The book of the ancient Greeks: An introduction to the history and civilization of Greece from the coming of the Greeks to the conquest of Corinth by Rome in 146 B.C. — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The book of the ancient Greeks: An introduction to the history and civilization of Greece from the coming of the Greeks to the conquest of Corinth by Rome in 146 B.C.
John Stuart Mill · en
This reception is followed by an exhibition of boxing and
bull-fighting, favourite amusements of the Cretan youths; but the
great excitement of the day is the wild boar hunt which follows. All
the youths and younger men take part, and each hopes that he may
specially distinguish himself in order that on his return he may have
some trophy to present to the Princess, and that she will reward him
by giving him her hand in the dance that evening.
While the young men are all away at the hunt, the Princess sits with
her parents in the great hall or wanders with her maidens in the
gardens. Great excitement prevails when the hunters return. On
arriving, they hasten to the bath and anoint themselves with oil and
curl their long hair and make themselves ready for the dance. When
all are ready they go out to that
dancing place, which Daedalus had wrought in broad Knossos for
Ariadne of the lovely tresses. There were youths dancing and
maidens of costly wooing, their hands on one another's wrists.
Fine linen the maidens had on, and the youths well-woven doublets
faintly {19} glistening with oil. Fair wreaths had the maidens,
and the youths daggers of gold hanging from silver baldrics. And
now they would run around with deft feet exceeding lightly, as
when a potter sitting by his wheel maketh trial of it whether it
run; and now anon they would run in lines to meet one another.
And a great company stood around the lovely dance in joy; and
among them a divine minstrel was making music on his lyre, and
through the midst of them, as he began his strain, two tumblers
whirled.[8]
The dance over, the feasting and banqueting begins. The Queen and
the Princess with their maidens retire early to their own apartments,
but the merrymaking goes on in the hall, where tales of the day's
hunt are told, and old tales of other adventures are recalled by the
old men, until weariness overcomes them. Then the Queen sends her
handmaids who "set out bedsteads beneath the gallery, and cast fair
purple blankets over them, and spread coverlets above, and thereon
lay thick mantles to be a clothing over all. Then they go from the
hall with torch in hand." So the youths and men lie down and go to
sleep, and after the excitements of the day "it seemed to them that
rest was wonderful."[9]
VI. THE DESTROYERS