There was also an other kind of dancing, whereby young men were exercised to warlike affairs. For they were commanded to make gestures & to leap, having upon them their armour, ye afterward they might be the more prompt to fight, when need for the public wealth should require.1 This kind of dancing was called saltacio Pyrrhica, & because it was exercised in armour, it was called [Greek or Hebrew]. Of this dancing is mention in the civil laws, namely in ye digestes de paenis, in ye law ad dannū. And sometimes young men when they had offended, were not straightway put to death, but were condemned either to hunt upon a stage, or else to dance in armour. And they were called Pirrhicarii. Also there was an other kind of dancing,2 which was instituted only for pleasure & wantonness sake, & that was called of the Grecians [Greek or Hebrew] & [Greek or Hebrew]. But of those dances which by gestures of the body, expressed the senses of the mind, writeth Lucianus in his book [Greek or Hebrew],3 & so doth Atheneus. In which kind at the length it came to the point, that when at Rome Demetrius Cynicus derided the dance called Mimica saltacio, calling it a thing vain & nothing worth, a noble dancer, which then was had in honour at Rome, desired him, that he would once only behold him dancing, & afterward to judge & speak his fancy whatsoever he would. He came unto the stage, the dancer called saltator Mimicus began by gestures to resemble the common fable of Mars, taken in adultery with Venus. In which thing he so expressed the sun which declared the fact, & Vulcanus knitting his nets, & Venus overcome with shame, & Mars humbly desiring pardon,4 that Demetrius being astonished cried out: [Greek or Hebrew]. That is, I hear O man the things that thou doest, I do not only see them, for by these thy hands thou seemeth to me to speak. About the same time by chance came to Rome the king of Pontus, & when he had seen this dancer played his gestures on the stage, being afterward bidden of Nero, to ask what thing he most desired to have given him, he desired to have the Mimus. Nero marvelled, forasmuch as he mought have asked other things of much greater price, & asked him the cause of that his request.
There was also an other kind of daunsing, wherby young mē wer exercised to warlike affaires. For they wer cōmaunded to make gestures & to leape, hauyng vpon thē their armor, ye afterward they might be the more prompt to fight, whē neede for the publique wealth should require.1 This kind of daunsing was called saltacio Pyrrhica, & bycause it was exercised in armor, it was called 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Of this daūsing is mētion in ye ciuile lawes, namely in ye digestes de paenis, in ye law ad dānū. And sometymes yong men whē they had offēded, wer not straightway put to death, but were condēned either to hunte vpon a stage, or els to daunse in armor. And they wer called Pirrhicarii. Also there was an other kind of daūsing,2 which was instituted onely for pleasure & wantōnes sake, & that was called of ye Grecians 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 & 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. But of those daūses which by gestures of ye body, expressed the senses of ye minde, writeth Lucianus in hys booke 〈non-Latin alphabet〉,3 & so doth Atheneus. In which kynd at the length it came to ye point, yt when at Rome Demetrius Cynicus derided the daunse called Mimica saltacio, callyng it a thyng vaine & nothing worth, a noble daūcer, which thē was had in honor at Rome, desired him, yt he would once onely beholde hym daunsing, & afterward to iudge & speake his fansy whatsoeuer he would. He came vnto ye stage, the daunser called saltator Mimicus begā by gestures to resēble ye cōmon fable of Mars, takē in adultery with Venus. In which thing he so expressed the sunne whiche declared the fact, & Vulcanus knittyng his nets, & Venus ouercome with shame, & Mars humbly destring pardon,4 yt Demetrius being astonished cried out: 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. That is, I heare O mā the things yt thou doest, I do not onely see thē, for by these thy handes yu seemeth to me to speake. About ye same tyme by chaūce came to Rome ye king of Pontus, & whē he had sene this daūser played his gestures on ye stage, being afterward biddē of Nero, to aske what thīg he most desired to haue geuē him, he desired to haue ye Mimus. Nero meruailed, forasmuch as he mought haue asked other thinges of much greater price, & asked him the cause of yt his request.
- 1Saltatio Pyrrhica.
- 2Wanton dancing.Wanton daunsyng.
- 3Lucianus. Athenaeus.
- 4A saying of Demetrius Cynicus.
