l-painting in which the children of Jason play the same game, while
Medea threatens their lives with a drawn sword. The celebrated
masterpiece of Polykletes, representing two boys playing with
astragaloi, formerly in the palace of Titus in Rome, has unfortunately
been lost. Another wall-painting shows in the foreground Aglaia and
Hileaira, daughters of Niobe, kneeling and playing the same game.

In connection with these social games we mention a few other favorite
amusements of the Greeks. The existence of cock-fights is proved by
vase-paintings, gems, and written evidence. It was a favorite pastime
with both old and young. Themistokles, after his victory over the
Persians, is said to have founded an annual entertainment of
cock-fights, which made both these and the fights of quails popular
among the Greeks. The breeding of fighting-cocks was a matter of great
importance, Rhodes, Chalkis, and Media being particularly celebrated
for their strong and large cocks. In order to increase their fury, the
animals were fed with garlic previous to the fight. Sharp metal spurs
were attached to their legs, after which they were placed on a table
with a raised border. Very large sums were frequently staked on them
by owners and spectators.

Here, again, we see antique customs reproduced by various modern
nations. The Italian game of _morra_ (_il giuco alla morra_ or _fare
alla morra_) was also known to the ancients. In it both players open
their clenched right hands simultaneously with the speed of lightning,
whereat each has to call out the number of fingers extended by the
other. It is the same game which figured among Egyptian amusements.
Mimetic dances were another favorite amusement at symposia. They
mostly represented mythological scenes. A few words about Greek
dancing ought to be added.

Homer mentions dancing as one of the chief delights of the feast; he
also praises the artistic dances of the Phaiakian youths. This proves
the esteem in which this art was held even at that early period. In
the dances of the Phaiakai, all the young men performed a circular
movement round a singer standing in the centre, or else two skilled
dancers executed a _pas de deux_. Homer's words seem to indicate that
the rhythmical motion was not limited to the legs, as in our modern
dances, but extended to the upper part of the body and the arms.
Perhaps the germs of mimetic art may be looked for in this dance.

According to Lucian, the aim of t