Of course, the extensive size of the Roman theatres made it impossible that the natural voice of the actors should be distinctly heard at the distance they stood from the audience: to remedy this inconvenience, they had recourse to a sort of mask, which covered both the head and the face: it was called _persona_, from two Latin words, signifying to _sound through_: the mouth of this mask was made very large, and with thin plates of brass they contrived to swell the sound of the voice, and, at the same time, to vary its tones, so as to accord with the passions they wished to express. Instructions in the use of these masks formed an essential and important branch of the education of a Roman actor. The plays represented at Rome were divided into two classes: 1. the palliatæ, 2. the togatæ. In the first, the characters of the piece were entirely Grecian: in the latter, they were entirely Roman. The second class, _viz._, the togatæ, were subdivided into the prætextatæ, when the play was tragedy: the tabernariæ, when the scenes lay in low life: the atellanæ, or farces: and the trabeatæ, when the scene lay in the camp: they had likewise mimes and pantomimes. The chorus consisted sometimes of one person, though generally of several, who stood on the stage during the representation, at first, without any share in the action of the piece: some suppose that they were there partly in the character of spectators: if this conjecture be correct, Terence may be excused for making the actors address them. Their business seems originally to have been singing between the pauses in the action, and delivering moral reflections on what was represented on the stage: afterwards they were incorporated with the action, as a species of attendants. These theatrical appendages were at last laid aside, because it was thought to appear improbable, that intrigues, which usually are to be kept secret, should be carried on in their presence. Flutes were played during the whole time of the performance, and the chief musician beating time, directed the actors when they were to raise, and when they were to depress their voices. Sometimes one person recited the words, and another performed the action of the same part. The tibiæ, or flutes, were of various kinds: the best account of the manner in which they were used is given us by Madame Dacier, as follows: “The performers played on two flutes during the whole of the representation. They stopped the vents of one of them with the right hand: that flute was, therefore, called right handed: the other was stopped with the left, and called a left-handed flute. In the first, there were but a few holes; which occasioned it to give a deep, bass sound: in the other, the holes were very numerous: this flute sounded a sharp shrill note.