THE THEATRES

THE regular drama was not of indigenous growth, and never took firm root in Italy. It was unknown until about two centuries and a half before Christ, when Grecian literature began to be cultivated, and never rose to be more than a feeble transcript of the original. The Romans were first led to theatrical amusements as a means of appeasing the anger of the gods, having been before only acquainted with gymnastic exercises and circus races. During a desolating pestilence, which seemed proof against all remedies, they sent for histriones from Etruria, B.c. 364. These, however, seem to have been merely dancers, or tumblers rather, such as are represented on the Etruscan monuments. The oldest spoken plays, the Fabul Atellan , were borrowed from the Osci, of whom we often have had to speak, and appear to have been rude improvisatory attempts at rustic satire. It was more than 500 years after the era usually assigned to the foundation of Rome, that Livius Andronicus first attempted to imitate the Grecian tragedy. He was followed by Ennius and N vius, and, later, by a number of writers in the Augustan age and under the emperors; but, with the exception of some fragments, and the tragedies ascribed to Seneca, all their works are lost. This is the less to be lamented, because it does not appear that a single Roman tragedy was ever composed upon a Roman subject.

In the comic department the Romans displayed more originality. The Fabul Atellan were so popular, that youths of noble family engaged in the representation of them; and, in consequence, the professional actors employed in them were exempted from the ignominy which attached to other theatrical artists. Similar to these probably, but more polished, were the Mimi. These were composed in verse, in the Latin language, and sometimes were delivered extempore. Laberius and Syrus are the two most celebrated writers of them. The former was compelled by a request, equivalent to a command, from Julius Caesar to appear on the stage, although his compliance was attended with the loss of civil rights; and the prologue which he spoke on this occasion is still extant, and expresses nobly and feelingly his sense of the injury. Time has left us no specimens of either of these species of composition; and the scanty notices which remain concerning them do not enable us to form a clear idea of their nature.

The regular comedy of the Romans, which is preserved to us in Plautus and Terence, was for the most part palliata, that is, it appeared in a Grecian dress and represented Grecian manners. But they had also a comoedia togata, so called from the Roman dress which was worn in it. Afranius was the principal writer in this walk. We have no remains whatever of his writings, nor can we determine whether the togatoe were original comedies of new invention, or merely Grecian comedies adapted to Roman manners. The latter case is the more probable, yet it is not easy to conceive how Attic comedies could well be adapted to local circumstances of so different a nature. The way of living of the Romans was in general serious and grave, during the republic. The diversity of ranks was politically marked in a very decided manner, and the wealth of private individuals was frequently not inferior to that of princes; women lived much more in society, and acted a much more independent part with them than among the Greeks; and from this independence they fully shared in the general refinement of manners, and the corruption by which that refinement was accompanied. In these points, Athenian habits were the antipodes of Roman; and with such essential differences between them, an original Roman comedy would have been a most valuable production, and would have given us that insight into the private feelings and private life of this remarkable people, which is of all knowledge the most curious and important.

Comic Scene from a Painting in the house of Castor and Pollux at Pompeii.

Comic Scene from a Painting at Pompeii.

That this, however, was not accomplished in the comoedia togata, the indifferent manner in which it is mentioned by the ancients will hardly allow us to doubt. Quintilian himself informs us that the Latin literature " was lamest in comedy."

Vitruvius has given some minute directions, strongly illustrative of the importance of the subject, for choosing a proper situation fora theatre. "When the Forum is finished, a healthy situation must be sought for, wherein the theatre may be erected to exhibit sports on the festival days of the immortal gods. For the spectators are detained in their seats by the entertainment of the games, and remaining quiet fora long time, their pores are opened, and imbibe the draughts of air, which, if they come from marshy or otherwise unhealthy places, will pour injurious humours into the body. Neither must it front the south : for when the sun fills the concavity, the inclosed air, unable to escape or circulate, is heated, and then extracts and dries up the juices of the body. It is also to be carefully observed that the place be not unfitted to transmit sound, but one in which the voice may expand as clearly, as possible."

It is probable that the natural sweep of some dell, hollowed out in a hill-side, furnished the original design of a theatre; and the Greeks always availed themselves, if possible, of a hill-side, or some locality which lightened the labour of the building.

Comic Scene from a Painting at Pompeii.

At Nyssa the theatre occupies an angle in a ravine partially filled up; and it is said that the only instances now known of Grecian theatres built in a plain, are those of Mantineia and Megalopolis, and a small one in Asia Minor. The Roman theatres, on the other hand, were usually elevated upon arches, wherever a suitable situation could be found, without regard to economical considerations. That at Pompeii, however, is hollowed out of a hill; which may lead us to conclude that it was originally founded by a Greek population, though it was evidently reconstructed after the Roman occupation.

In a Roman theatre the orchestra was bounded towards the caves by a semicircle. Complete the circle,'draw the diameters BB, HH, perpendicular to each other, and inscribe four equilateral triangles, whose vertices shall fall severally upon the ends of the diameters; the twelve angles of the triangles will divide the circumference into twelve equal portions.

Plan of the Roman Theatre.