mentioned. The corridor is arched over. It has two other entrances,
one by a large passage from the east side, another from a smaller
passage on the north. Six inner doors, called vomitoria, opened on an
equal number of stair-cases which ran down to the first praecinctio.
The theatre is formed upon the slope of a hill, the corridor being the
highest part, so that the audience upon entering descended at once to
their seats, and the vast staircases, which conducted to the upper
seats of the theatres and amphitheatres at Rome, were saved. By the
side of the first entrance is a staircase which led up to the women's
gallery above the corridor; here the seats were partitioned into
compartments, like our boxes. The benches were about one foot three
inches high and two feet four inches wide. One foot three inches and a
half was allowed to each spectator, as may be ascertained in one part,
where the divisions are marked off and numbered. There is space to
contain about five thousand persons. Here the middle classes sat,
usually upon cushions which they brought with them; the men of rank
sat in the orchestra below, on chairs of state carried thither by
their slaves. Flanking the orchestra, and elevated considerably above
it, are observable two divisions, appropriated, one perhaps to the
pro-consul, or duumvirs and their officers, the other to the vestal
virgins, or to the use of the person who gave the entertainments. This
is the more likely, because in the smaller theatre, where these boxes,
if we may call them so, are also found, they have a communication with
the stage.

This theatre appears to have been entirely covered with marble; the
benches of the cavea were of marble, the orchestra was of marble, the
scene with all its ornaments was also of marble; and yet of this
profusion of marble only a few fragments remain.

It appears, from an inscription found in it, to have been erected, or
much improved, by one Holconius Rufus. Upon the first step of the
orchestra was another inscription, composed of bronze letters let into
the marble. The metal has been carried away, but the cavities in the
marble still remain. They were placed so as partly to encompass a
statue, and run thus:

M. HOLCONIO. M. F. RVFO. II. V.I.D. QVINQVIENS. ITER.
QVINQ. TRIB. MIL. A. P. FLAMEN. AVG.
PATR. COLON. D.D.

signifying, that the colony dedicated this to its patron, M. Holconius
Rufus, son of Marcus: then follow his titles. In the mid