[43] Cf. "Anab." V. iv. 12.

Come on (the jester shouted), give us a tune upon the pipe, and let me
show you how to dance.

So saying up he got, and mimicked the dances of the boy and girl in
burlesque fashion, and inasmuch as the spectators had been pleased to
think the natural beauty of the boy enhanced by every gesture of his
body in the dance, so the jester must give a counter-
representation,[44] in which each twist and movement of his body was a
comical exaggeration of nature.

[44] Reading {antepedeizen}. Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 162 B; "Ages." i. 12;
if vulg. {antapedeizen}, transl. "would prove per contra each
bend," etc. Cf. Aristot. "Rhet." ii. 26. 3.

And since the girl had bent herself backwards and backwards, till she
was nearly doubled into the form of a hoop, so he must try to imitate
a hoop by stooping forwards and ducking down his head.

And as finally, the boy had won a round of plaudits for the manner in
which he kept each muscle of the body in full exercise whilst dancing,
so now the jester, bidding the flute-girl quicken the time (presto!
presto! prestissimo!), fell to capering madly, tossing legs and arms
and head together, until he was fairly tired out, and threw himself
dead beat upon the sofa, gasping:

There, that's a proof that my jigs too are splendid exercise; at any
rate, I am dying of thirst; let the attendant kindly fill me the
mighty goblet.[45]