hat age
would have shuddered at the orchestral music of to-day, and the
ear-splitting drums would have appeared barbarous to the Italians of the
Renaissance, just as would the military parades, which are still among
the favorite spectacles with which distinguished guests are either
honored or intimidated at the great courts of Europe. Even then tourneys
were rare, although there were occasional combats of gladiators, whose
costumes were greatly admired.

The duke and his master of ceremonies had spent weeks in preparing the
program for the wedding festivities, although these did not admit of any
great variety, being limited as they are now to banquets, balls, and
theatrical productions. It was from the last-named form of entertainment
that Ercole promised himself the most, and which, he expected, would win
for him the applause of the cultivated world.

He was one of the most active patrons of the theater during the
Renaissance. Several years before he had commissioned the poets at his
court to translate some of the plays of Plautus and Terence into _terza
rima_, and had produced them. Guarino, Berardo, Collenuccio, and even
Bojordo had been employed in this work by him. As early as 1486 an
Italian version of the _Menaechmi_, the favorite play of Plautus, had
been produced in Ferrara. In February, 1491, when Ercole, with most
brilliant festivities, celebrated the betrothal of his son Alfonso and
Anna Sforza, the _Menaechmi_ and one of the comedies of Terence were
given. The _Amphitryon_, which Cagnolo had prepared for the stage, was
also played.

There was no permanent theater in Ferrara, but a temporary one had been
erected which served for the production of plays which were given only
during the carnival and on other important occasions. Ercole had
arranged a salon in the palace of the Podesta--a Gothic building
opposite the church--which is still standing and is known as the Palazzo
della Ragione. The salon was connected with the palace itself by a
passage way.

A raised stage called the tribune was erected. It was about one hundred
and twenty feet long and a hundred and fifty feet wide. It had houses of
painted wood, and whatever was necessary in the way of scenery, rocks,
trees, etc. It was separated from the audience by a wooden partition in
which was a sheet-metal curtain. On the forward part of the stage--the
orchestra--sat the princes and other important personages, and in the
amphitheater were thirteen row