View of the amphitheatre at Pompeii.

Amphitheatre

View of the amphitheatre at Pompeii.

"The cottage in which Shakespeare was born." —Carpenter, 1902

Cottage

"The cottage in which Shakespeare was born." —Carpenter, 1902

One of the earliest open-air theaters in Athens, Greece.

Theater of Dionysus

One of the earliest open-air theaters in Athens, Greece.

Famous Athenian tradgedian.

Euripides

Famous Athenian tradgedian.

"The next evolution is presented in Euripides. He is less ideal than his predeccesor, but truer to nature. His drama is more of a reality. He takes his stand in the midst of human life as it is. His language is the language of the people. The heroes of his plays are more possible than those of Sophocles. They are redeemed with weaknesses, touched with folly, stained with tears. He has more variety in his action, greater freedom, more surprises and vicissitudes."—Ridpath, 1885

Euripides

"The next evolution is presented in Euripides. He is less ideal than his predeccesor, but truer to nature.…

"While Greek tragedt grew farther and farther away from the humor and burlesque so characteristic of the old satyr dances and songs, comedy arose to incorporate within itself much of this early spirit. The comedies supplied entertainments, pure and simple, yet at the same time did much to mold public opinion." — The Delphian Society, 1913

Comedy masks

"While Greek tragedt grew farther and farther away from the humor and burlesque so characteristic of…

"Tragedy masks. The origin of Greek drama is to be found in the yearly celebrations in honor of Dionysus, god of wine. Riotous festivals were held, during which the god of wine was extolled with carousals and boisterous songs, these having been introduced to Greece from Thrace, where they were even wilder in their nature." — The Delphian Society, 1913

Tragedy masks

"Tragedy masks. The origin of Greek drama is to be found in the yearly celebrations in honor of Dionysus,…

"Menander was an Athenian, and was born in B.C. 342. He was drowned at the age of 52, whilst swimming in the harbour of Piraeus. He wrote upwards of 100 comedies, of which only fragments remain; and the unanimous praise of posterity awakens our regret for the loss of one fo the most elegant writers of antiquity." — Smith, 1882

Menander

"Menander was an Athenian, and was born in B.C. 342. He was drowned at the age of 52, whilst swimming…

Statue of the Greek dramatist. He is representative of Athenian New Comedy.

Menander

Statue of the Greek dramatist. He is representative of Athenian New Comedy.

One of the first Greek amphitheaters, located in the political center of the Elymian people.

Theater of Segesta

One of the first Greek amphitheaters, located in the political center of the Elymian people.

"This famous man, who has been called 'the chief literary glory of England', was born at Stratford-on-Avon." —The Popular Cyclopedia, 1888

William Shakespeare

"This famous man, who has been called 'the chief literary glory of England', was born at Stratford-on-Avon."…

"Sophocles, the younger rival and immediate successor of Aeschylus in the tragic art, was born at Colonus, a village about a mile from Athens, in b.C. 495. We have already adverted to his wrestling the tragic prize from Aeschylus in 468, from which time he seems to have retained the almost undisputed posession of the Athenian stage, until a young but formidable rival arose in the person of Euripides." — Smith, 1882

Sophocles

"Sophocles, the younger rival and immediate successor of Aeschylus in the tragic art, was born at Colonus,…