A Dance in the Palace of Alcinous

This sung the sacred muse, whose notes and words

The dancers' feet kept as his hands his chords.

Ulysses much was pleased, and all the crew.

This would the king have varied with a new

And pleasing measure, and performed by

Two, with whom none would strive in dancery;

And those his sons were, that must therefore dance

Alone, and only to the harp advance,

Without the words. And this sweet couple was

Young Halius, and divine Laodamas;

Who danc'd a ball dance. Then the rich-wrought ball,

That Polybus had made, of purple all,

They took to hand. One threw it to the sky,

And then danc'd back; the other, capering high,

Would surely catch it ere his foot touch'd ground,

And up again advanc'd it, and so found

The other cause of dance; and then did he

Dance lofty tricks, till next it came to be

His turn to catch, and serve the other still.

When they had kept it up to cither's will,

They then danced ground tricks, oft mix'd hand in hand,

And did so gracefully their change command,

That all the other youth that stood at pause,

With deaf'ning shouts, gave them the great applause.

Homer