es. Only
hetairai made an exception to this rule. It is almost certain that the
seats of men and women were separate. Boys were allowed to witness
both tragedies and comedies. Whether slaves were admitted amongst the
spectators seems doubtful. As pedagogues were not allowed to enter
the schoolroom, it seems likely that they had also to leave the
theatre after having shown their young masters to their seats. Neither
were the slaves carrying the cushions for their masters' seats
admitted amongst the spectators. It is, however, possible that when
the seats became to be for sale, certain classes of slaves were
allowed to visit the theatre. Favorite poets and actors were rewarded
with applause and flowers; while bad performers had to submit to
whistling, and, possibly, other worse signs of public indignation.
Greek audiences resembled those of southern Europe at the present day
in the vivacity of their demonstrations, which were even extended to
public characters amongst the spectators on their clearing the
theatre.

Vitruvius has given some minute directions, strongly illustrative of
the importance of the subject, for choosing a proper situation for a
theatre. "When the Forum is finished, a healthy situation must be
sought for, wherein the theatre may be erected to exhibit sports on
the festival days of the immortal gods. For the spectators are
detained in their seats by the entertainment of the games, and
remaining quiet for a long time, their pores are opened, and imbibe
the draughts of air, which, if they come from marshy or otherwise
unhealthy places, will pour injurious humors into the body. Neither
must it front the south; for when the sun fills the concavity, the
inclosed air, unable to escape or circulate, is heated, and then
extracts and dries up the juices of the body. It is also to be
carefully observed that the place be not unfitted to transmit sound,
but one in which the voice may expand as clearly as possible."

The ancient scene was not, like that of the modern stage, capable of
being shifted. It consisted of a solid building (_scena stabilis_),
representing the facade of a royal palace, and adorned with the
richest architectural ornaments. It was built of stone, or brick cased
with marble, and had three doors, of which the middle one, called
_porta regia_, larger and handsomer than the others, was supposed to
form the entrance to the palace. This was used only in the
representation of tragedies, and then