St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of the Roma•…•…s Stage plaies, wherein the publishing of their gods foulest imparities, did not any way offend, but rather delight them. CHAP. 8.

I But (wil some say) these things are not taught in the institutions of the gods, but in the inuentions of the Poets. I will not say that the gods misteries are more obicaene then the Theaters presentations: but this I say (& wil bring history sufficient to conuince all those that shal denie it) that those playes which are for∣med according to these poeticall fictions, were not exhibited by the Romaines vn∣to their goddes in their sollemnities through any ignorant deuotion of their owne, but onely by reason that the goddes them selues didde so strictly com∣maund, yea and euen in some sort extort from them the publike presenting and dedication of those plaies vnto their honours. This I handled briefly in the first booke. For (a) when the citty was first of al infected with the pestilence, then were stages first ordained at Rome by the authorization of the chiefe Priest. And what is he, y^t in ordering of his courses, will not rather choose to follow the rudi∣ments which are to be fetched out of plaies, or whatsoeuer being instituted by his gods, rather then the weaker ordinances of mortall men? If the Poets didde falsely record Iupiter for an adulterer then these gods being so chast, should be the more offended, and punish the world, for thrusting such a deale of villany into their ce∣remonies, and not for omitting them. (b) Of these stage-plaies the best and most tollerable are Tragedy and Comedy: being Poetical fables made to be acted at these shewes: wherein notwithstanding was much dishonest matter, in actions, but none at al of wordes: and these the old men do cause to be taught to their chil∣dren, amongst their most honest and liberal studies.

L. VIVES.

FOr (a) when the citty was] Because in this booke and in the other following, Saint Augus∣tine doth often make mention of Stage-plaies, it seemeth a fit place here to speake somewhat thereof: and what should haue beene seattered abroad vpon many chapters, I will here lay all into one, for the better vnderstanding of the rest. And first of their Originall, amongst the Greekes first, and the Romaines afterwards: for imitation brought them from Greece to Rome. The old husbandmen of Greece vsing euery yeare to sacrifice to Liber Pater for their fruites, * 1.1 first vsed to sing something at the putting of the fire on the altars, in stead of prayers: and then to please him the better, they sung ouer all his victories, warres, conquests, triumphs, and his captiuation of Kings. For reward of which paines of theirs, a Goat was first appointed, or the Skin of an offered Goat, full of wine. So these rewards partly, and partly oftentation, set ma∣ny

good wits work amongst these plaine countrimen, to make verses of this theame; meane and few at first, but as al thinges else, in processe of time they grew more elegant and conceited: and because the Kings y^t Liber had conquered, afforded not matter ynough for their yearely songs they fell in hand with the calamities of other Kings, like to the former, and sung much of them And this song was called a tragedy either of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Goate, the reward of the conqueror in this * 1.2 contention, or of the wine-leese wherwith they anoynted their faces; called by the Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Now some wil haue the Comedy to haue had the Originall from these sacrifices also: others frō the sollemnities of Apollo Nomius, that is the guardian of sheapheards and villages, some say y^t * 1.3 both these sacrifices were celebrated at once. I wil set down the most common opinion. When the Athenians liued as yet in dispersed cotages (Theseus hauing not yet reduced them to a Citty) The husbandmen vsed after their sacrifices to breake iests, both vpon such as were at the sacrifices and such as trauaild by chance that way: and by these mirthfull scoffes, delighted all the company. Now after that the citty was builded, the husbandmen at the times appointed for the sollemnities, came into the towne in carts, and iested one while at their fellowes, and a∣nother while at the cittizens, cheefly such as had offended them. And this was called a Come∣dy, either of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Village, because they liued in such, or of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 away, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be saucy, or to reuell; because they were profuse and spared no man in the way with their petulent quips. (And this is rather the true deriuation, because the Athenians as then did not call the villages 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.) This custome pleased the cittizens, and made them animate those of the prō∣test wits, to write more exactly in this kinde of verse. And so by little and little, the countrie fellowes were thrust out, whose quips were simple, and how euer enuious, yet not bloudy: now the citty Poets taxing at first the vices of the cittizens with bitternes, did some good in reclai∣ming particulars from folly, through feare of being personated: but afterwards when they be∣gan to follow their own affects and their friends, exercising their grudges with sharpnesse, and vsing their pens for their weapons, they would sometimes traduce Princes that neuer had de∣serued any such matter, and euen name them. Which tricke when Eupol•…•…s had plaid with Al∣cibiades * 1.4 in his Comedy called Baptis, hee caused him to bee taken and throwne into the sea: being then Generall of the Athenian forces, and hauing a Nauie in the Hauen Pireus: when hee was throwne in, it was said Alcibiades rehearsed these wordes often times ouer: thou hast often drowned me vpon the stage Eupolis, I will once drowne thee in the sea. By this example * 1.5 the rest of the Poets were so terrified, that Alcibiades got a law past, that no man should dare to name any man vppon the Stage. So that kinde of Comedy called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is the olde * 1.6 Comedy, was abolished. Then came in the second, wherein many were girded at priuily sup∣pressing of names vnder coullors, and this the Nobility fell in dislike withall, least their factes should bee glanced at vnder hand. So that was taken quite away: and a new kinde inuented, which treated of meane persons vnder change of names, the argument whereof was euer so different from the facts of the Nobility, as each man might perceiue that they were farthest frō the drift of these taxations. And besides there was such moderation vsed in all the effects, that no man could iustly complaine of them, though they hadde spoken of him by name. Of this kinde Menander was the chiefe Poet, who liued with Alexander the great, beieng some-what younger then hee was. The olde kinde flourished in the warres of Peloponesus, and in that kinde Aristophanes was most excellent, by report some say that he was very good at the second sort also. But doubtlesse Antiphanes of Larissa was the best in this kinde that euer wrote. And these kindes were all in Greece. But in the foure hun∣dreth yeare after Rome was builded, T. Sulpitius Potitus, and C. Licinius Stolon beeing Consuls, when the Cittie was (both the yeare before, and that yeare also) grieuously infected with the plague, by an Oracle out of the books of the Sibils were Stage-playes called thether (a new accustomed thing to such a warlike nation.) Their players they hadde out of Hetruria, and they named them Histriones:, in the language of that countrey: And these didde daunce vnto the flute, without speaking any thing, but not without such conceited gestures as then were in vse else-where. And then the Countrey people of Italy after the fashion of the Greekes, hauing sacrificed after their haruest, and giuen their goddes thankes for their yeares good increase, after all, in their mirth, vsed to iest one vp∣pon another for sportes sake, sparing not now and then to cast forth a sluttish phrase, and some-time a bitter quippe. And this they didde interchangeably, in verses called Fescenini, of such a Cittie in Hetruria These the Romaine Players began to imitate, but neuer named for that was expresly forbidden before by a law in the twelue Tables. But these Fescenine vses * 1.7

wore out of the playes by a little and little, and were left onely vnto marryages and tri∣umphes: And such plaies began to bee inuented as were delightfull and yet not offensiue, which Horace touches at in his Epistle to Augustus. So it being not allowable to traduce any man by his name vppon the stage, there sprung vppe diuers sorts of these playing fables in Italy, after the manner of the Greekes, as the New Comedie, and the Satyre: Not that which taxeth vices and is bound vnto that one kinde of verse, which Horace, Persius, and Iuuenall wrote in: for that was first inuented by Lucilius (who serued vnder Scipio Aemi∣lianus in the warres of Numance.) But that wherein the Satyres were brought in, in a slut∣tish * 1.8 and approbrious manner, as in hayry coates, heauy paced, and altogether •…•…nsome and slouenly. Their Stage was strowed with flowers, leaues and grasse, to resemble the * 1.9 Mountaines, Woodes and Caues; euen like as the tragike Stage resembleth the state of kingly Pallaces, and the comicall, the fashion of meaner mens houses, as Vitruuius writeth, (Lib. 5.) After these Satires went out of vse; The first True omedie in latine verse was * 1.10 written by Liuius Andronicus, Salinators freed seruant, after Rome was builded, iust fiue hundred and forty yeares, in the Consulshippes of Appius Claudius Sonne to Caecus, and Sempronius Tuditanus, the first Carthaginian warre beeing ended some few yeares before, as Atticus doth account the time. And this man seconded By Noeuius, Plautus Ennius, Te∣rence, and many other Comedians after them: what remaineth of this subiect, shall be spoken in the fittest place.

(b) Of these Stage-plaies the best] In these reuels, sometimes there were plaies presented worth the hearing: and sometimes againe, the players would act most filthy gestures in si∣lence, and sometimes speake some-what for the feast they kept. Of these Comedies some were called Palliatae, their argument being Greeke and their actors in Greekish cloakes: such * 1.11 are all Terences and Plautus his: Others Togatae, their argument concerning the Romaine affaires, and their actors presenting it in Romaine gownes: such are those of Afranius. And * 1.12 these Togatae are of two sorts, either Pretextatae, the plotte beeing of the deedes of some * 1.13 Kings or Emperours of Rome, wherein the Pretexta, the Noblemans habite must needes bee vsed; (from which kinde I cannot see that the Trabeatae do differ much, those which C. Meli∣us * 1.14 of Spoleto, Mecenas his free-man inuented: I know not whether they were a•…•… one or * 1.15 not, hauing hereof no certaine notice:) or Tabernariae, wherein the actions of the vulgar were desciphered. where are Tragedies, Comedies, Satyres, and there are Mimikes, which are called otherwise, Plaine-feete, plani-pedes, wearing neither shooes nor buskins, but comming * 1.16 bare-foote vpon the Stage: The Satyres notwithstanding and the Mi•…•…kes are both included vnder the Comedie. And some say so is the Tragedie too. But the Tragedie discourseth of lamen∣table fortunes, extreame affects, and horrible villanies, but farre from turpitude. The Comedie treates of the Knaueries and trickes of loue, being brought into it by Menander to please the Macedonians that stood affected to such passages. The Satyre containeth the looser Faunes, and Siluanes whose rusticall iestes delighted much, and sometimes they would lament. But as they were v•…•…lceanely and slouenly goddes, so were their speeches often times foule, and disho∣nest to heare. But the Mimikes forbore no beastlinesse, but vsed extreeme licentiousnesse And yet these were more tollerable then other things which were acted in the sollemnities of Bac∣chus: (which for their incredible filthinesse were expelled out of Italie by a decree of the Se∣nate.) Also in the Saturnalia, and Floralia, which twoo feastes were celebrated by common * 1.17 strumpets, and the most raskally sort of all men. The actors of the Floralia, though they reue∣renced not their owne goddesse, yet when Cato came, they reuerenced him, and would not act * 1.18 them in his presence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The inuen∣tion of Plaies.
• * 1.2

  Tragedy.
• * 1.3

  Comedy.
• * 1.4

  Eupolis.
• * 1.5

  Alcibiades
• * 1.6

  Three kindes of Comedies. Old. Meane. Nevv.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.8

  Satyres.
• * 1.9

  The Sa∣tyres.
• * 1.10

  The first nevv •…•…o∣medy at Rome.
• * 1.11

  Pallia•…•….
• * 1.12

  Togata.
• * 1.13

  Praetextata.
• * 1.14

  Trabcata.
• * 1.15

  Taberna∣ria.
• * 1.16

  The Mi∣mikes.
• * 1.17

  Floralia.
• * 1.18

  Cato.