The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-20

Games.
f. Rowbotham. n Good Words.
We have changed for the worse in mod
-,, Zines. since we have, abolished or rath-
~ entered TO anguish into oblivion those
trtsresting and excelle mt pastimes of an
,t-iirv which were kI lown as Musical
canes" At the present hour, if we
s.sr-h through the whole hemisphere of
.,ro,ent pleasure we shall look in vain
f,- anything approach ling them in charac-
,r or i'm designation. excepting always
tbe rustic and time-llonored sport of the
'.r,rsieaI chairs" VIII ich belongs too much
20 me nursery to be allowed to count.
rrbe world has become considerably the
,,,rer by this droppi ng out of a delightful
and artistic species of recreation, which
is but i'll replaced Icy the bagatene cue,
| ,bt card table and the game of Halma
Tho most popular musical game of an
tiouitv was that known as the cottabos."
lis origin is very difficult to trace; also
rom what country it was primarily deriV-
ii But in Greece in the early classical
Zines it was already very popular, and
bFo4me more and more so as the luxury
of cities advanced and wealth brought
leisure 10 the citizens.
I'M many paris OF the Greek world, but
r10rs especially in Sicily, where magnifi-
cence and expense reached their night in
th4 great cities of Tarentum and Crotona
bindings used TO be erected like our rae
The same size as the former for the ex-
press purpose of playing this musical
game although it was also played in pri-
vale houses as well All day long the
game proceeded, being taken up by various
parUeS of players, who succeeded one an
other in their tenancy of the court which
was constructed as follows;
The arena was a broad; open space, ex-
acUy like our racquet court, but toward
one end. and in the center toward that
end was fixed large marble basin full of
water Floating in this marble basin
was a small vase or basin of metal often
Of silver and sometimes of the best bronze.
Al so many PAGES away from the marble
basin a chalk line was drawn on the floor
and the players when they began to COM
pete toed il. band of flute-players stood
BY awaiting the signal to begin.
How the Wine Was Thrown.
When this signal was given the flutes
struck up and the players, Selling cups
and dipping them into a large case con-
tanning wine, stepped forward one by one
TO The chalk line, with intention of throw
Ing the line through the air into the metal
basin atioat on the water. This was a
great feat to accomplish successfully. An
unsldlful throWer would so handle his
wine that 1t would fly out in broad
sheet and be all scattered in the air long
before it reached its mark. An unsteady
tnrower would perhaps hurl the wine, but
deposit it In The water instead of in the
basin. The crack cottaboS player avoid
ed both these faults, 'grasped the. cup"
We are told, with wei crooked fingers
ike a fute-player holding his flute" d.
recled his wine through the air in a com.
pact collected cloud, and landed it full in,
the metal basin, which was the mark his
aimed at
The flutes which were warbling all the
time The players were getting ready, stop
ped directly throw was made, and all
ears were eagerly intent to hear what sort
of splash the wine made in the basin
for the beauty and music of the splash de-
termlned the success of the player
He whose wine. coming in a firm and
swelling cloud, fell with a full sound on
the silver, producing crisp. sharp musi-
cal note of the fine timbre, was account,
ed better player than the thrower whose
VINE made an uncertain noise, or being too
much shaken out splashed like falling rain
on the metal; giving only the pitter-pat-
ter of q driZzle.
Not only was the skill of the thrower
concerned in the extraction of a pure mus.
cal tone from the metal vase, but the
quaiity Of the wine had something TO 10
with IT. The Pramnian wine was reputed
10 give a crisper plash than the Chian
wine The wine of Lesbos likewise was
SAID TO have more body in its tone than
the wines of Thasos. Everything was
studied all arts were enlisted and made
use OF 10 achieve a pure and brilliant
musical note when the wine fell and sent
me sound ringing from The silver. And
considering what countless variations of
umbre there must have been and what
untold delicacies of incubation in the ring,
we may well be surprised that such nice
ness OF ear should have been so common
a thing, and that in game which. in its
Iepte and its associations, was entirely
IOpuldr' so much acoustic acumen could
have been exercised.
but the Greeks were a musical nation
Iuey could md music in the trickle of a
MalerIat which We pass by unnoticed
Inc song Of birds so charmed them that
al ne legends and all the chosen ability
OF lhese sylvan singers were invented and
conferred by the Greeks. They delighted
III nearing a musical voice, and a main
paIl OF their education was devoted to ac-
CURING round and clear delivery And in
we same way they could listen 10 and de-
1rfD 1F
ME.
Great Popularity of the Game.
Plato. the comic poet, tells us that the
popularity OF the game was so great that
not content with playing il in courts and
IN public, people must needs be always al
y IN private houses-after dinner or even
lore II. In one of his plays he gives a
NHo'e scene OF this private cottabos which
PgInaps we might do worse than repro
uute here.
Al The guests have finished dinner"
SAYS The master of the house. Come. re-
move the tables, and bring water for them
40 WASH their hands IN, and have the floor
swept. Ihen We viii have the cottaboS"
gre the girls ready with the fiutes?"
Very. well, then, we are just on the
iV'tlt OF Degnning, and they must come
NY friend, will you please pour some
~tlume into the wine while l go and dis |
"t4Iute garlands among the guests"
t.l5 VII 90 just you want and at |
tnd to all your directions
ne master of The house then takes a |
49, "p ~ Wine and pours out libation to |
n, s. The scohum-which was sort !
~ snort aud pithy episramma song
TTf15 next sung by some of the company.
men, everybody is ready" he says. land |
we young men are toeing the line And |
mere IS The girl with her flute striking up |
i. Daildh song, and another girl win be |
Join her" '-''i - ~
Now the players have filled their ems |
e su ttSy begin throwing in turn. And |
of % SIC throws, he. pronounees me name |
earlils lady-oVe. Here's for Glycerar |
CHS l3is one for Scione!' This throw for |
N"ai6islluIn" Here goes for Phanostrata! |
G., ana how do they manage to throw it /
so cleVerly and how do they hold it,
pSNa novice of a bystander. "Why, you
MnSl crook your fingers round the cup. |
E'e HUE player holds his fingers round
ms ms Hute: Then pour in a litte wine-not
"eGn. And hen let fly"
Yes. but how?'
ny, look herein this way"
+, % "a Neptunel what a night you throw
r IN private houses this musical game
"as PLAYED for prizes. In Athenaeus'
NuH.#