Aristophanes and his confrères often speak of stupid, vulgar scenes or jokes as being “stolen from Megara.”[106] Though these words have been otherwise explained,[107] I believe that Megara, which is the nearest Dorian city to Attica, had something to do with the introduction of the histrionic element into Attic comedy. Of course, this does not mean that Megara is to be regarded as the inventor of Athenian comedy, for the comus was indigenous and received its development on Attic soil and the type of performance which came into being after the introduction of actors was quite unlike anything in Megara or any other part of the Dorian world. [Illustration: FIG. 17.—Comic Actors and Flute-Players upon an Attic Vase in Petrograd See p. 47, n. 1] [Illustration: FIG. 18.—An Attic Terra Cotta in Berlin Representing a Comic Actor. See p. 47, n. 1] [Illustration: FIG. 19.—An Attic Terra Cotta in Munich Representing a Comic Actor. See p. 47, n. 1] [Illustration: FIG. 20.—Actors of Dorian Comedy upon a Corinthian Crater in Paris See p. 47, n. 2] With actors, impersonation became possible for the first time in Attic comedy. Besides the nondescript chorus and chorus leaders, there were now performers who could assume the identity of real or imaginary characters and carry a rôle or, by a change of mask, several rôles through the play. The importance of all this is too obvious to require amplification. It marked the birth of dramatic comedy at Athens. Through the introduction of actors, comedy became amenable to several other influences. Tragedy could at once make itself felt. A histrionic prologue could now be added, the comic prologue corresponding in length and function to the tragic prologue and first episode combined.[108] A real agon of actors now became possible, whatever use may have been made previously of the chorus leaders for this purpose. Furthermore, the new Megarian burlesque episodes (5) would naturally be separated by stasima (6) in imitation of tragedy. It would also be possible to insert an episode[109] between the parodus and the agon, as is done in Aristophanes’ _Plutus_, vss. 322-486; or between the agon and the parabasis, as in Aristophanes’ _Knights_, vss. 461-97; or to compose a second parabasis and to insert an additional episode between them, as in Aristophanes’ _Peace_, vss. 1039-1126, etc. In addition to all this, tragedy would exert a constant influence in elevating and standardizing all parts of comedy alike. [Illustration: FIG. 21.—Actors of Dorian Comedy upon a Corinthian Vase See p. 47, n. 2]