Ancient Rome: Pantomime
I
Unit: Ancient Rome
Theme: Pantomime
Introduction
In modern historiography, Ancient Rome refers to Roman civilization from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire.
Ancient Rome gave to the Performing Arts its pantomime. Pantomime is a dramatic entertainment, originating in Roman mime, in which performers express meaning through gestures accompanied by music.
II
Learning Objectives
- Understand the impact the the Roman Empire had on religion
- Explain why new comedy was important within the context of Ancient Rome
- Gain an awareness about the connection between Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece
- Experience the use of pantomime to tell a story
III
Main Lesson
1
Ancient Rome
Question 1
What was a main cultural shift in Rome that has affected world religion to this day? Explain
2
Why is new comedy important in the context of Ancient Rome?
3
Question 3
In which way do Seneca's tragedies resemble the overall relationship between Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece? Explain
Link
This text compares the plays that Seneca wrote and compares them with their homologous written by Greek playwrights.
------------------------
4
LINK
The Ascension of the Pumpkin Head Claudius into Heaven
Question 4
Read the first paragraph and comment on the words of Seneca the Young cited above.
5
OVID
Link:
(Pages 407 - 463)
Read
6
Philosophers
Pre-Socratic Philosophers
Seno of Elea
Zeno says that the arrow cannot possibly be moving. In reality, it stands still. Movement is an illusion. Nothing can possibly move, for the same reason.
Zeno seems to be right in saying that there is no point in time at which we would be able to see the arrow moving. At every single moment, the arrow is standing still. So how (and when) does it actually move?
Empedocles of Agrigentum
Empedocles c. 494 – c. 434 BC, fl. 444–443 BC) was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a native citizen of Akragas, a Greek city in Sicily. Empedocles' philosophy is best known for originating the cosmogonic theory of the four classical elements. He also proposed forces he called Love and Strife which would mix and separate the elements, respectively.
Empedocles Empedocles is a dance opera featuring episodes from the life of the early Greek philosopher, interwoven with realisations in music and movement
Socratic Philosophers
Socrates
Perhaps most amusingly, Diogenes tells us that Socrates loved to dance and thought that “such exercise helped to keep the body in good condition.” He also learned how to play the lyre as an old man, just like your crazy uncle during his mid-life crisis, and “he saw no absurdity in learning a new accomplishment.”[1]
Aristotle
Aristotle ranked dance among the educational activities qualifying as ends or things of value for themselves. [6]
Plato
Plato asserted, for example, that dance
trains the mind and soul to differentiate among those forms of actions,
feelings, and ideas capable of producing nobility of character and
refinement of the mind. [6]
Stoic Philosophers
Stoicism, the value of reason to cope with chaos... Stoicism is a philosophical school founded at the beginning of the 3rd century BC by Zeno of Citium.
Epictetus
Epictetus tells us that we are expected to “...join in the holiday and the dance… and sing hymns of praise about the festival” - Discourses, 4.1. [2]
Marcus Aurelio
The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, because an artful
life requires being prepared to meet and withstand sudden and
unexpected attacks.—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7.61 [3]
Seneca
Seneca was born in Corduba in Hispania, and raised in Rome, where he was trained in rhetoric and philosophy. In the Shortness of Life written by Seneca, he mentioned that one should live one's own life for oneself. He also adds that learning dancing, singing etc. is a waste of time.
It seems that the author wants to say that all these things viz. dancing, singing, etc are normally done to please others and not for one's own happiness. Many would argue against this as many really enjoy doing all these but in the end it's just because I want to show people how good am at it and so it does not comply to his quote "live life for yourself".
Zeno of Citium
Extravagance is its own destroyer (thus dance that is done to please the ego....)
Love is a God, who cooperates in securing the safety of the city. [8]
No evil is honorable; but death is honorable; therefore death is not evil.
The end may be defined as life in accordance with nature or, in other words, in accordance with our own human nature as well as that of the universe.
Marcus Tullius Cisero
For hardly any man dances when sober, unless he is insane. Nor does he dance while alone, nor at a respectable and moderate party. Dancing is the final phase of a wild party with fancy decorations and a multitude of delights.
The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, because an artful life requires being prepared to meet and withstand sudden and ...
Diogenes de Cinope
Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves, whistle and dance the shimmy, and you've got an audience. [9]
The art of being a slave is to rule one's master.
- Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves, whistle and dance the shimmy, and you've got an audience.
- In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
- Why not whip the teacher when the pupil misbehaves?
- Of what use is a philosopher who doesn't hurt anybody's feelings?
7
IV
A Note to Remember
Pantomime, the most popular art-form of Roman theatre under the empire, in which a solo dancer (pantomimus, παντόμιμος) represented mythological themes without voice, was supported by instrumental music and a chorus.
V
Case Study
Question 5
What is the whole purpose of this performance?
Question 6
What elements of Roman drama does this production use?
VI
Activity
Link:
Students choose a story they prefer to turn into pantomime. They share with the rest of the class their final pantomime story accompanied by music.
VII
Journaling
VIII
Glossary
IX
Sources
1. Hendriks Scotty (2018). Pythagoras was a cult leader, Socrates loved to dance + 8 other revelation. https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/10-times-great-philosophers-revealed-their-personalities/
2. Kunz, Meredith (2021). Enjoying the festival of life vs. trying to get more. https://thestoicgym.com/the-stoic-magazine/article/454
3. Life Isn’t A Dance. https://meaningring.com/2018/09/20/life-isnt-a-dance-by-ryan-holiday/
4. Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes About Dancehttps://www.azquotes.com/author/2894-Marcus_Tullius_Cicero/tag/dance#google_vignette
5. What did Roman philosopher Seneca mean by "time discovers truth"? https://www.quora.com/What-did-Roman-philosopher-Seneca-mean-by-time-discovers-truth
6. Carter, Curtis L. (2009). The state of dance in education: Past and present.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00405848409543129
7. Rhoades, Traci (2023). Wisdom from the 'Philosopher King'—75 Famous Quotes from Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. https://parade.com/living/marcus-aurelius-quotes
8. Zeno of Citium: On the Wisdom and the Purpose of Life (2021). https://excellencereporter.com/2021/09/23/zeno-of-citium-on-the-wisdom-and-the-purpose-of-life/
9. Diogenes of Sinope (412-323 BC. https://pontosworld.com/index.php/history/biographies/119-diogenes-of-sinope-412-323-bc
10. Dphilo (n.d.) The Paradoxes of Zeno of Elea. https://daily-philosophy.com/the-paradoxes-of-zeno-of-elea/
11. https://www.thoughtco.com/medusa-pictures-of-medusa-4126820
12.https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reading_Ovid/XQ7SYYc_5RsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Narcissus
13. Beare, William & Spawforth, A. Pantomime. https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-4709;jsessionid=0AF571FFE14BB152D66E5A4C8CE0DE13
Comments
Post a Comment