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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 December 2013
While most of the dispositions of the ancient Greek theatre have been submitted in recent years to a searching examination, the question as to the scenery used as a background to plays has been somewhat neglected. It seems to me that a fresh enquiry on this particular point may be of service.
I must preface this enquiry by a statement of the view which I adopt as to the presence or absence of a raised stage in the Greek theatre, since it is obvious that any theory as to scenery must depend in a great degree upon the solution of the stage question which is adopted. It is quite impossible on this occasion to discuss fully the question whether the place of the actors in Greece was the orchestra or the λογεῖον I can only say that I assume the latter view to be correct. I think that from the time of Aeschylus onwards the stage, which had at first been a low platform of varying size, grew steadily in height as the part of the actors in the performance grew more important, and their independence of the chorus more complete. And as the stage grew higher it also grew narrower by an obvious necessity, until we have the long narrow stone stage of the Hellenistic age, which exactly corresponds with the assertions of Vitruvius and other ancient authorities.
page 252 note 1 Amer. Journal of Archaeology, 1898, p. 187.
page 252 note 2 Ibid. p. 193.
page 253 note 1 vii. Praef. 11.
page 254 note 1 M.D.I, xi. 40: Suppl. 21.
page 256 note 1 Benndorf und Niemanii, Das Heroõn von Gjölbaschi, Pl. 12, 13.
page 256 note 2 Ibid. Pl. 10.
page 256 note 3 Ibid. Pl. 16.
page 256 note 4 Benndorf and Niemann, Pl. 12.
page 256 note 5 Ibid. Pl. 16.
page 256 note 6 Alte Denkmäler, i. 19 &c.
page 257 note 1 Ars Poetica, 279.
page 257 note 2 Bell. Gall. iv. 17, 3 Tigna bina sesquipedalia paulum ab imo praeacuta……in flumen defixerat.
page 258 note 1 Servius on Verg. Georg. iii. 24 (scaena) ductilis tum, cum tractatis tabulatis hue atque illuc species picturae nudabatur interior.
page 258 note 2 Bull. Corr. Hell. 1894, pp. 161–7.
page 259 note 1 xii. 28a.
page 259 note 2 ii. 4, 6.
page 259 note 3 vi. 22.
page 259 note 4 Among the most recent discussions of the periacti is that of Dr.Holwerda, in Athen. Mittheil. 1898, p. 38Google Scholara. As Dr. Holwerda is an advocate of the no-stage theory, his views do not coincide with those here advocated; but as to the general use of the periacti Dr. Holwerda and I do not greatly differ.
page 260 note 1 Vitruvius v. 8. Servius, ad Verg. Georg. iii. 24 speaks of the periaetos as seaena versilis. ‘Versilis tum erat, cum subito tota machinie quibusdam convertebatur, et aliam picturae faciem ostendebat.’
page 260 note 2 A few instances may be desirable :—
page 261 note 1 iv. 181.
page 262 note 1 Pollux iv. 126, παῤ ἑκάτερα δὲ τῶν δύο θυρῶν τῶν περὶ τὴν μέσην ἄλλαι δύο εἰεν ἄν μία ἐκατέρωθεν πρὸς ἄς αἱ περίακτοι συμπεπήγασιν ἡ μὲν δεξιὰ τὰ ἔξω πόλεως δηλοῦσα ἡ δ᾿ ἑτέρα τὰ ἐκ πόλεως μάλιστα τὰ ἐκ λιμένος καὶ θεούς τε θαλαττίους ἐπάγει καὶ πάνθ᾿ ὄσα ἐπαχθέστερα ὄντα ἡ μηχανὴ φέρειν ἀδυνατεῖ
page 262 note 2 v. 8.
page 263 note 1 Schreiber, Hellenist. Reliefs, Pl. 83 : Dörpfeld and Reisch, p. 327: cf. Schreiber Pl. 85, &c.
page 263 note 2 l. 184–218.
page 264 note 1 l. 1146.
