A brief treatise, concerning the use and abuse of dancing. Collected out of the…A briefe treatise, concerning the vse and abuse of dauncing. Collected oute of the…

Moreover of them that expressed by the gestures of their bodies the meaning of their minds: writeth Lucianus in his Treaty of dancing, & likewise Athenaeus: Which came to that pass at length, that Demetrius Cynicus in derision called this counterfeit dancing a vain thing and nothing worth. Whereupon a worthy dancer, who then was had in honour at Rome, desired him that he would but one only time behold him, and then that he would judge and report ⟨image 23⟩whatsoever pleased him. He came to the Theatre, the counterfeit began by his gestures to express the common fable of Mars and Venus, taken in adultery. Wherein in such sort, he showed the Sun disclosing, Vulcan knitting nets, Venus all ashamed, and Mars humbly entreating, in so much as Demetrius astonied cried out. I not only see, O man, the things thou doest, but also here them. For by thy hands thou seemest to speak unto me. At the same time, as it happened, there repaired to Rome, the king of Pontus: Who when he had seen this dancer play his gestures in the Theatre, afterwards willed to demand of Nero, the thing he chiefly wished to be bestowed upon him, he asked the gesturer: whereat Nero marvelling, seeing he might have requested other things of much more value, inquired the cause of his request. He made answer, because I have many nations under my subjection, whom without an interpreter, I can not understand, and eftsoons it falleth out, that interpreters declare not faithfully enough my words unto them, nor again theirs unto me: But this fellow ⟨image 23⟩by his gestures will declare all things most faithfully. Plato in his third book of laws, maketh two manners of dances, the one warlike, which above we named Pyrrhicha, the other peaceable, which he termeth placable.

Moreouer of them that expressed by the gestures of theyr bodies the meaning of theyr mindes: wryteth Lucianus in his Treaty of dauncing, & likwise Athenaeus: Which came to that passe at length, that Demetrius Cynicus in derision called thys counterfeit dauncing a vaine thing and nothing worth. Whereupon a worthy dauncer, whoe then was had in honour at Rome, desyred him that he would but one onelye tyme beholde him, and then that hee woulde iudge and reporte ⟨image 23⟩whatsoeuer pleased him. He came to the Theater, the counterfeite beganne by his gestures to expresse the common fable of Mars and Venus, taken in adulterye. Wherein in suche sorte, he shewed the Sonne disclosinge, Vulcan knittinge nettes, Venus all ashamed, and Mars humbly intreating, in so much as Demetrius astonied cryed out. I not onely sée, O man, the thinges thou doest, but also here them. For by thy handes thou séemest to speake vnto me. At the same tyme, as it happened, there repayred to Rome, the kinge of Pontus: Who when he had séene this dauncer play his gesturs in the Theater, afterwardes willed to demaund of Nero, the thinge he chieflye wished to be bestowed vpō him, he asked ye gesturer: wherat Nero maruelyng, séeing he might haue requested other things of much more valew, inquired the cause of his request. He made answere, because I haue many nations vnder my subiection, whom without an interpreter, I cā not vnderstande, and eftsoomes it falleth out, that interproters declare not faithfully enough my wordes vnto them, nor agayne theyrs vnto me: But this fellow