A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

4IO Growth of Plutocracy
Thecelebra- king Genthius and his children a§ prisoners. While celetriumph.
brating his triumph, Anicius did a very ridiculous thing.
Polybius He sent for the most famous artists from Greece, and
XXX. 14. after building an immense theatre in the Circus, he brought
Let the
the chorus, and bade them all play at once.
But when they struck up the tune accompanied by apmwe^Tvdyl
Pandemo-
^^'
all the flute-players on the stage together ... the most
celebrated of the day. He placed them on the stage with
propriate movements, he sent to them to say that they
were not playing well, and must put more excitement into
it. At first they did not know what to make of this order,
until one of the Hctors showed them that they must form
themselves into two companies and facing round, advance
against each other as though in battle. The flute-players
caught the idea at once, and adopting a motion suitable
to their own wild strains, produced a scene of utter confusion.
They made the middle group of the chorus face round
upon the two extreme groups; and blowing with inconceivable
violence and discordance, the flute-players led these
groups against each other. Meanwhile with violent stamping
that shook the stage, the members of the chorus rushed
against those who were opposite, and then faced round
and retired. But when one of the chorus, with dress girt
up, turned round on the spur of
the moment and raised
his hands, like a boxer, in the face of the flute-player who
was approaching, then the spectators clapped their hands
and cheered loudly.
While this sort of sham fight was going on, two dancers
were brought into the orchestra to the sound of music;
and four boxers, accompanied by trumpeters and clarion
players, mounted the stage. The effect of these various
contests all going on together was indescribable. But if I