y Myron, fig. 63a.]

Of the second class, the gymnastic, the most important were military
dances, the invention of which was attributed to Minerva; of these the
_Corybantum_ was the most remarkable. It was of Phrygian origin and of
a mixed religious, military, and mimetic character; the performers
were armed, and bounded about, springing and clashing their arms and
shields to imitate the Corybantes endeavouring to stifle the cries of
the infant Zeus, in Crete. The Pyrrhic (fig. 13), a war dance of Doric
origin, was a rapid dance to the double flute, and made to resemble
an action in battle; the _Hoplites_ of Homer is thought to have been
of this kind. The Dorians were very partial to this dance and
considered their success in battle due to the celerity and training of
the dance. In subsequent periods it was imitated by female dancers and
as a _pas seul_. It was also performed in the Panathenaea by Ephebi at
the expense of the Choragus, but this was probably only a mimetic
performance and not warlike.

[Illustration: Fig. 15.--Cymbals (about 4 in.) and double flute.
(British Museum.)]

There were many other heroic military dances in honour of Hercules,
Theseus, etc.

The chorus, composed of singers and dancers, formed part of the drama,
which included the recitation of some poetic composition, and included
gesticulative and mimetic action as well as dancing and singing. The
Dorians were especially fond of this; their poetry was generally
choral, and the Doric forms were preserved by the Athenians in the
choral compositions of their drama.

The tragic dance, _Emmelia_, was solemn; whilst that in comedy,
_Cordax_, was frivolous, and the _siccinis_, or dance of Satyrs, was
often obscene. They danced to the music of the pipes, the tambour, the
harp, castanets, cymbals, etc. (figs. 14, 15, 16).

[Illustration: Fig. 16.--Greek dancers. From a vase in the Hamilton
Collection.] [Illustration: Fig. 17.--Bacchanalian dancer. Vase from
Nocera, Museum, Naples.]

In the rites of Dionysius the chorus was fifty and the cithara was
used instead of the flute. From the time of Sophocles it was fifteen,
and always had a professed trainer. The choric question is, however, a
subject in itself, and cannot be fairly dealt with here. The social
dances, and those in honour of the seasons, fire and water, were
numerous and generally local; whilst the chamber dances, professional
dancing, the throwing of the _Kotabos_, and such-like, mus