[9] _Poetic_, 1449_a_: γενομένη δ’ οὖν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτοσχεδιαστική ... ἀπὸ τῶν ἐξαρχόντων τὸν διθύραμβον ... κατὰ μικρὸν ηὐξήθη προαγόντων ὅσον ἐγίγνετο φανερὸν αὐτῆς, καὶ πολλὰς μεταβολὰς μεταβαλοῦσα ἡ τραγῳδία ἐπαύσατο, ἐπεὶ ἔσχε τὴν αὐτῆς φύσιν. καὶ τό τε τῶν ὑποκριτῶν πλῆθος ἐξ ἑνὸς εἰς δύο πρῶτος Αἰσχύλος ἤγαγε καὶ τὰ τοῦ χοροῦ ἠλάττωσε καὶ τὸν λόγον πρωταγωνιστὴν παρεσκεύασεν, τρεῖς δὲ καὶ σκηνογραφίαν Σοφοκλῆς. ἔτι δὲ τὰ μέγεθος ἐκ μικρῶν μύθων καὶ λέξεως γελοίας διὰ τὸ ἐκ σατυρικοῦ μεταβαλεῖν ὀψὲ ἀπεσεμνύνθη. τό τε μέτρον ἐκ τετραμέτρου ἰαμβεῖον ἐγένετο· τὸ μὲν γὰρ πρῶτον τετραμέτρῳ ἐχρῶντο διὰ τὸ σατυρικὴν καὶ ὀρχηστικωτέραν εἶναι τὴν ποίησιν ... ἔτι δὲ ἐπεισοδίων πλήθη. καὶ τὰ ἄλλ’ ὡς ἕκαστα κοσμηθῆναι λέγεται.... Here and elsewhere, in quoting from the _Poetic_, I borrow Butcher’s admirable translation. [10] These narratives and conversations were naturally regarded as interruptions in the main business, and this feeling is marked by the name always given to the “acts” of a play, ἐπεισόδια (“episodia”), _i.e._ “interventions” or “interruptions”. [11] The text of the treatise is, however, incomplete. The author of the pseudo-Platonic _Minos_ (321 A) speaks of the current belief that Thespis was the originator of tragedy. [12] This is a mere name for a really anonymous collection of information on philosophical and other history. [13] _Ars Poetica_, 275-7. [14] _Poetic_, 1449_a_. [15] βασιλεὺς ἦν Χοίριλος ἐν σατύροις (Plotius, _De Metris_, p. 2633, quoted by Haigh, _Tragic Drama_, p. 40). [16] _Frogs_, 689: εἴ τις ἥμαρτε σφαλείς τι Φρυνίχου παλαίσμασιν. The allusion in the first instance points undoubtedly to the famous _general_ Phrynichus; but his political machinations are jokingly referred to as a “wrestling-bout” because of the celebrated description in his namesake the playwright. [17] Herod. VI, 21. [18] _Wasps_, 220 (μέλη ἀρχαιομελισιδωνοφρυνιχήρατα). [19] _Birds_, 748-51, reading ὥσπερ ἡ μέλιττα. [20] λάμπει δ’ ἐπὶ πορφυρέαις παρῇσι φῶς ἔρωτος. Notice the exquisite alliteration. Sophocles no doubt had this line in mind when he wrote _Antigone_ 782. [21] The writer of the Argument to the _Persæ_ says: Γλαῦκος ἐν τοῖς περὶ Αἰσχύλου μύθων ἐκ τῶν Φοινίσσων Φρυνίχου φησὶ τοὺς Πέρσας παραπεποιῆσθαι. The late Dr. Verrall (_The Bacchantes of Euripides and Other Essays_, pp. 283-308) believed that not only is the _Persæ_ modelled on the _Phœnissæ_ but _Æschylus_ incorporated a large portion of Phrynichus’ play with little change (_Persæ_ vv. 480-514 especially). [22] By M. Croiset, _Hist. de la Litt. grecque_, III, p. 49. [23] This is asserted by his epitaph:— Αἴσχυλον Εὐφορίωνος Ἀθηναῖον τόδε κεύθει μνῆμα καταφθίμενον πυροφόροιο Γέλας, ἀλκὴν δ’ εὐδόκιμον Μαραθώνιον ἄλσος ἂν εἴποι καὶ βαθυχαιτήεις Μῆδος ἐπιστάμενος. These verses are said to come from the pen of Æschylus himself. For once such tradition appears to be true. No forger would have had the audacity to omit all reference to the plays.