n with,
a spring ritual; and when Aristotle tells us tragedy arose out of the
Dithyramb, he gives us, though perhaps half unconsciously, a clear
instance of a splendid art that arose from the simplest of rites; he
plants our theory of the connection of art with ritual firmly with its
feet on historical ground.

* * * * *

When we use the word "dithyrambic" we certainly do not ordinarily think
of spring. We say a style is "dithyrambic" when it is unmeasured, too
ornate, impassioned, flowery. The Greeks themselves had forgotten that
the word _Dithyramb_ meant a leaping, inspired dance. But they had not
forgotten on what occasion that dance was danced. Pindar wrote a
Dithyramb for the Dionysiac festival at Athens, and his song is full of
springtime and flowers. He bids all the gods come to Athens to dance
flower-crowned.

"Look upon the dance, Olympians; send us the grace of Victory, ye
gods who come to the heart of our city, where many feet are
treading and incense steams: in sacred Athens come to the holy
centre-stone. Take your portion of garlands pansy-twined, libations
poured from the culling of spring....

"Come hither to the god with ivy bound. Bromios we mortals name
Him, and Him of the mighty Voice.... The clear signs of his
Fulfilment are not hidden, whensoever the chamber of the
purple-robed Hours is opened, and nectarous flowers lead in the
fragrant spring. Then, then, are flung over the immortal Earth,
lovely petals of pansies, and roses are amid our hair; and voices
of song are loud among the pipes, the dancing-floors are loud with
the calling of crowned Semele."

Bromios, "He of the loud cry," is a title of Dionysos. Semele is his
mother, the Earth; we keep her name in Nova _Zembla_, "New Earth." The
song might have been sung at a "Carrying-in of Summer." The Horae, the
Seasons, a chorus of maidens, lead in the figure of Spring, the Queen of
the May, and they call to Mother Earth to wake, to rise up from the
earth, flower-crowned.

You may _bring back_ the life of the Spring in the form of a tree or a
maiden, or you may summon her to rise from the sleeping Earth. In Greek
mythology we are most familiar with the Rising-up form. Persephone, the
daughter of Demeter, is carried below the Earth, and rises up again year
by year. On Greek vase-paintings[20] the scene occurs again and again. A
mound of earth is re