The Bibasis ( Greek: βίβασις) was a common dance at ancient Sparta, which was much practised both by men and women. [2]
The Bibasis, a dance of men and women, was of the gymnastic kind. [3] The dance consisted in springing rapidly from the ground, and striking the feet behind; a feat of which the Spartan woman Lampito, in the Lysistrata of Aristophanes, [4] prides herself. [2] She derives her strength and her beauty essentially from this exercise. [5]
γυμνάδδομαι γὰρ [a] καὶ ποτὶ πυγὰν ἅλλομαι.
Αn' I can loup an' fling an' kick my hurdies. [6]
The dance consisted in kicking one's own buttocks, to music, as rapidly as possible. [7] The number of successful strokes was counted, and the most skilful received prizes in competitions. We are told by a verse from an epigram, which has been preserved by Pollux, [8] that a Laconian girl had won by dancing the Bibasis a thousand times, which was more than had ever been done before. [3] [2]
χήλι' ἅδε ποκὰ βίβαντι, πλεῖστα δὴ τᾶν πήποκα. [b]
This girl once jumped a thousand times, the most ever.
The Bibasis ( Greek: βίβασις) was a common dance at ancient Sparta, which was much practised both by men and women. [2]
The Bibasis, a dance of men and women, was of the gymnastic kind. [3] The dance consisted in springing rapidly from the ground, and striking the feet behind; a feat of which the Spartan woman Lampito, in the Lysistrata of Aristophanes, [4] prides herself. [2] She derives her strength and her beauty essentially from this exercise. [5]
γυμνάδδομαι γὰρ [a] καὶ ποτὶ πυγὰν ἅλλομαι.
Αn' I can loup an' fling an' kick my hurdies. [6]
The dance consisted in kicking one's own buttocks, to music, as rapidly as possible. [7] The number of successful strokes was counted, and the most skilful received prizes in competitions. We are told by a verse from an epigram, which has been preserved by Pollux, [8] that a Laconian girl had won by dancing the Bibasis a thousand times, which was more than had ever been done before. [3] [2]
χήλι' ἅδε ποκὰ βίβαντι, πλεῖστα δὴ τᾶν πήποκα. [b]
This girl once jumped a thousand times, the most ever.