The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-14

then brought by representatives 20
Athens, before delegates from ali other
Greek cities. and before the whole as
sembly of her own citizens. At the
Lenaea, in Gamelion January Febru-
ary), which was more Of home festi-
val, comedy had chief place. At the
country Dionysia, in December, usual
ly only plays were given which had
been already exhibited in the city, The
greater DiOnysia, like a modern mu--
steal festival, lasted only a few days
three or four. and on each day reg
ularly three tragedies, one comedy and
one satyr were exhibited, which. with
the dithyramb and other musical fea-
lures, made very full day. r9
If a poet wished TO exhibit at the
greater Dionysia he applied TO the
chief archon, if at the Lenaea to the
second archon, for q chorus. If his re-
quest was granted there was assigned
him a chOregus, who chose from the
singers of his tribe a chorus, had these
trained by the poet or chorus leader.
and provided for their maintenance and
costumes. This liturgy, as it was called,
was at once a burden and an honor,
and was often performed with great
magnificence and expense. The cho-
rus, consisting in tragedy of twelve
Cater fifteen) persons, in comedy of
twenty-fOur, executed dance move
ments (strophe and antistrOphe) as
they sang, and Indispensable accom-
paniments were the flute player and
the lyrist. The three actOrs-original-
ly one, increased by AeSchylus TO two.
by SophOcIes to three-distributed all
the roles among them, the parts of wo-
men being taken by men, The actors
were allotted to the parts and paid by
the state. In the costumes Of the trag-
ic actors especially characteristic were
the long, flowing parti-cOlored robes,
the high-soled buskin or boot and the
imposing headdress and mask, the
whole being intended TO lend dignity
and increase the stature. For comedy
characteristic was the soccus or low
shoe. but the dress was more like that
of everyday life. There was not much
opportunity for action on the Greek
stage, and none for play of feature. so
that the prime requisite for an actor
was a fine musical voice. The audi
ence at Athens. numbering 10000 to
$4,000, and sitting in the open air, had
sensitive ears, so that the actor must
have a distinct. musical voice, which
could carry far. The people, whose
feeling for rhythm was probably as
nice as that of modern musical audi
ences for time, would storm if the
meter was spoiled, a quantity missed.
a syllable dropped or an accent mis-
placed.
The antique Greek theatre consisted
in the main of two parts, the auditOri-
um or theatre proper, and the oval or
round orchestra for the evolutions of
the chorus. AS dramatic spectacles
were given in the open air the Greeks
generally awaited themselves of the
side of a I'll, so shaped as to constitute
IS % nh hnya two
Athens the theatre of Dionysus occu-
pied the southeast slope of the Acropo-
lis, where the spectators sat with their
backs to the AcropOlis and their faces
toward Mount Hymettus and the sea.
Aisles radiating from the center en-
abled the spectators to reach the rows
Of (marble) benches. The part re-
served for the movements Of the ac-
tors, whether higher than or on a level
with the orchestra, was small. since the
actors were few. The back of the stage
represented in tragedy a temple or pal
ace: in comedy a private house or a
street. The scenery was simple. con-
sisting of hangings or painted wood
work, and triangular revolving prisnls
at either side, properly decorated, IA
cilitated change of scene. The cur
tain was pulled up, not let down. The
subjects of tragedy were taken from
mythology or mythical history, and the
persons were the gods or demigods and
heroes of the race. the main outlines
of the story being always known TO the
audience. Tragedy was really a relig-
fous celebration. Comedy, on the other
hand, represented not the solemn but
the frolicsOme spirit of the season, and
the subjects and characters were taken
from daily life, as was the language
used.
In marked contrast with Athenian
Iateness Of development in general was
the sudden growth OF the drama In
the early part Of the fifth century CO.
incided an era of great national activ-
ity and a great national audience that
was the heir Of all the requirements
of the race. We know the names, but
little more. OF several Of the earlier
matists-Phrynichus. Choeriius,
Pratinas, Thespis-but the real father
and founder of tragedy was Aeschulus.
who was born in 525 b. c.. and fought
in the Persian wars To 479. after the