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

DANCE AND BALL-GaAames

dancing, holding each other’s hands by the wrist. Of these some wore delicate linen dresses, and others were clad in well-spun tunics, with oil soft shining ; some had beautiful garlands, and others golden swords hanging from silver belts. At one time they moved rapidly in a circle with cunning feet, right easily, just as when a potter, seated, tries the wheel fitted to the hand, to see whether it runs ; at another time they moved rapidly in file. And a great crowd stood round the charming dance, enjoying the spectacle ; and amongst them a divine bard sang to the cithara; and two tumblers, when he began his song, whirled about in the middle.”

The same holds good of what Lucian (De Saltat., 10) tells us of the dance of the ephebi at Sparta : ~ Even now you can see their young men learning to dance as eagerly as they learn the use of weapons. When they have done struggling at arm’s length, beaten and being beaten by another, then they rest in turns, and the contest ends ina dance. The piper sits in the middle of them, plays his instrument, and beats time with his feet. The others follow in order, and, observing the measure, take up all kinds of attitudes—sometimes warlike, sometimes suited for the dance—which please Dionysus or Aphrodite. Wherefore the song which they sing while dancing is an invitation to Aphrodite and the Loves to join them in revelling and to dance with them. One of these songs (for they sing two) contains a lesson on the way to dance. ‘ Forward, young people,’ they say, “put your feet one after the other and enjoy yourselves as much as you can,’ that is, dance as well as possible. They do the same thing in the dance called hormus.

“The hormus is a dance of young men and maidens together, who perform it one by the side of the other, while forming a figure very like a necklace. The chorus is led, on one side by a young man, who dances with the vigour of youth, and takes steps such as he will afterwards make use of in war :

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