The Greek theater and its dramaFlickinger, Roy C. (Roy Caston)
History
The Greek theater and its drama
Flickinger, Roy C. (Roy Caston)
Drama -- Technique; Greek drama -- History and criticism; Theater -- Greece -- History -- To 500
On the other hand, a list[61] of fifteen Attic vases has been drawn
up on which goat-men appear. None of these antedates 450 B.C., so that
it is clear that such figures did not go back to a remote period in
Athenian history. In fact, they can hardly be conceived of as preceding
Pratinas’ introduction of the satyric drama toward the close of the
sixth century. Unfortunately none of these vases is inscribed, but the
caprine ears, hoofs, horns, and tails scarcely leave room for doubt
that these creatures, like similar figures of Hellenistic and Roman
times, were known as satyrs. With one possible exception (Fig. 9), which
will be discussed presently, these representations also have no direct
relationship to the theater. It would thus appear that from first to
last a clear distinction was drawn, outside the sphere of theatrical
influence, between the equine sileni and the caprine satyrs.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.—Preparations for a Satyric Drama from a Naples
Crater of About 400 B.C.
See p. 25, n. 1]
Of the vases which may certainly be regarded as representing scenes
from satyric drama the best known and most pretentious is a crater in
Naples (Fig. 4).[62] This and a crater at Deepdene were painted about
400 B.C. Somewhat earlier are another crater at Deepdene, a dinos at
Athens (Figs. 5 and 6), and fragments of two dinoi at Bonn (Fig. 7).[63]
The last three are derived from the same original. On the Naples crater
preparations for a satyr-play are being made in the presence of Dionysus
and Ariadne, who are seen in an affectionate embrace in the center of
the top row. The names of the figures are made known by inscriptions in
most cases but are not always significant. Just beyond Ariadne, Love
(Ἵμερος) hovers above an uninscribed actor in women’s costume, whose mask
is provided with a Scythian cap. The next figure is Heracles (inscribed)
and the next is thought to be Silenus. Beyond Dionysus is an uninscribed
actor in royal costume. Except Love, all these figures carry masks and
constitute the histrionic personages in the drama. It has been claimed
with great plausibility that the play dealt with Heracles’ exploits at
Troy.[64] In that case the king is Laomedon and the maiden is Hesione,
his daughter, who was rescued from the sea monster by Heracles. To the
right of the dancing choreutes in the lower row is the flute-player
(Pronomus), who will furnish the accompaniment for the lyrical portions
of the play; to the left is Demetrius with a roll in his hand, probably
the poet. The remaining twelve figures are probably choreutae and bear
more directly upon our present investigation. Most of them carry masks,
and they have human feet and no horns. They resemble sileni in having
long equine tails. The sole resemblance to satyrs is found in the fact
that nine of them wear a shaggy covering about the loins, supposedly a
goatskin. The waistband upon the choreutes in the extreme upper left-hand
corner, however, resembles cloth trunks more than a skin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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