Sexual life in ancient Greece : with thirty-two full-page plates

THE THEATRE

usual companions and shield-bearers, the spirits of Terror and Fear, who perform a dance over naked swords.

Round Venus flutters a crowd of little Cupids. Smiling sweetly, she stands with her own bodily charms amidst them, to the general delight of the spectators. One would have thought the round, milk-white, tender boys were all of them true Cupids; they carry flaming torches before the goddess, as if going to a wedding feast; also charming Graces and beautiful Hours surround the goddess in dazzling nakedness. Roguishly they pelt Venus with bouquets and flowers and glide along in an artistic dance, after they have paid homage to the great goddess of sensuality with the firstfruits of spring.

Now the flutes sweetly give forth Lydian measures, and every heart is moved with joy. Now Venus, more charming than any music, begins to move. Slowly she lifts up her foot; her body bends gracefully with her head gently nodding; every enchanting position is in harmony with the soft sound of the flutes. Paris, entranced, hands her the apple as the prize of victory.

Juno and Minerva leave the stage, discontented and wrathful, but Venus manifests her joy at the victory she has won by a concluding dance with all her retinue. After that, from the summit of Mount Ida a fountain with saffron and wine spouts on high and fills the whole theatre with a sweet fragrance ; then the mountain sinks and disappears.

On the pantomime and its favourite dances Lucian has written a very readable monograph, from which it is clear (De Saltat.,2 and 5; see also Libanius, De Saltat., ch. 15) that, of the numerous mythological subjects, it is just the erotic that enjoyed special popularity. Naturally also, at that time a reaction set in owing to the pedants who concealed themselves under the mask of philosophy, a representative of whom, a certain Craton, is made

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