40
campaign, to afford him comfort in his di-
stress. By this artifice he succeeded in pro-
curing his exemption.
Dramatic Writers and Actors.
The inventor, or rather the reformer, of Tra-
Thespis. gedy was Thespis, an Athenian poet who flou-
rished A.C. 536. He introduced the novelty
of an actor to recite between the choral
hymns. He stained the faces of his perform-
ers with the lees of wine, and carried them
about from village to village on a moveable
stage. Solon went to see Thespis perform, as
was customary with the poets of those days,
in his own tragedy; and was much dissatisfied
with the fictions which were related, observing,
that, if such falsehoods were connived at, they
would soon creep into the intercourse of social
life. No remains of his poetical compositions
have reached our age.
jEsctyiuj. iEscbylus was descended from one of the
most illustrious families in Attica, and united
the valour of a soldier with the talents of a
poet. He distinguished himself in the battles
of Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea, but is less
campaign, to afford him comfort in his di-
stress. By this artifice he succeeded in pro-
curing his exemption.
Dramatic Writers and Actors.
The inventor, or rather the reformer, of Tra-
Thespis. gedy was Thespis, an Athenian poet who flou-
rished A.C. 536. He introduced the novelty
of an actor to recite between the choral
hymns. He stained the faces of his perform-
ers with the lees of wine, and carried them
about from village to village on a moveable
stage. Solon went to see Thespis perform, as
was customary with the poets of those days,
in his own tragedy; and was much dissatisfied
with the fictions which were related, observing,
that, if such falsehoods were connived at, they
would soon creep into the intercourse of social
life. No remains of his poetical compositions
have reached our age.
jEsctyiuj. iEscbylus was descended from one of the
most illustrious families in Attica, and united
the valour of a soldier with the talents of a
poet. He distinguished himself in the battles
of Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea, but is less