Rome, or perhaps there invented by an Egyptian: and in the time of Augustus it appears not only to have delighted all the spectators of ordinary rank, but to have engaged also the attention of Mecenas, and even of Augustus himself. “Bathyl"lus of Alexandria was the first who introduced the pan*tomimic dance." His contemporary and rival was Pylades, and all Rome was split into parties respecting the merit of these two celebrated actors. "The action of Pylades was magnificent, pathetic and affecting, that of Bathyllus was more sprightly." Athenæus says, that in his own time, (he died A. D 194,) " a "certain dancing philosopher (a mixture of occupation which "excites a smile in a modern reader) was named Memphis, as

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a mark of respect for his skill in gesture, from one of the "most ancient and royal cities; which Bacchylides calls

The tranquil Memphis:"

"for he has shewn us what the Pythagorean philosophy "can do, by exhibiting in silence every thing with stronger " evidence than they could who profess to teach the arts of language."

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179.10

Τῆς δὲ κατὰ τῆτον ορχήσεως τῆς τραγικῆς καλεμένης, πρῶτος ἐισηγητής γέγονε Βάθυλλος ὁ ̓Αλεξανδρεύς.

Bathyllus is said here to have introduced the tragic dance, and below, his style is described as comic, probably because he succeeded best in that style.

ἦν δὲ ἡ Πυλάδα ἔρχησις ἀγκώδης παθητική τε καὶ πολύκοπος. ἡ δὲ Βαθύλε λειος, ἱλαρωτέρα. Athen. Dep. Caus. l. i.

9 Τὸν ἐφ' ἡμῶν φησὶ φιλόσοφον όρχηςὴν, Μέμφιν ἐκάλεσαν· ἀπαρχαΐζοντες τὴν διὰ τῆ σώματος αυτῷ κίνησιν, τῇ τῶν πόλεων αρχαιοτέρᾳ καὶ βασιλικωτέρα· περὶ ἧς Βακχυλίδης φησί, Τὴν αχέιμαντόν τε Μέμφιν . .

ὄντος τὴν Πυθαγόρειον φιλοσοφίαν ἐπιδείκνυσιν ἥτις ἐςὶ, μετὰ σιωπῆς πάνθ' ἡμῖν ἐμφανί ζων σαφέστερον, ἤ ὁι τὰς τῶν λόγων τέχνας ἐπαγγελλόμενοι διδάσκειν. Athen. Deip. l. i.

Macrobius has preserved some anecdotes of the pantomimes who flourished in the times of Augustus, which give considerable information relative to their style of acting, as well as to the interest and the parties which they excited, the manner in which they behaved, and the treatment they experienced from Augustus. He mentions Pylades and Hylas as the two great competitors; the commentators are inclined to consider this Hylas as Bathyllus already mentioned, but he might have been, as Macrobius says, the pupil of Pylades.

"Since I have been led to speak of the theatre, I cannot pass "unnoticed Pylades the pantomime, who was celebrated in his "art in the times of Augustus, and so perfectly instructed his "disciple Hylas, that he contended with himself almost upon an equality. The people were divided in their partiality "to each. Hylas had to perform a scene in which he was to "represent this passage, Agamemnon the Great, and he described "him by his gestures as a tall and large man. Pylades could "not bear this, but exclaimed from the pit, You make him a huge "but not a great man. The audience then compelled him to

To Even philosophers themselves were carried away by their admiration of the pantomimes. Athenæus says, that Socrates was fond of practising the Memphic saltation. Lucian wrote an express treatise to vindicate their art and utility, but that is less surprising than that the grave Seneca should have confessed that he had an absolute passion for the representation of the pantomimes. Plutarch records a curious analogy which Simonides considered to subsist among the fine arts, painting, poetry, and dancing, or pantomime gesture. Καὶ ὅλως ἔφη μετάθεσιν τὸ Σιμονίδειον ἀπὸ τῆς ζογραφίας ἐπὶ τὴν ὄρχησιν σιωπᾶσαν, καὶ φθεγδομένην ὄρχησιν δὲ πάλιν, τὴν ποίησιν. ὅθεν ειπεν ἔτε γραφικὴν εἶναι ποιητικῆς, Ετε ποητικὴν γραφῆς, ἔδε χρῶνται τὸ παράπαν ἀλλήλαις. Ορχηςικῇ δὲ καὶ ποιητικῇ κοινωνία πᾶσα καὶ μέθεξις ἀλληλῶν ἔςι. Plut. Symp. l. vii. p. 748.

"perform the scene himself, and when he came to the passage “which he had found fault with, he represented a man immersed "in thought; because he conceived that nothing was so becom'ing a great general as to be occupied in thinking for all. Hylas "was performing the part of Edipus: and Pylades corrected "the negligence of his action by crying out, Thou seest. When "he appeared in the character of Hercules the mad, and when *some found fault with his demeanour as unsuitable to a panto"mime, he pulled off his mask, and thus retorted upon those "who derided him, Fools! I am acting a madman. In this piece "he even cast arrows among the audience. When, by the com"mand of Augustus, he performed the same character in his

palace, he both drew his bow and shot his arrows, nor was “Cæsar offended on finding himself treated by Pylades in the same manner as the Roman people. As he was reckoned to "have introduced novelty and grace, instead of the rude dance "which was formerly practised; Augustns asked him what

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contributed most to the perfection of dancing; he answered, "the sound of the flutes and of the instruments, and the applauses of the spectators. When, on account of a popular "tumult, caused by a contention between him and Hylas, he "experienced an angry remonstrance from Augustus, What, prince, said he, are you displeased? you had better suffer them to occupy their minds about us.'

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9) 11-12

"Sed quia semel ingressus sum scenam loquendo, nec Pylades histrio nobis omittendus est, qui clarus in opere suo fuit temporibus Augusti, et Hylam discipulum usque ad equalitatis contentionem eruditum provexit. Populus deinde inter utriusque suffragia divisus est, et cum canticum quoddam saltaret Hylas, cujus clausula erat;

τὸν μέγαν Αγαμέμνονας

This extract, which I have given at large, fully demonstrates the futility of the efforts of the ancient pantomimes to express in mute action sentiments beyond the ordinary character of the passions, and leaves us nothing to regret, as if the art had been among those that are lost. The enthusiasm of the Roman people was nothing greater than modern Europe has felt on the revival of these pantomimic shews, nor does the self-sufficiency of Pylades outstrip that of some of the moderns. Their audacity, however, and their profligacy, brought upon them more than once the punishment they deserved. Augustus, mild as he was, with great justice banished Pylades for pointing to one of the audience in an opprobrious manner: and ordered Hylas to be scourged even in his own palace, to which he fled

sublimem ingentemque Hylas velut metiebatur. Non tulit Pylades, et exclamavit è cavea Σὺ μακρὸν ἐ μέγαν ποιεῖς.

tunc populus eum coegit idem saltare canticum, cumque ad locum venisset, quem reprehenderat, expressit cogitantem, nihil magis ratus magno duci convenire quam pro omnibus cogitare. Saltabat Hylas Oedipodem: et Pylades hac voce securitatem saltantis castigavit; où BET. Cum in Herculem Furentem prodiisset et nonnullis incessum histrioni convenientem non servari videretur, deposita persona ridentes increpuit

Μωρόν, μαινόμενον ὀρχομαι.

Hac fabula, et sagittas jecit in populum. Eandem personam cum jussu Augusti in triclinio ageret; et intendit arcum et spicula misit. Nec indignatus est Cæsar eodem se loco Pyladi, quo populum Romanum fuisse. Hic quia ferebatur mutasse rudis illius saltationis ritum quæ apud majores viguit, et venustam induxisse novitatem interrogatus ab Augusto quæ saltationi contulisset respondit; αυλῶν συρίγγων τ' ἐνοπὴν, ὁμαδὸν τ' ἀνθρώπων. Idem cum propter populi seditionem pro contentione inter se Hylamque habita concitatam indignationem excepisset Augusti, respondit: καὶ αχαριςεῖς βασιλεῦ ; ἔασον αυτὸς περὶ ἡμᾶς arxondas. Macrob. Sat. l. ii. c. 7.

12 The Abbé Dubos makes a reflection on this passage, which I quote. L'émulation étoit si grande entre Pylade et Bathylle un autre pantomime, qu' Auguste, à qui elle donnoit quelquefois de l'embarras, crut qu'il devoit en parler au Pylade et l'exhorter à bien vivre avec son concurrent que Mécenas protégeoit. Pylade se contenta de lui répondre que ce

* Dion. l. 54.

13.14.15.16

In the reign of Tiberius,

for refuge from the prætor." Tacitus informs us that popular disturbances arose from the contests of the pantomimes;" at first he passed over the

qui pouvoit arriver de mieux à l'Empereur, c'étoit que le peuple s'occupât de Bathylle et de Pylade. On croit bien qu'Auguste ne trouva point à propos de repliquer à cette réponse.

13 Hylam pantomimum, querente prætore, in atrio domus suæ, nemine excluso, flagellis verberaverit, et Pyladem urbe atque Italia submoverit quod spectatorem a quo exsibilabatur, demonstrasset digito, conspicuumque fecisset. Suet. in August. c. 45.

14 Ludos Augustales tunc primum cœpta turbavit discordia, ex certamine histrionum. Indulserat ei ludicro Augustus dum Mæcenati obtemperat effuso in amorem Bathylli neque ipse abhorrebat talibus studiis et civile rebatur misceri voluptatibus vulgi. Alia Tiberio morum via: sed populum per tot annos molliter habitum, nondum audebat ad duriora vertere. Taciti Annal. l. i. c. 54.

15 The following proof of modest confidence in his own talents and superiority, is well known to have been given by a celebrated dancer. As he was going to make his entrée, he addressed his companions, the other dancers, who pressed round to admire him: Faites place, canaille, pour le Dieu de danse. But, what is more extraordinary, it does not appear that his insolence at the time gave offence; such was the worship which he obtained. It will be found generally true, that the lower an art is in which any man excels all others, the higher is his pride of superiority. For to arrive at excellence in any thing is the labour of a whole life; and when a man is ignorant of every thing but his own art, whatever that may be, and obtains admiration for his acquirements, he is apt to think he has arrived at the summit of human glory. After all, perhaps, he is right, and that to excell in any thing, is to be great. It is only the pride of philosophy and literature that would say otherwise.

The dancing and music of an opera, which appear alone to be the objects of popular attention and applause, seem also to the performers to be alone of importance: the fable and the poetry, are considered merely as a vehicle for them. This is another bar to the perfection of the opera. I remember to have heard two distinguished dancers condemning very loudly the late celebrated Marmontel for having at the rehearsal of a new piece, which he had just produced at the opera, presumed to interfere and give his directions as to some points in the conduct of it. And they seemed only to repeat the general sentiment of the performers, who were of opinion, that a poet had no right to interfere after committing his piece into their hands; and that his talent was, comparatively with theirs, of no estimation.

16 Apulius in the 10th book of his Metamorphosis, or Asinus Aureus, gives a detailed account of the performance of the fable of the Judgment of Paris by the pantomimes. They who choose to refer to it will think they are reading a description of a modern serious opera ballet.

17 They were banished from Italy by Tiberius. Pulsi tum histriones Italia. Tac. An. 4,