From the time of Sophocles it was fifteen,
and always had a professed trainer. The choric question is, however, a
subject in itself, and cannot be fairly dealt with here. The social
dances, and those in honour of the seasons, fire and water, were
numerous and generally local; whilst the chamber dances, professional
dancing, the throwing of the _Kotabos_, and such-like, must be left to
the reader's further study of the authors mentioned in the
bibliography at the end of the work.
[Illustration: Fig. 18.--Greek dancers and tumblers.]
It may astonish the reader to know that the funambulist or rope-dancer
was very expert with the Greeks, as also was the acrobat between
knives and swords. Animals were also taught to dance on ropes, even
elephants.
The important religious and other dances were not generally composed
of professionals. The greatest men were not above showing their
sentiments by dancing. Sophocles danced after Salamis, and Epaminondas
was an expert dancer. There were dancers of all grades, from the
distinguished to the moderate.
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