some killer street cups

I'm trying to build patter for my routines as well. I'm still working on the mechanics though, but I figure integrating the patter with the practice can't hurt.

Has anything been stated about the use of The Cups and Balls in ancient Rome? If I recall wasn't there a group/sect/what have you of magicians specifically devoted to that routine?

I think you get Dai Vernon Patter as your basic. Then focus on audience interaction.

Do David Copperfield perform cups and balls?

David Regal's routine has brilliant patter.

Suzanne builds her routine around a parable. The approaches are endless. I think a routine that starts with the history and then says, "the balls are here... now they're here" might show the magician's skill but doesn't elevate to the realm where magic is more than just trickery... is wonder.

Here's the Suzanne link for reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGC-hmrVpmU

Suzanne builds her routine around a parable. The approaches are endless. I think a routine that starts with the history and then says, "the balls are here... now they're here" might show the magician's skill but doesn't elevate to the realm where magic is more than just trickery... is wonder.

Here's the Suzanne link for reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGC-hmrVpmU