Origin of the Greek Drama--The Structure of the Theatre--The Theatre of Dionysus--The Theatre at Syracuse--The Auditorium--The Stage--The Orchestra--Scene-painting--Stage Accessories--The Greek Drama--Tragedy, Comedy, and Satire--The _Choragia_--Theatrical Masks--Costumes--Conditions of Admission to the Theatre--The Securing of Seats--The Audience. Greek drama, both tragedy and comedy, originated in the national amusements and performances of the choruses at the Dionysiac festivals. A few words must also be said about the arrangements of the theatre, such as they were at the time of the greatest glory of the drama at Athens. Here, fortunately, we have so large a store of information and monuments still extant, that we can form a very clear picture of these representations, differing as they did entirely from our modern performances. In spite of the great advance made by Greek drama from the rough popular beginnings till the time of its greatest glory, and in spite of the enormous difference between the tragedies of the three great masters and the comedies of Aristophanes, both in their whole character as well as in the details of their structure and performance, and the cyclic choruses and rustic sports of the old Dionysia, yet there are a few points in which the drama, even in its highest development, shows the traces of its origin. One of these is the custom of giving theatrical representations only at certain festive seasons of the year, and in some way connected with the worship of Dionysus as actual religious acts, though [Illustration: FIG. 150. A Temple of Asclepios. B Rocky ground. C Seats hewn from the rocks. D Entrance. E Remains of rows of seats. F Destroyed portions. G Parts not yet excavated. H Not yet excavated; private property, with houses on it. I Avenue or boulevard. K Church of the Passover-- (a) Former size. (b) Present size.]