DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0092
76
.THE THEATRE.
[CHAP. IV'
were an addition to tlie plan : (3) the top of the conglomerate foundations of the pedestals C and
D, in which the retaining walls terminate toward the orchestra, are on a level with the passage,
which served also as the footboard of the lowest tier of ordinary seats (see Fig. 32, Chap. III.).
This makes it almost certain that this passage or footboard formed the boundary of the orchestra,
according to the original scheme. Had it been originally intended to continue the slope of
the πάροδοί beyond these pedestals to a level as low as that of the footboard of the inscribed
benches, the foundations of the pedestals would undoubtedly have been sunk to a greater depth.
We regard the inscribed benches, therefore, as an addition, though not a much later addition, to
the original plan of the Theatre ; and we suppose the original level of the orchestra to have
been somewhat higher,—perhaps as much as 15 inches higher,—than it is now. For the
evidence that the two end benches have been disturbed at a later time, probably when they
were lengthened by the insertion of an extra block, we would refer our readers to Chap. III.35
G) ’Οχετός
(gutter').
Spring mentioned
by Pausanias.
(g) ’θχετο'ί, or Gutter.—Gutters running round the orchestra are the general rule in Greek
Theatres. Comparisons with Athens and Epidaurus have been given in the paragraph (e) which
deals with the passage behind the inscribed benches. The chief peculiarity of the gutter at
Megalopolis is its narrowness; it is only about 1 foot 8 inches in breadth. This is perhaps due to
the addition of the inscribed benches to the original scheme, it being considered undesirable to reduce
the size of the orchestra (already reduced by the insertion of those benches) more than necessary.
Another peculiarity of the gutter is that its bottom is almost absolutely level; indeed at present
the centre is about 2 inches lower than the west end, at which the outlet appears to have been
situated, so that the gutter is never entirely free from water. This must be partly due to settling ;
but not, we think, entirely, for a groove some 6 feet 4 inches long, 3j inches wide, and 1 inch
deep, in the bottom of the gutter at its extreme west end, points to some difficulty in keeping
the gutter clear. Mr. Schultz indeed suggests that the gutter was intended to be kept full of
water, with an overflow at the west end ; but the existence of .the groove mentioned above,
which he did not see, owing to the mud and water in the gutter, seems to us to make
this theory improbable.36
Of the original drain connected with the gutter we have found no traces; but
remains of a later (perhaps Roman) drain, which replaced it, are indicated in the plan.
It is noteworthy that Pausanias37 mentions a spring in the Theatre. If this spring
was situated at any point upon the slope of the auditorium, it is not impossible that the small
runnels marked a, a, a, in Plate VII. may have served (as Mr. Schultz suggests) as
outlets for this spring. But perhaps Pausanias’ words imply a spring too large to be provided
for by such small and inconspicuous runnels.
(7i) Shape of the
Auditorium..
(h) Shape of the Auditorium.—The ideal shape of the auditorium in Greek Theatres was
an arc of a circle. In practice this was often modified. Thus at Athens and Piraeus the shape
is a semicircle prolonged by two parallel tangents ;38 while at Epidaurus the two ends of the
curve are arcs of somewhat larger circles described from centres on either side of the centre of
the orchestra. The object of this arrangement was to enable spectators at the extreme ends of
the auditorium to obtain a better view. At Megalopolis no such adjustment was made. All
the curves of the auditorium and orchestra are arcs of concentric circles, whose common centre
is marked by the intersection of the axes in Plates V. and VII. The arc of the auditorium is so
35 It is a curious coincidence that in the Theatre at
Athens the θρόνοι corresponding to each of the end blocks
are six in number, while all the other blocks have only five
θρόνοι in front of them (Πρακτικά, 1878, plan; Muller,
p. 89, plan. The plan in. Baumeister (p. 1737) does not
show this difference and is so far erroneous. That in
Haigh (p. 112) also is inaccurate in this respect).
In Mittheil. xvi. p. 257, Dr. Dorpfeld states that the
inscribed benches at Megalopolis have demonstrably (nach-
weisbar) been moved from their original position, but does
not say on what grounds the demonstration rests. There
is, on the contrary, strong evidence for the opposite view.
We have measured the curvature of a number of the
blocks of which they are composed, and have found it to
be in every case greater than that of the corresponding
blocks in the row of seats behind. Mr. Schultz (chap. III.)
on other grounds agrees with us in believing the inscribed
benches to occupy the position for which they were originally
intended.
36 But not absolutely impossible. The groove at the
west end may have been intended only to facilitate the
process of cleaning out the gutter on occasion. We could
quote at least one parallel case in modern times.
3‘ viii. 32, 1 ev δέ αντω καί άεναός έστιν υδατος πηγή.
38 Baumeister, Denkmaler, ρ. 1740, and plan, ρ. 1737 ;
Πρακτικά, 1880, plan.
.THE THEATRE.
[CHAP. IV'
were an addition to tlie plan : (3) the top of the conglomerate foundations of the pedestals C and
D, in which the retaining walls terminate toward the orchestra, are on a level with the passage,
which served also as the footboard of the lowest tier of ordinary seats (see Fig. 32, Chap. III.).
This makes it almost certain that this passage or footboard formed the boundary of the orchestra,
according to the original scheme. Had it been originally intended to continue the slope of
the πάροδοί beyond these pedestals to a level as low as that of the footboard of the inscribed
benches, the foundations of the pedestals would undoubtedly have been sunk to a greater depth.
We regard the inscribed benches, therefore, as an addition, though not a much later addition, to
the original plan of the Theatre ; and we suppose the original level of the orchestra to have
been somewhat higher,—perhaps as much as 15 inches higher,—than it is now. For the
evidence that the two end benches have been disturbed at a later time, probably when they
were lengthened by the insertion of an extra block, we would refer our readers to Chap. III.35
G) ’Οχετός
(gutter').
Spring mentioned
by Pausanias.
(g) ’θχετο'ί, or Gutter.—Gutters running round the orchestra are the general rule in Greek
Theatres. Comparisons with Athens and Epidaurus have been given in the paragraph (e) which
deals with the passage behind the inscribed benches. The chief peculiarity of the gutter at
Megalopolis is its narrowness; it is only about 1 foot 8 inches in breadth. This is perhaps due to
the addition of the inscribed benches to the original scheme, it being considered undesirable to reduce
the size of the orchestra (already reduced by the insertion of those benches) more than necessary.
Another peculiarity of the gutter is that its bottom is almost absolutely level; indeed at present
the centre is about 2 inches lower than the west end, at which the outlet appears to have been
situated, so that the gutter is never entirely free from water. This must be partly due to settling ;
but not, we think, entirely, for a groove some 6 feet 4 inches long, 3j inches wide, and 1 inch
deep, in the bottom of the gutter at its extreme west end, points to some difficulty in keeping
the gutter clear. Mr. Schultz indeed suggests that the gutter was intended to be kept full of
water, with an overflow at the west end ; but the existence of .the groove mentioned above,
which he did not see, owing to the mud and water in the gutter, seems to us to make
this theory improbable.36
Of the original drain connected with the gutter we have found no traces; but
remains of a later (perhaps Roman) drain, which replaced it, are indicated in the plan.
It is noteworthy that Pausanias37 mentions a spring in the Theatre. If this spring
was situated at any point upon the slope of the auditorium, it is not impossible that the small
runnels marked a, a, a, in Plate VII. may have served (as Mr. Schultz suggests) as
outlets for this spring. But perhaps Pausanias’ words imply a spring too large to be provided
for by such small and inconspicuous runnels.
(7i) Shape of the
Auditorium..
(h) Shape of the Auditorium.—The ideal shape of the auditorium in Greek Theatres was
an arc of a circle. In practice this was often modified. Thus at Athens and Piraeus the shape
is a semicircle prolonged by two parallel tangents ;38 while at Epidaurus the two ends of the
curve are arcs of somewhat larger circles described from centres on either side of the centre of
the orchestra. The object of this arrangement was to enable spectators at the extreme ends of
the auditorium to obtain a better view. At Megalopolis no such adjustment was made. All
the curves of the auditorium and orchestra are arcs of concentric circles, whose common centre
is marked by the intersection of the axes in Plates V. and VII. The arc of the auditorium is so
35 It is a curious coincidence that in the Theatre at
Athens the θρόνοι corresponding to each of the end blocks
are six in number, while all the other blocks have only five
θρόνοι in front of them (Πρακτικά, 1878, plan; Muller,
p. 89, plan. The plan in. Baumeister (p. 1737) does not
show this difference and is so far erroneous. That in
Haigh (p. 112) also is inaccurate in this respect).
In Mittheil. xvi. p. 257, Dr. Dorpfeld states that the
inscribed benches at Megalopolis have demonstrably (nach-
weisbar) been moved from their original position, but does
not say on what grounds the demonstration rests. There
is, on the contrary, strong evidence for the opposite view.
We have measured the curvature of a number of the
blocks of which they are composed, and have found it to
be in every case greater than that of the corresponding
blocks in the row of seats behind. Mr. Schultz (chap. III.)
on other grounds agrees with us in believing the inscribed
benches to occupy the position for which they were originally
intended.
36 But not absolutely impossible. The groove at the
west end may have been intended only to facilitate the
process of cleaning out the gutter on occasion. We could
quote at least one parallel case in modern times.
3‘ viii. 32, 1 ev δέ αντω καί άεναός έστιν υδατος πηγή.
38 Baumeister, Denkmaler, ρ. 1740, and plan, ρ. 1737 ;
Πρακτικά, 1880, plan.