Περὶ Ὀρχήσεως

Lines

1 – 2 3 – 4 5 – 6 7 – 7 8 – 9 10 – 12 13 – 16 17 – 20 21 – 23 24 – 26 27 – 30 31 – 33 34 – 34 35 – 36 37 – 39 40 – 42 43 – 45 46 – 50 51 – 60 61 – 62 63 – 63 64 – 66 67 – 69 70 – 71 72 – 75 76 – 78 79 – 79 80 – 80 81 – 82 83 – 83 84 – 85

İngilizce İngilizce Yunanca

76 Let me quote you certain comments of the people of Antioch, who have a happy knack in expressing their views on such subjects. They are a most intelligent people, and devoted to Pantomime; each individual is all eyes and ears for the performance; not a word, not a gesture escapes them. Well, when a small man came on in the character of Hector, they cried out with one voice: ‘Here is Astyanax; and where is Hector?’ On another occasion, an exceedingly tall man was taking the part of Capaneus scaling the walls of Thebes; ‘Step over’ suggested the audience; ‘you need no ladder.’ The well-meant activity of a fat and heavy dancer was met with earnest entreaties to ‘spare the platform’; while a thin performer was recommended to ‘take care of his health.’ I mention these criticisms, not on account of their humorous character, but as an illustration of the profound interest that whole cities have sometimes taken in Pantomime, and of their ability to discern its merits and demerits.

77 Another essential for the pantomime is ease of movement. His frame must be at once supple and well-knit, to meet the opposite requirements of agility and firmness.

78 That he is no 82 stranger to the science of the boxing- and the wrestling-ring, that he has his share of the athletic accomplishments of Hermes and Pollux and Heracles, you may convince yourself by observing his renderings of those subjects, The eyes, according to Herodotus, are more credible witnesses than the ears; though the pantomime, by the way, appeals to both kinds of evidence.