DH sign +pantomime horse

[bboyminn]

---  "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
>
> bboyminn:
> <snip>
> > Dating back to ancient Greece, Pantomime has never been silent. It was often preformed poetry accompanied by music, usually flute. (see Wikipedia for history and details)
> 
> 
> Carol responds:
> 
> I believe that pantomime was Roman rather than Greek, if it matters. The pantomime itself was a dance accompanied with music or narrative. Since the dancer himself didn't speak, I would disagree. The pantomime was silent even though the accompaniment wasn't. 
> 
> The word can and does sometimes apply, at least in the U.S., to a story told in mime, through movement and facial expression only. As I said, Charades as we played it when I was a kid was done entirely in pantomime.
> 
> Carol, ...

bboyminn:

Quoting Wikipedia, which may not necessarily be the most accurate -

"A pantomimos in Greece was originally a group who 'imitated all' (panto- - all, mimos - mimic) accompanied by sung narrative and instrumental music, often played on the flute. The word later came to be applied to the performance itself.[2] The pantomime was a popular form of entertainment in ancient Greece and, later, Rome."

Likely it did originate in Greece though, since the Greek Empire predates the Roman.

However, you do have a good point, it was the narrator who spoke or sung, not necessarily the actors and dancers. Likely, as you indicate they remained silent. I confess, I had never thought about that. 

Still modern theatrical 'Mime' is usually just movement and music, no narration, though I confess it has been a long long time since I've seen true 'Mime' on the stage. 

I suspect in the context, when Harry says or thinks 'pantomime horse', he really just means a horse stage costume, which in turn means, as others have said, that doing so would be awkward.

Since they would be invisible, 'like a pantomime horse' can't mean appearance, but simply the awkwardness and a bit of silliness in traveling in such an inconvenient way. 

I think he made a reasonable argument when he convinced Hermione that there would be no need of the invisibility cloak, since they wouldn't look like themselves any way.

Just a few random thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn