rising
behind the fourth range and surmounted with a marble rail that has now
disappeared, separated this lowermost cavea from the rest. The duumviri,
the decurions, the augustales, the aediles, Holconius, Cornelius Rufus,
and Pansa, if he was elected, sat there majestically apart from common
mortals. The middle division was for quiet, every-day, private citizens,
like ourselves. Separated into wedge-like corners (_cunei_) by six
flights of steps cutting it in as many places, it comprised a limited
number of seats marked by slight lines, still visible. A ticket of
admission (a _tessera_ or domino) of bone, earthenware, or bronze--a
sort of counter cut in almond or _en pigeon_ shape, sometimes too in the
form of a ring--indicated exactly the cavea, the corner, the tier, and
the seat for the person holding it. Tessarae of this kind have been found
on which were Greek and Roman characters (a proof that the Greek would
not have been understood without translation). Upon one of them is
inscribed the name of AEschylus, in the genitive; and hence it has been
inferred that his "Prometheus" or his "Persians" must have been played
on the Pompeian stage, unless, indeed, this genitive designated one of
the wedge-divisions marked out by the name or the statue of the tragic
poet. Others have mentioned one of these counters that announced the
representation of a piece by Plautus,--the _Casina_; but I can assure
you that the relic is a forgery, if, indeed, such a one ever existed.

You should, then, before entering, provide yourself with a real tessera,
which you may purchase for very little money. Plautus asked that folks
should pay an _as_ apiece. "Let those," he said, "who have not got it
retire to their homes." The price of the seats was proclaimed aloud by a
crier, who also received the money, unless the show was gratuitously
offered to the populace by some magistrate who wished to retain public
favor, or some candidate anxious to procure it. You handed in your
ticket to a sort of usher, called the _designator_, or the _locarius_,
who pointed out your seat to you, and, if required, conducted you
thither. You could then take your place in the middle tier, at the top
of which was the statue of Marcus Holconius Rufus, duumvir, military
tribune, and patron of the colony. This statue had been set up there by
order of the decurions. The holes hollowed in the pedestal by the nails
that secured the marble feet of the statue are still visi