the story of mankind-第13章

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Greeks；　before　everything　else；　wanted　to　be　‘‘free；''　both　in

mind　and　in　body。　That　they　might　maintain　their　liberty；　and

be　truly　free　in　spirit；　they　reduced　their　daily　needs　to　the

lowest　possible　point。







THE　GREEK　THEATRE



THE　ORIGINS　OF　THE　THEATRE；　THE　FIRST

FORM　OF　PUBLIC　AMUSEMENT





AT　a　very　early　stage　of　their　history　the　Greeks　had　begun

to　collect　the　poems；　which　had　been　written　in　honor　of

their　brave　ancestors　who　had　driven　the　Pelasgians　out　of

Hellas　and　had　destroyed　the　power　of　Troy。　These　poems　were

recited　in　public　and　everybody　came　to　listen　to　them。　But

the　theatre；　the　form　of　entertainment　which　has　become　almost

a　necessary　part　of　our　own　lives；　did　not　grow　out　of　these

recited　heroic　tales。　It　had　such　a　curious　origin　that　I　must

tell　you　something　about　it　in　a　separate　chapter



The　Greeks　had　always　been　fond　of　parades。　Every

year　they　held　solemn　processions　in　honor　of　Dionysos　the

God　of　the　wine。　As　everybody　in　Greece　drank　wine　（the

Greeks　thought　water　only　useful　for　the　purpose　of　swimming

and　sailing）　this　particular　Divinity　was　as　popular　as　a　God

of　the　Soda…Fountain　would　be　in　our　own　land。



And　because　the　Wine…God　was　supposed　to　live　in　the

vineyards；　amidst　a　merry　mob　of　Satyrs　（strange　creatures

who　were　half　man　and　half　goat）；　the　crowd　that　joined　the

procession　used　to　wear　goat…skins　and　to　hee…haw　like　real

billy…goats。　The　Greek　word　for　goat　is　‘‘tragos''　and　the

Greek　word　for　singer　is　‘‘oidos。''　The　singer　who　meh…mehed

like　a　goat　therefore　was　called　a　‘‘tragos…oidos''　or　goat　singer；

and　it　is　this　strange　name　which　developed　into　the　modern

word　‘‘Tragedy；''　which　means　in　the　theatrical　sense　a　piece

with　an　unhappy　ending；　just　as　Comedy　（which　really　means

the　singing　of　something　‘‘comos''　or　gay）　is　the　name　given

to　a　play　which　ends　happily。



But　how；　you　will　ask；　did　this　noisy　chorus　of　masqueraders；

stamping　around　like　wild　goats；　ever　develop　into　the

noble　tragedies　which　have　filled　the　theatres　of　the　world　for

almost　two　thousand　years？



The　connecting　link　between　the　goat…singer　and　Hamlet　is

really　very　simple　as　I　shall　show　you　in　a　moment。



The　singing　chorus　was　very　amusing　in　the　beginning　and

attracted　large　crowds　of　spectators　who　stood　along　the　side

of　the　road　and　laughed。　But　soon　this　business　of　tree…hawing

grew　tiresome　and　the　Greeks　thought　dullness　an　evil　only

comparable　to　ugliness　or　sickness。　They　asked　for　something

more　entertaining。　Then　an　inventive　young　poet　from

the　village　of　Icaria　in　Attica　hit　upon　a　new　idea　which　proved

a　tremendous　success。　He　made　one　of　the　members　of　the

goat…chorus　step　forward　and　engage　in　conversation　with　the

leader　of　the　musicians　who　marched　at　the　head　of　the　parade

playing　upon　their　pipes　of　Pan。　This　individual　was　allowed

to　step　out　of　line。　He　waved　his　arms　and　gesticulated

while　he　spoke　（that　is　to　say　he　‘‘acted''　while　the　others　merely

stood　by　and　sang）　and　he　asked　a　lot　of　questions；　which　the

bandmaster　answered　according　to　the　roll　of　papyrus　upon

which　the　poet　had　written　down　these　answers　before　the

show　began。



This　rough　and　ready　conversationthe　dialoguewhich

told　the　story　of　Dionysos　or　one　of　the　other　Gods；　became

at　once　popular　with　the　crowd。　Henceforth　every　Dionysian

procession　had　an　‘‘acted　scene''　and　very　soon　the　‘‘acting''

was　considered　more　important　than　the　procession　and　the

meh…mehing。



AEschylus；　the　most　successful　of　all　‘‘tragedians''　who　wrote

no　less　than　eighty　plays　during　his　long　life　（from　526　to　455）

made　a　bold　step　forward　when　he　introduced　two　‘‘actors''

instead　of　one。　A　generation　later　Sophocles　increased　the

number　of　actors　to　three。　When　Euripides　began　to　write

his　terrible　tragedies　in　the　middle　of　the　fifth　century；　B。C。；

he　was　allowed　as　many　actors　as　he　liked　and　when　Aristophanes

wrote　those　famous　comedies　in　which　he　poked　fun　at

everybody　and　everything；　including　the　Gods　of　Mount　Olympus；

the　chorus　had　been　reduced　to　the　role　of　mere　bystanders

who　were　lined　up　behind　the　principal　performers

and　who　sang　‘‘this　is　a　terrible　world''　while　the　hero　in　the

foreground　committed　a　crime　against　the　will　of　the　Gods。



This　new　form　of　dramatic　entertainment　demanded　a

proper　setting；　and　soon　every　Greek　city　owned　a　theatre；　cut

out　of　the　rock　of　a　nearby　hill。　The　spectators　sat　upon

wooden　benches　and　faced　a　wide　circle　（our　present　orchestra

where　you　pay　three　dollars　and　thirty　cents　for　a　seat）。

Upon　this　half…circle；　which　was　the　stage；　the　actors　and　the

chorus　took　their　stand。　Behind　them　there　was　a　tent　where

they　made　up　with　large　clay　masks　which　hid　their　faces　and

which　showed　the　spectators　whether　the　actors　were　supposed

to　be　happy　and　smiling　or　unhappy　and　weeping。　The　Greek

word　for　tent　is　‘‘skene''　and　that　is　the　reason　why　we　talk

of　the　‘‘scenery''　of　the　stage。



When　once　the　tragedy　had　become　part　of　Greek　life；　the

people　took　it　very　seriously　and　never　went　to　the　theatre　to

give　their　minds　a　vacation。　A　new　play　became　as　important

an　event　as　an　election　and　a　successful　playwright　was

received　with　greater　honors　than　those　bestowed　upon　a　general

who　had　just　returned　from　a　famous　victory。







THE　PERSIAN　WARS



HOW　THE　GREEKS　DEFENDED　EUROPE

AGAINST　ASIATIC　INVASION　AND　DROVE

THE　PERSIANS　BACK　ACROSS　THE　AEGEAN

SEA





THE　Greeks　had　learned　the　art　of　trading　from　the

AEgeans　who　had　been　the　pupils　of　the　Phoenicians。　They

had　founded　colonies　after　the　Phoenician　pattern。　They　had

even　improved　upon　the　Phoenician　methods　by　a　more　general

use　of　money　in　dealing　with　foreign　customers。　In　the　sixth

century　before　our　era　they　had　established　themselves　firmly

along　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor　and　they　were　taking　away

trade　from　the　Phoenicians　at　a　fast　rate。　This　the　Phoenicians

of　course　did　not　like　but　they　were　not　strong　enough　to

risk　a　war　with　their　Greek　competitors。　They　sat　and　waited

nor　did　they　wait　in　vain。



In　a　former　chapter；　I　have　told　you　how　a　humble　tribe

of　Persian　shepherds　had　suddenly　gone　upon　the　warpath　and

had　conquered　the　greater　part　of　western　Asia。　The　Persians

were　too　civilised　to　plunder　their　new　subjects。　They

contented　themselves　with　a　yearly　tribute。　When　they

reached　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor　they　insisted　that　the　Greek

colonies　of　Lydia　recognize　the　Persian　Kings　as　their　over…

Lords　and　pay　them　a　stipulated　tax。　The　Greek　colonies

objected。　The　Persians　insisted。　Then　the　Greek　colonies

appealed　to　the　home…country　and　the　stage　was　set　for　a

quarrel。



For　if　the　truth　be　told；　the　Persian　Kings　regarded　the

Greek　city…states　as　very　dangerous　political　institutions　and

bad　examples　for　all　other　people　who　were　supposed　to　be　the

patient　slaves　of　the　mighty　Persian　Kings。



Of　course；　the　Greeks　enjoyed　a　certain　degree　of　safety　because

their　country　lay　hidden　beyond　the　deep　waters　of　the

AEgean。　But　here　their　old　enemies；　the　Phoenicians；　stepped

forward　with　offers　of　help　and　advice　to　the　Persians。　If　the

Persian　King　would　provide　the　soldiers；　the　Phoenicians　would

guarantee　to　deliver　the　necessary　ships　to　carry　them　to

Europe。　It　was　the　year　492　before　the　birth　of　Christ；　and

Asia　made　ready　to　destroy　the　rising　power　of　Europe。



As　a　final　warning　the　King　of　Persia　sent　messengers

to　the　Greeks　asking　for　‘‘earth　and　water''　as　a　token　of　their

submission。　The　Greeks　promptly　threw　the　messengers　into

the　nearest　well　where　they　would　find　both　‘‘earth　and　water''

in　large　abundance　and　thereafter　of　course　peace　was　impossible。



But　the　Gods　of　High　Olympus　watched　over　their　children

and　when　the　Phoenician　fleet　carrying　the　Persian　troops

was　near　Mount　Athos；　the　Storm…God　blew　his　chee