few who composed the chorus of the ancient drama, could
not have required a space so extensive as the orchestra of
the Grecian theatre. It may be remarked likewise that, by
admitting the existence of a stage in front of the scene,
virtually increasing the extent of the proscenium, we should
identify the ancient thymele with the Roman pulpitum.
On the other hand it ought to be observed, that the
words ga and g, which Pollux uses to describe the nature
of the thymele, seem to indicate that it was of no great
magnitude. He proceeds to state that it was anciently the
custom to place an altar in front of the scene, upon which
the coryphaeus was stationed to direct the movements of
the chorus: from which it might be inferred that the
thymele was nothing more than the altar of an earlier age.
A part of the theatre mentioned by Pollux is altogether
unnoticed by Vitruvius; that is the hyposcenium; which
appears from his account to have been the ornamented front
of the proscenium facing the orchestra; and probably was
not seen but during the exhibitions of the orchestra, when
the pulpitum and all the occasional scenery were removed.
He states it to be below the pulpitum, and adorned with
pedestals and small statues. The proscenium of the Greek
theatre appears from Vitruvius to have been from ten to
twelve feet above the level of the orchestra. It would
therefore be necessary to give to the front of it some
character in order to unite it with the scene itself, at those
times when the latter was exposed to the view of the
audience. This might be effected in the manner described
by Pollux. It is necessary to observe that the literal