Plautus Stichus 5.7

Henry Thomas Riley (Translator)

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Stichus. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1912.

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Current edition Perseus

Stichus, or The Parasite Rebuffed (English) (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.)

Editions (1)
Stichus Perseus (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 2. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1896.) — 5.7 focus

Notes on the current edition

Stichus, or The Parasite Rebuffed

1. In the Ionian: The Ionian mode of dancing was graceful and voluptuous. The Sicilians had a dance of this nature in honor of Diana, which they called the Ionic dance.
2. This turn: It is difficult to say what is the exact meaning of vorsus or versus here. Possibly, it was the name of some particular dance, or it may have merely meant a turn or round, or as we say, a set, in dancing. Again, it may possibly mean some curious posture, in which Sagarinus was skilled, and in assuming which Stichus could not cope with him. Gesture and grimace formed the main features of the dance with the Romans.
3. O grand!: Babae, Tatae, and Papae, are merely exclamations of the dancers, while inspired with the spirit of the dance; not unlike the shrieks and noises which are frequently made by the dancers of our times, at fairt and other places of public resort, where uproarious enjoyment takes the place of sobriety, and, not unfrequently, of common decency.
4. Quiet!: Pax. This was the ordinary expression used to signify a pause— Stop.
5. Long enough for the wine: They have fairly danced the wine out.