Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/103

 VARIED GENIUS OF ALKMAX. 83 the middle-aged, and the youth, the matrons, and the virgins, were distributed in various choric companies, 1 and trained to harmony both of voice and motion, which was publicly exhibited ot the solemnities of the Gymnopaedia?. The word dancing must be understood in a larger sense than that in which it is now em- ployed, and as comprising every variety of rhythmical, accentu- ated, conspiring movements, or gesticulations, or postures of the Ivody, from the slowest to the quickest ; 2 cheironomy, or the dec- irons and expressive movement of the hands, being especially practised. We see thus that both at Sparta and in Krete (which ap- proached in respect to publicity of individual life most nearly to Sparta), the choric aptitudes and manifestations occupied a larger space than in any other Grecian city. And as a certain degree of musical and rhythmical variety was essential to meet this want, 3 while music was never taught to Spartan citizens individually, we farther understand how strangers like Terpander, Polymnes- tus, Thaletas, Tyrtaeus, Alkman, etc., were not only received, but acquired great influence at Sparta, in spite of the preponderant spirit of jealous seclusion in the Spartan character. All these masters appear to have been effective in their own special voca- tion, the training of the chorus, to which they imparted new rhythmical action, and for which they composed new music. But Alkman did this, and something more ; he possessed the genius of a poet, and his compositions were read afterwards 1 Plutarch, Lykurg. c. 14, 16, 21 ; Athenams, xiv, pp. 631-632, xv, p. 678: Xenophon, Hellen. vi, 4, 15 ; De Republic. Lacedsem. ix. 5 ; Pindar, Hypor- ohcmata, Fragni. 78, cd. Bergk. Aunaiva pev irap&evuv uy&a. Also, Alkman, Fragm. 13, ed. Bergk ; Antigon. Caryst. Hist. Mirab. c. 27. tho example in Xenophon, Symposion, vii, 5, ix, 3-6, and Plutarch, Sym- posion ix, 15, 2: see K. F. Hermann, Lehrbuch der gottesdienstlichen Alterthumer der Griechen, ch. 29. " Sane ut in religionibus saltarctur, hscc ratio est : quod nullam majores nostri partom corporis esse voluerunt, quie non sentiret religionem : narn cnntns ad animum, saltatio ad mobilitatem corporis pertinet." (Servius a^ Virgil. Eclog. v, 73.) 3 Aristot. Politic, viii, 4, 6. Ot AuK^tves ov pavduvovTEf ouuf MivavTai uplvetv 6pi9ir, uf acrr, TU xprjara nai TU fir/ TUV fisAuv.
 * How extensively pantomimic the ancient orchesis was, may be seen by