DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5009#0083
THEATRES. C5
(agonothetes), the magistrates, and those who, by their own or their
ancestors' services, had acquired a right (irpoeSpta) to have places
reserved for them. Behind these were the young men, ephebi, and
behind them again, the citizens and the rest of the people. At
Athens women were not admitted to scenic representations. The
rich brought cushions and carpets with them.
The orchestra (opxnarpa) was a circular level space, extending in
front of the spectators, and somewhat below the lowest row of
benches. But it was not a complete circle, one segment of it being
appropriated to the stage. The orchestra was the place for the
chorus, where it performed its evolutions and dances, for which
purpose it was covered with boards. In the centre of the circle of
the orchestra was the thymele {6vp.i\.-q), that is, the altar of Dionysius,
which was, of course, nearer to the stage than to the seats of the
spectators, the distance from which was precisely the length of a
radius of the circle. The chorus generally arranged itself in the
space between the thymele and the stage. The thymele itself was
of a square form, and was used for various purposes, according to
the nature of the different plays, such as a funeral monument, an
altar. It was made of boards, and surrounded on all sides with steps.
On these steps, sometimes, the chorus ascended; the coryphasus, or
leader of the chorus, then mounted the upper portion of the thymele,
which was on a level with the crKrjvt]. According to Millin, it served
as a tribune, when popular assemblies were held in the theatre.
The stage (07071/77) was elevated ten or twelve feet above the
orchestra; the wall which supported it was called iiroo-Krjviov, and
was relieved by statues, pillars, and other architectural ornaments.
The stage itself was a broad, shallow platform, called by the Greeks
Aoyetov or Trpoo-Kijviov ; by the Bomans pulpitum. Strictly speaking,
the Tvpoo-K-qviov was the entire space from the scena to the orchestra ;
the \oyaov, the narrow portion opposite the centre of the scene,
where the actors stood and spoke. The backside of the stage was
closed by a wall called the trKqvq or scena. It represented a suit-
able background, or the locality in which the action was going on.
The wapaa-KcvLa were rooms behind the stage, where the actors retired
to dress, and where the decorations and machines were kept. In
the Boman theatre this part of the building was called the post-
scenium. In the front of the stage was a recess in the floor, meant to
contain a curtain (autea), which was drawn up previous to the per-
formance, to conceal the scene. A flight of steps, called kA^cckt^k,
led up from the thymele to the stage, for the use of the characters
of the play, who, when they were supposed to come from a distance,
often entered by the orchestra. There was a flight of steps con-
v
(agonothetes), the magistrates, and those who, by their own or their
ancestors' services, had acquired a right (irpoeSpta) to have places
reserved for them. Behind these were the young men, ephebi, and
behind them again, the citizens and the rest of the people. At
Athens women were not admitted to scenic representations. The
rich brought cushions and carpets with them.
The orchestra (opxnarpa) was a circular level space, extending in
front of the spectators, and somewhat below the lowest row of
benches. But it was not a complete circle, one segment of it being
appropriated to the stage. The orchestra was the place for the
chorus, where it performed its evolutions and dances, for which
purpose it was covered with boards. In the centre of the circle of
the orchestra was the thymele {6vp.i\.-q), that is, the altar of Dionysius,
which was, of course, nearer to the stage than to the seats of the
spectators, the distance from which was precisely the length of a
radius of the circle. The chorus generally arranged itself in the
space between the thymele and the stage. The thymele itself was
of a square form, and was used for various purposes, according to
the nature of the different plays, such as a funeral monument, an
altar. It was made of boards, and surrounded on all sides with steps.
On these steps, sometimes, the chorus ascended; the coryphasus, or
leader of the chorus, then mounted the upper portion of the thymele,
which was on a level with the crKrjvt]. According to Millin, it served
as a tribune, when popular assemblies were held in the theatre.
The stage (07071/77) was elevated ten or twelve feet above the
orchestra; the wall which supported it was called iiroo-Krjviov, and
was relieved by statues, pillars, and other architectural ornaments.
The stage itself was a broad, shallow platform, called by the Greeks
Aoyetov or Trpoo-Kijviov ; by the Bomans pulpitum. Strictly speaking,
the Tvpoo-K-qviov was the entire space from the scena to the orchestra ;
the \oyaov, the narrow portion opposite the centre of the scene,
where the actors stood and spoke. The backside of the stage was
closed by a wall called the trKqvq or scena. It represented a suit-
able background, or the locality in which the action was going on.
The wapaa-KcvLa were rooms behind the stage, where the actors retired
to dress, and where the decorations and machines were kept. In
the Boman theatre this part of the building was called the post-
scenium. In the front of the stage was a recess in the floor, meant to
contain a curtain (autea), which was drawn up previous to the per-
formance, to conceal the scene. A flight of steps, called kA^cckt^k,
led up from the thymele to the stage, for the use of the characters
of the play, who, when they were supposed to come from a distance,
often entered by the orchestra. There was a flight of steps con-
v