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When at length the day arrived which had been fixed for the espousals,
and Clisthenes had to speak out and declare his choice, he first of
all made a sacrifice of a hundred oxen, and held a banquet, whereat he
entertained all the suitors and the whole people of Sicyon. After the
feast was ended, the suitors vied with each other in music and in
speaking on a given subject. Presently, as the drinking advanced,
Hippoclides, who quite dumbfoundered the rest, called aloud to the
flute-player, and bade him strike up a dance; which the man did, and
Hippoclides danced to it. And he fancied that he was dancing
excellently well; but Clisthenes, who was observing him, began to
misdoubt the whole business. Then Hippoclides, after a pause, told
an attendant to bring in a table; and when it was brought, he mounted
upon it and danced first of all some Laconian figures, then some
Attic ones; after which he stood on his head upon the table, and
began to toss his legs about. Clisthenes, notwithstanding that he now
loathed Hippoclides for a son-in-law, by reason of his dancing and
his shamelessness, still, as he wished to avoid an outbreak, had
restrained himself during the first and likewise during the second
dance; when, however, he saw him tossing his legs in the air, he
could no longer contain himself, but cried out, "Son of Tisander,
thou hast danced thy wife away!" "What does Hippoclides care?"
was the other's answer. And hence the proverb arose.
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