In tracing the History of Pantomime it becomes a matter of considerable
difficulty, and, as Baron, in his _Lettres sur la Danse_, observes that
when the word Dancing occurs in an old author, that it should always be
translated by "gesticulation," "declamation," or "Pantomime." When we
read that an actress "danced" her part well in the tragedy of Medea,
that a carver cut up food dancing, that Heligobalus and Caligula
"danced" a discourse for an audience of state, we are to understand that
they--actress, carver, and emperor--declaimed, gesticulated, made
themselves understood in a language without words. Acting is also
oftentimes confounded with dancing, and it is, therefore, manifestly
impossible to distinguish now one from the other.

"The Greeks," mentions Butteux, applied the term "Dancing" to all
measured movements, even to military marching. They danced anywhere and
everywhere; and we are told that both their limbs and bodies spoke.

Cybele was supposed by the Greeks to have taught dancing on Mount Ida to
the Corybantes, and they also say that it was in their country that
Apollo revealed the Terpsichorean Art, and that of Music and Poetry.

After all this, it is not very surprising that they make claim for the
innovation of Pantomime. This, of course, we know is different, as we
have seen that, from time immemorial Pantomimic scenes and dances have
been represented. Cassiodorus attributes its institution to Philistion;
Athenaens assigns it to Rhodamanthus, or to Palamedes.

With the Greeks, Pantomimes became very popular, and they were
distinguished by various names. Before they began their Tragedies the
Greeks used to give a Pantomimic display. The principal Pantomimists