Note 98: — XXV.—MUSIC AND DANCING. (Wall-Cases 54-56.)

Dancing.—Dancing among the Greeks and Romans differed in many ways from our own. In the first place dances (which were generally accompanied by the flutes) were largely associated with religion. Plato in his Laws gave it as his opinion that, in imitation of the Egyptian example, all dancing should be made to take a religious character.98 This ceremonial side of Greek dancing is illustrated by a primitive stone vessel from Cyprus (No. 655), which represents three draped women dancing in a ring. Among the Romans the processions of the Salii or dancing priests of Mars are among the best-known examples of religious dancing.