orth
explains) Zanni, as, in words like Smyrna and Sambuco, they change the
s into z, which gives Zmyrna and Zambuco, and hence we derive our word
Zany. The word is, however, originally obtained from the Greek _Sannos_
(observes Quadrio), from whence the Latins derived their _Sannio_.

From the size of the ancient theatres it was not possible to notice the
visage of the actors, and this was one, but not the only reason, why
masks were adopted. The Ancients did not like a character to be
attempted, to which a proper appropriation was not annexed, and these
masks were so contrived, that the profile on one side exhibited chagrin,
and on the other serenity, or whatever other passion was most required.
The actor thus, according to the part he was playing, presented the side
of the mask best suited to the passage which he was reciting. The large
mouths of these masks were presumed to have contained some bronze
instrument suited to assist the voice, upon the principle of the
speaking trumpet; for the mask was wider, and the recitation in tragedy
much louder than in comedy, so that the voice might be heard all over
the theatre. The masks of the dancers were of regular features.

By some it has been contended that these masks covered both the head and
the shoulders under the supposed idea that when the head was thus
enlarged it would throw the whole body into symmetry when raised upon
stilts. It has, also, been argued that the masks for some of the
characters were made of gold-beaters skin, or some transparent substance
just covering the face so that the facial muscles could be seen through
it, and the eyes, mouth, and ears being left uncovered. These masks,
however, delineated very carefully the features of the character that
were to be represented. Something not unlike the huge Pantomime masks of
a hideous and frightful shape that we sometimes see in our present day
Pantomimes must have appeared, especially those that covered the head
and shoulders of the _Mimis_ in the days of the Romans. Those that were
just of the size of the face in all probability were fantastic and
picturesque; and the third and remaining species of mask made of a
transparent substance could hardly have been very effective.

Mr. Wright tells us, in his book on the Chester Mystery plays (which
work I shall again refer to later on), that masks were used in the
Mystery series of plays acted in England during the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries.

Jul