Page:The Theatre of the Greeks, a Treatise on the History and Exhibition of the Greek Drama, with Various Supplements.djvu/66

 48 ORCHOMENIAN INSCRIPTIONS. herald, who began the games : their art was doubtless an object of contest in most sacred games, and the heralds in particular contended with one another in the gymnic games (Cicero, Fam. v. 1 2) ; which may perhaps have been the principal reason why the ancients had trumpeters and heralds, whom no one of the present day could have matched in strength of voice, Comp. Pollux, IV. 86 — 92; Athen. x. p. 415 F, seqq, ; JElian, V. H. I. 26. These are followed by the Epic poet, together with the Rhap- sodist who recited his poem : then we have the flute-player and harper with the persons who sang to these instruments respectively. Next come, in both Inscriptions, Tragedians and Comedians. At the new Charitesia, however, three additional dra- matic ^games are mentioned: iroiTjTTjs Sari/pwj' and v-rroKpiTrjs, TroLrjrrjs Tpayi^jdiQiv and inroKpiTrjs, ttoltjttjs KojficpdLQv and VTroKpiTrjS. At the Homolo'ia in the second Inscrip- tion, Tragedians and Comedians occur, and for the celebration of the victory (ra i-mviKLa) another Comedy, but without actors. It is sufficiently clear from this, that when merely Tragedians and Comedians are mentioned, without actors, as is so often the case in authors and Inscriptions, we are not to understand a play, but only a song : if, however, a Play is to be signified, this must first be determined by some particular addition. As soon as an actor {vwoKpLT-qs) is mentioned, we understand by Tragedy and Comedy a dramatic entertainment. For a long time Tragedians and Comedians alone appeared in the Charitesia at Orchomenus, and it is only in later times that we find there all the three kinds of dramatic representations, when the theatre of Athens had extended its influence on all sides ; nevertheless, even then the tragic and comic poets are Athenians, and only the satyrical poet a Theban. But Tragedians and Comedians, as lyric bards, were to be found everywhere from the most ancient times. This has not been properly attended to, and many passages in ancient writers have consequently been considered as enigmatical or suspicious. In the list of Pindar's Works, given by Suidas, we have seventeen dpa/xara rpayiKa. I have no doubt that Pindar wrote Tragedies, but they were lyric poems, and not Dramas. With this remark, we recognize at once what is true or false in this account. Simonides of Ceos is said by the Scholiast on Aristophanes, by Suidas and Eudocia, to have written Tragedies, which Van Goens (p. 51) doubts; but what objection can be raised to this statement, if we only understand in it lyrical and not dramatic Tragedies ? Whether the Tragedies of the younger Empedocles (see Suidas in 'E^ttc- doKXijs, comp. Sturz, Empedocl. p, 86, seqq., where, however, there are all sorts of errors) were just such Dorian lyric Tragedies, or real dramatic exhibitions, I leave undecided. Arion seems to have been considered as the inventor of this lyric goat- aong, since the introduction of the tragic manner [rpayiKhs rpbTros) is ascribed to this Dithyrambic poet, although he is said to have added satyrs to the chorus as acting persons (comp. Fabric. B. Gr. Vol. 11. p, 286, Harles' edition). It is admitted that the Drama grew out of a lyric entertainment, and was formed from the chorus ; but it is not so generally known that among the Dorians and ^olians a lyric Tragedy and Comedy existed before, and along with the dramatic, as a distinct species, but people usually referred merely to the rude lyrical beginnings in the Festal games. Tlius tragedies before the time of Thespis remained a thorn in the eyes of critics, which it was needful to have taken out; and Bentley's services {Opusc. p. 276) in this respect have been very highly estimated. But let not us be deceived by it. The Pelopon- nesians justly claimed Tragedy as their property (Aristot. Poet, iii.): its invention and completion as a lyrical entertainment belongs undoubtedly to the Sicyonians, whose Tragedies are mentioned by Herodotus (v. 67, comp. Themist. XIX. p. 487) : on which account the invention of Comedy also is sometimes attributed to the Sicyo- nians (Orest. Anthol. Part 11. p. 328, 326); and Thespis may very well have been