How many performers were in the greek chorus

Here are some excerpts from Aristotle and other authors which show what the ancient Greeks thought about the origins of tragedy and comedy. For comedy is claimed by the Megarians here in Greece, who say it began among them at the time when they became a democracy [c.

Aristotle: Poetics Chapter 3. And in accordance with their individual types of character, poetry split into two kinds, for the graver spirits tended to imitate noble actions and noble persons performing them, and the more frivolous poets the doings of baser persons, and as the more serious poets began by composing hymns and encomia, so these began with lampoons Thus among the early poets, some became poets of heroic verse and others again of iambic verse.

Homer was not only the master poet of the serious vein, unique in the general excellence of his imitations and especially in the dramatic quality he imparts to them, but was also the first to give a glimpse of the idea of comedy [in the Margites ] And once tragedy and comedy had made their appearance, those who were drawn to one or the other of the branches of poetry, true to their natural bias, became either comic poets instead of iambic poets, or tragic poets instead of epic poets because the new types were more important-- i.

Whether tragedy has, then, fully realized its possible forms or has not yet done so is a question the answer to which both in the abstract and in relation to the audience [or the theater] may be left for another discussion.

It was Aeschylus who first increased the number of the actors from one to two and reduced the role of the chorus, giving first place to the dialogue. Sophocles [added] the third actor and [introduced] painted scenery. Again, [there was a change] in magnitude; from little plots and ludicrous language since the change was from the satyr play , tragedy came only late in its development to assume an air of dignity, and its meter changes from the trochaic tetrameter to the iambic trimeter.

Indeed, the reason why they used the tetrameter at first was that their form of poetry was satyric [i. This is evident, since in talking with one another we very often utter iambic trimeters, but seldom dactylic hexameters, or if we do we depart from the tonality of normal speech. Again, [there was a change] in the number of episodes -- but as for this and the way in which reportedly each of the other improvements came about, let us take it all as said, since to go through the several details would no doubt be a considerable task.

Aristotle: Poetics Chapter 4. Periander was tyrant of Corinth. The Corinthians say and the Lesbians agree that the greatest wonder in his life was the voyage of Arion of Methymna to Taenarum on a dolphin. He was a kitharode second to none at that time and the first of men whom we know to have composed the dithyramb and named it and produced it in Corinth. Herodotus I. Arion, of Methymna The Suda lexicon. Pindar says the dithyramb was discovered in Corinth.

The inventor of the song Aristotle calls Arion. He first led the circular chorus. Proculus, Chrest. The first performance of tragedy was introduced by Arion of Methymna, as Solon said in his Elegies. Charon of Lampsacus says that drama was first produced at Athens by Thespis.

John the Deacon, Commentary on Hermogenes. I must not omit to explain that [the tyrant] Cleisthenes picked on Melanippus as the person to introduce into Sicyon, because he was a bitter enemy of Adrastus, having killed both Mecistes, his brother, and Tydeus his son-in-law. After settling him in his new shrine, he transferred to him the religious honors of sacrifice and festival which had previously been paid to Adrastus.

The people of Sicyon had always regarded Adrastus with great reverence, because the country had once belonged to Polybus, his maternal grandfather, who died without an heir and bequeathed the kingdom to him. One of the most important of the tributes paid him was the tragic chorus, or ceremonial dance and song, which the Sicyonians celebrated in his honor; normally, the tragic chorus belongs to the worship of Dionysus; but in Sicyon it was not so -- it was performed in honor of Adrastus, treating his life-story and sufferings.

Cleisthenes, however, changed this: he transferred the choruses to Dionysus, and the rest of the ceremonial to Melanippus. Herodotus V.

Stories trying to explain why, if tragedy originated from Dithyrambs sung in honor of Dionysus, not all tragedies were about Dionysus "Nothing to do with Dionysus": ouden pros ton Dionuson.

When Phrynichus and Aeschylus developed tragedy to include mythological plots and disasters, it was said, "What has this to do with Dionysus? Nothing to do with Dionysus. When, the choruses being accustomed from the beginning to sing the dithyramb to Dionysus, later poets abandoned this custom and began to write "Ajaxes" and "Centaurs". Therefore the spectators said in joke, "Nothing to do with Dionysus. Zenobius V. When Epigenes the Sicyonian made a tragedy in honor of Dionysus, they made this comment; hence the proverb.

A better explanation: Originally when writing in honor of Dionysus they competed with pieces which were called satyric. Later they changed to the writing of tragedy and gradually turned to plots and stories in which they had no thought for Dionysus. Hence this comment. Chamaeleon writes similarly in his book on Thespis.

From when Thespis the poet first acted, who produced a play in the city and the prize was a goat Marmor Parium, under the year about BC. This is Thespis, who first moulded tragic song, inventing new joys for his villagers, when Bacchus led the wine-smeared?

The young change all this. Length of time will discover many new things. But mine is mine. Dioscorides, Anth. The unknown poetry of the tragic Muse Thespis is said to have discovered and to have carried poems on wagons, which they sang and acted, their faces smeared with wine-lees.

Horace, Ars Poetica As of old tragedy formerly the chorus by itself performed the whole drama and later Thespis invented a single actor to give the chorus a rest and Aeschylus a second and Sophocles a third, thereby completing tragedy Diogenes Laertius III. Can you identify any dramatic elements that might have taken on one or more of the functions of the Greek chorus?

The Greek chorus continued to play an important role in classical Greek drama, especially in tragedy. Ranging in number from 50 in the time of Thespis to 15 in later classical Greek drama, the chorus consisted of Athenian citizens and were not professional actors. They function, scholars have suggested variously, to offer a sense of rich spectacle to the drama; to provide time for scene changes and give the principle actors a break; to offer important background and summary information that facilitates an audience's ability to follow the live performance; to offer commentary about and underline main themes animating the action; and to model an ideal audiences response to the unfolding drama.

Nietzsche suggests that it was the rhythmic dance and chants of the chorus, positioned always to mediate the physical space separating audience and actor, that evoked the visionary experience that was the very essence of tragedy. His appearance was depending on the play. For the tragedy the chorus was very solemn and it was called " emmelia ". In comedies it was funny and it was called " codrax ", when in satiric drama it was scoptic and it was called " sicinnis ".

The chorus, was considered to be the mouthpiece of society in its humble form and morality, and they were suffering along with the heroes. Its role very important at first was fading during the time. Your browser version is outdated. We recommend that you update your browser to the latest version. Share on Social Media. The actors and the chorus The actors At first in dithyramb, there were no actors. The chorus Up to the point when Sophocles imported his innovations in drama, the chorus had 12 members.

The rest of the chorus consisted of amatures chosen by the poet and payed by the sponsor choregos The chorus was entering from the two "parodoi".

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