THE DANCING HORSES OF SYBARIS 



IN the south of Italy there was once a flourish- 

 ing Greek colony called Sybaris. The town 

 was well situated for commerce^ the surrounding 

 country was very fertile, the climate was the finest 

 in the world, and for some centuries the Sybarites 

 were industrious and enterprising, carrying on 

 a profitable trade with other countries, and heap- 

 ing up immense wealth. But too much good 

 fortune finally proved their ruin. Little by little 

 they lost their habits of labor and thrift, and, in- 

 stead, gave themselves up to pleasure. Finally, 

 leaving all kinds of necessary work to their 

 slaves, they laid aside the cares of life and spent 

 their days in eating and drinking, in dancing and 

 in listening to fine music, or in attending the cir- 

 cus and watching the feats of acrobats and per- 

 forming animals. 



It is said, indeed, that prizes were offered to 

 any man who would invent some new kind of 

 amusement. A certain flute-player hit upon the 



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