The dances of the lower orders appear generally to have had a tendency towards a species of pantomime; and we can readily conceive the rude peasantry to be more delighted with ludicrous and extravagant dexterity, than with those gestures which displayed elegance and grace. There is no instance of the tripudiatio, or dance of armed men, unless some of the figures at Beni Hassan, repre sented jumping with arms in their hands, were intended as an allusion to this exercise of the soldier; but they more probably refer to a supposed accidental impulse, indicative of military enthusiasm. Besides the pirouette and the steps above mentioned, a favourite figure dance was universally adopted throughout the country; in which the two partners, who were usually men, advanced towards each other, or stood face to face upon one leg, and having performed a series of movements, retired again in opposite directions, continuing to hold by one hand, and concluding by turning each other round; as represented in the preceding wood-cut. And that the attitude of the two figures of the central couple*, here represented, was very common during their dances, is fully proved by its having been adopted in the hieroglyphics, as the emblematic mode of describing the dance. In another step. they struck the ground with the heelt, standing on one foot, changing, perhaps, alternately from the right to the left; which is not unlike a dance I have seen at the present day. very * Wood-cut, No. 240. fig. 6. a and b. + It puts us in mind of the "Gaudet invisam pepulisse fossor in Hor. Od. lib. iii. 18. ‡ Vide wood-cut, No. 238. * To manage the hands skilfully, and with grace, was of paramount importance, not only with the Egyptians, but with other ancient people; and Plutarch mentions a person who was commended for his superiority in this species of gesture. Nor would it be inconsistent to divide the art of dancing with the Egyptians, as with the Greeks, into three distinct parts; and its connection with poetry and songs was probably exactly similar.† The restrictions which forbade the higher ranks to indulge in the dance, do not appear to have extended to the lower orders; and, when excesses were committed by them in wine, or any other intoxicating beverage, they gave way to licence and wanton buffoonery, and frequently gratified a propensity for ribaldry ‡, which is not unusual in Eastern countries. On these occasions they whirled each other round with rude dexterity; and some, with folded arms, stood upon their head, and performed the varied antics of expert tumblers. Like the Greeks, the Jews did not consider it unworthy of a person of rank to dance, either on solemn or festive occasions; and this is sufficiently shown by the remarkable instances of David, and the daughter of Herodias. § Plut. Sympos. viii. 15. He, perhaps, only refers to the palæstra, and not to the dance, of which he is treating in this chapter; but he mentions the use of the hands in a subsequent part. Plut. loc. cit. At the fête of Bubastis even the women did so, without the excuse of being heated with wine, and that, too, on the occasion of a religious festival. Herod. ii. 60. § Matt. xiv. 6. SACRED DANCING. That they also danced at the temples, in honour of the gods, is evident from the representations of several sacred processions, where individuals performed certain gestures to the sound of suitable music, and danced as they approached the precincts of the sacred courts. In what this differed from that of ordinary festivities, it is impossible to decide; and, indeed, the appearance of the figures, in more than one instance, precisely the same as the usual hieroglyphic signifying dancing, may be supposed to indicate a great similarity between the ordinary dance and that of the temple. Such a custom may at first sight appear inconsistent with the gravity of religion: but our surprise ceases, when we recollect with what feelings David himself danced* before the ark; and the fact that the Jews considered it part of their religious duties to approach the Deity with the dance t, with tabret and with harp, suffices to remove any objection which might be offered to the probability of its introduction in the Egyptian ceremonies. And if further proof were wanting, we have their mode of worshipping the golden calft, immediately derived from the country they had left, which consisted principally of songs and dancing. * 1 Chron. xv. 29. + Psalm cxlix. 3. 2 Sam. vi. 14. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp." Conf. Exod. xv. 20. Exod. xxxii. 18, 19. |