Page:The Theatre of the Greeks, a Treatise on the History and Exhibition of the Greek Drama, with Various Supplements.djvu/279

 GREEK PLAYS IN GENERAL. 253 to which liis distinctive attributes, the club and the bow, were merely added." The accompaning illustration contains all the elements of this Dionysiac costumed It represents an actor dressed in the character of Bacchus. He does not wear the mask with its lofty fore-top, but he is shod with the cothurnus, which has the usual high sole, and the upper leather, which is visible, is adorned with the most elaborate lacing. He wears on his head a chaplet of ivy. The mutilated staff in his hand is undoubtedly a fragment of the thyrsus 2. Over a syrma, with sleeves reaching to his wrists, he wears the usual upper robe of Bacchus fastened by a girdle. The long garland of flowers, which hangs round his neck, is one of the regular Bacchic adornments. By his left side is a statuette, unfortunately mutilated, which probably represents Melpomene; and the female figure, also imperfect, to which he turns his head, ^ It is taken from Buonarroti, Osservazioni sopra alcuni Medagli Anticlii, p. 447 5 Bellori, Pictur. Ant. Ci-ypt. Rom. T. xv, ; Panofka, Cabinet de Pourtales-Gorgier, PI. XXXVIII. 2 Pollux, IV. 117: 6 5^ KpoKcorbs l/xaTiof Aiovvaos 5^ avT(^ ^XPWO Kal yuao'xaXiO'T^pi dvOiuu) Kal Ovpcru}.