New-York tribune., 1893-12-31


but. by whatever name II was called. this water
system IL an example Of the pains which ths
Greeks took and the expense they endured to
get full supply Of good water fer their cities.
For purposes Of comparison. DR.. DCfpfeld. on
his island trip. which It was my pleasure TO
Join. visited the remains cf the great water
works on the Island Of Tamos. which Herodo-
tus describes ~ one OF the wonders OF the world.
Entering the narrow entrance on the hill side
near the town Of rigani. We soon found our
selves In q great tunnel eight feet high and
eight feet wide. extending clear into the heart
OF the mountains. with channel for the water
on one side Hercdotus states that the tunnel
was worked from both sides and that the Sec
tiOns met In the middle. II Is Of interest be-
cause II was made at the time Pisistratus MADE
the aqueduct for Athens and 1t is quite possl-
bic that both were built by the same engineer.
Dr. DGrpfeld devoted much time last year 70
verifying his theory Of the structure OF the
Greek theatre. His new book Is nearly ready
and may be expected to appear In print THIS
winter Briefly stated. his theory u that TIE
origin cf the theatre Is found In the circular
dance plat which gave rise to the circu'et
orchestra. In which actors and chorus oo!n ep'
peared The spectators iOOm nm amphitheesre
with inclined seats. wasaafterward added Inc
stage az its Greek narie iriplies. was nrst
tent for the accommodation OF the actors aIter.
ward a permanent buiIdiSe. The proskenion was
a series of columns with pictures between tnem'
serving as a support for the scenery ana screen
ing the actors when they passed from inc
orchestra through n doorway In the middle
The proskenon was first provisionai ano
afterward a permanent structure There was
no stage whatever. and none was need"t. LOT
the spectators an comma nded full view of the
orchestra below In which the performance was
given. just as .h" actors In y modern c'Icun
are perfectly visible from the seats which sur
round II. Dr. p;,rpfsld's theory Is supported oy
the literary evidence which lijpken ana fro-
fassor J. ". White. of Harvard have collected:
They show frCm the nature OF the creek play
that the chorus and actors could not nave Dcen
separated By s'age twelve '"'t hsn' ."
Vetruvius says.
But IN. beat proof 81 the tenability OF DR..
D;jrpfcids Theory IL found in th" theatres then'.
selves I har" visited this year the theatres ~
Athens. the Piraeus. EJilau',s. MegaIopon+
Argos Thorik ~. Eretria. Oropps ana Dcios. ana
IN none ~ these. Er.tr!a "a there the siSht-
est sign that anything IN The snap" of n stag
ever existed. What at iirst s!rht atpear9n 20 De
a stage at Ere la IL srrn - b" the sk"ne III
40 high because as this theatre vas constructor
ON a level plain. III" orch"s'ra WAS SUNK u.ep
into the ground. A. Epidsnro. chorus or .'s,.
man students was organized. I; was renarkape
how well on" could hear high ~ In tnr las. sea.
Of a theatre acccmT" "da ting l'."p I.'opie. Intre
was not the slightest difficulty IN d.slhg"..n'ns
chorus from actors. when sitting GOWN :"
tn. sprond seat above ;hr orchestra.
Tn. English .'oho,l. though making exper:menu
at another point. mainly conc n'raIsn u, =, ",,' a.
work AT M.galppolis. wisely pre:"rrinS ,o %
thor, ,,iCh " pyk ~ one p!ar" iran u scfa"h Ine
surface here AMI there win naus. '',m'"S' az
ard photographs Mr.. Ern"s' TaF'ner IN" g..
rector ~ the English school. show at one ~ Is
s.s,ions how much had been ac'pmnpnsnNI
I have since visited III" excavations ,he"'seNes
where NJ. I."r'n, 'ni NJ v r. Tmr."., hecan
,I,psing M Nerai>o"s ia" w"g' traces o' ~
grea, theatre. the largest in 'r"''' bnt 'ne
auditorium was "riff ,"H II s.sary ~ -,
imrr.nsc deal If labor has been Necessary 10
inny. IN. mass Il earth. hut IN" result ms peen t
~ the greatest importanc" J, - snrprl ing "a"
soon. after few successful -
d. -
i.Sa savs: .'Thc Therson. or town nan ,ha'n'u
after It's founi"r,. in which IN" ,''"p "'rb ~
from all Arcadia assembled !ay I" me W., w. :.
IN. theatre Int NJ rrmi.is "i J" a.
rn,, is ~, Lns.r ,-;i,. The wn"'" f,andit:r
and a large pr, - int f'W"n-" "i' ,',i.. -, "
MANY of ita colrmns and ornaments i1'S o.'',
"Nr'. ,..'.', ;,0 :. Oth,. e .urr e.! BULL
invs have h..n disc iverrl aTd .Nc''1u"ns n.,o
been carried - a. b''l i'd"S 81 ,''" ..' -, r.,
Il,iiel the town. II Is interesting !" n'r .s,,, .
,isr ~ the town AMI buildings Drawn os Iu''
tr",n the descriptions 4 Pausarias was lounn =.
H.. remarkably correct. new pip,. ,. o ~, ..r,c.ss
accuracy Of Pausanins ana ~
IN Interpreting him - ,ro ~ ~.
II was the discovery, t"o F.i'S s,,. -, IN,
st.ps of tn. Ther 'ilpn. dr"ruy opposme pu. ,,at
,ha.tr. which led Mr. Gardner u supP"sS .
h Iad found the remains of hr','ti. oT s'"S,'
wbich II true woull hay" been iata' " -, -,
Drpf-lds theory that In IN" r'ass,ra, r,,urs H..
,h.atr. un stage "xis,"d. NJ. Tardners y us
c"yerv was rubl!sh-d SOM what too hasu'y as
a r.f,itatior IL the !.;rpf"id view bu. no soo.e' @
had Dr Durif.id seen IN" pan 81 ~ =, - Iook
tons than h, said: II am sure. u you rnss ".s
carsfuiiy. YOU will tind that what you suppose
4" b. a stage Is siyl"bat" ana you NIL p'pv ~
ably see H." marks 81 r''umhS upon. upon ~ when he
n;;rnf,.d had not seen the ">cdv!''ons !" VIZ" ~. '
made This siggrstion II was IN" run W n.s
training and experience as IN arcntrv. ~
enough when the ,,"n"s naS Ts.@ stood we're plainly
v,sihl. lie also pointed ont NAV the @ WI.
lower ~ the fivr steps were o' la'e. ooms.au. aa
t,on than the upper ones. When the rNcssa sSa
49, 80 u".rs further continual IL was found tnat
what really had been lisc"t"r'u was '"' ps,;.b po.;b
81 the Thersiiion. Mr.. schultz. .ne ms.nw
architect has since found The drums OF many
~ IN. columns ard portions ~ The ~ntap'htuIe
In his lecture last winter PROFESSOR na!une. m
frankly admitted that what he hau hat"sxmy
sunn ,s,d T., hr n stag" had proVeu 10 w VIA
IT, tG,rnred an, r.ct.d lie Withdrew enurely'
therrforr his arguinclts based ny N MS nIs' :up
nnsition lie advanced. hoN"v'r. IN" Iur" . ..a :
:, wn,d.n stage ~ som" sort hdu pee" us'".
H.. hascI thi. r.w argument On the suppos''1n
that as tn. three lower steps are con'rn'. ~ ~ w w
later than tie twn upper ohH' my. .',u' a. sIoS
been n blank wall h~forr these N"p' were auu."' .
nJ mi. ANA, a.. VA. probably h.i with stag
Ipr prpf-ld .n the dh"r hi' a. n'aIn.a'n.u 'i,t.
the Therxlinn wls erected hrst-a ia'9r uM''"'ns ,
,.i,h nnrtirn and tWn steps. Mf'rwor" III
,h..,r. I'm front ~ Il vas ronstruct'i' t"'
circular orchestra WAS dropped say tn'rr ~
lower into the ground. which soi'p'r' WV Wv ,Sa,
Jition of thr.. steps WakinE nv" IN All, W. '.as
"ne could descend from the portiro in'o .n'
orchestra Great interest was maniIss,r,u , ms,e ILL.,
fore In the visit ~ pr. D"rpf''d anr .nr n'.m- ~"
l..ro ar lt
n.a,,nrs NJ Megalopolis Mr. Gardner ana MS
associate. MIR I-,ring. who worked Tor the IaS.
two years at these excavations Ia'd Hrrat s''Sss
upon a supposed difference" In .""n". 10. ue
,,mininv IN, r,iativ- age ~ parts ~ the struc'
,ur. Dr. D;;rI,f-d. On the other hand main.
tainei that the same tools wcr" hseu tnroue"
"nr...,v" centuries and are. In fact used TO-
day: that. therefore. IN" dat" 81 worSInan.m,p
cnuJ not b. derived from H. When npwever
,vs come TO rxamin. closely the steps anu sea,s
". N.gaionnlia mo real difference ~ toolinE couio
ns fm,nd. What Messrs Gardner and iorine
had supposed to be Il difference OF toonnk ~.
.Im,iv "a difference of wear. tnfortunnte'y' Mr.
r,ar,,,,.r wss not able ~ be- present Mr. Ior'
,nr how.ver. made "a rc-examination atter ~.
D;irpfeld's visit. and was convinced 'n, .nat Wy
EnrIish argument wa ild have to b~ abandohe9.
iie therefore declined to sign the report wnicn
Mr. Gardner and Mr. schult. p.epsrra; ,Srs wn,.S
he was not ready yet to accert srps" ,su, ~.
",rsst actors were a stage and the chorus
were below h- gave up the argumen.. 10 xx ~
NJ Megaiopolis is concerned; ah1 "" ,,ha."wssi ~