[lit-ideas] The Pyrrhic Dance
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 13:36:18 EST
Thanks to L. K. Helm for comments on music.
I was reminded of Alma-Tadema:
_http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/tadema/drawings/11.html_
(http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/tadema/drawings/11.html)
"The Pyrrhic Dance itself was named after its inventor Pyrrichos and was
performed by armoured Dorian soldiers who imitated movements of attack and
defence.
_http://www.angel-art-house.com/oil_paintings_artists/a/AlmaTadema/A_Pyrrhic_d
ance.htm_
(http://www.angel-art-house.com/oil_paintings_artists/a/AlmaTadema/A_Pyrrhic_dance.htm)
-- not strictly Spartan, but I recall reading the reviews about the
presentation of the thing in the Royal Academy -- the original is now at
Guildford,
Surrey. It was slightly criticised as not showing what a soldier should look
like.
Alcibiades (the most handsome of Greek warriors they said) used to object to
the use of wind-instrument (like your aeolos, and the pipes of Pan) on the
grounds that it disfigured his shapely mouth (diamorphia). And I agree. That's
why the LYRA GRAECA (four volumes, Loeb), is preferred. The cytar should be
okay, but give me a lyre anyday.
It's fascinating to read about the metre, and the 'functional' side to this,
as Helm quotes from Cartledge. Indeed. The online site for the Royal Marines
mentions two marching songs -- one of which I don't think I know.
We should also recall that, accompaniment or not, the whole idea of verse
rested on the Greeks in metre, as they had no rhyme. I wonder if there are
remains of lyrics (i.e. 'lyrics' broadly understood) meant as 'marching songs'
--
as one wonders what's the best metre for this evenness of movement as they
advance. Not what Andreas Ramos mentioned as the 'battle rattle', it would
seem.
I'm not saying that it's good to have a tenor while you're attacking the
Persians, but perhaps it's simpler to understand a metre or rhythmic notation
when one sees a lyric to it. I suppose they also used 'music' for the drills --
This I read in:
Fonda, J. "The use of aerobics by Spartan women" -- in Gym Studies, vol. XXX
Cheers,
JL
Swimming Pool Library
Have Hoplos, Will Dance
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