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And then, again, it must not be forgotten, that their scene represented a much wider extent than in most cases ours does; not a mere room, but the open space before several buildings: and the disclosing the interior of a house by means of the encyclema, may be considered in the same light as the drawing a back curtain on our stage.
Here, or in the encyclema, entertainments were given, which in the old comedies sometimes took place before the eyes of the spectators. With the southern habits of the ancients, it was not, perhaps, so unnatural to feast with open doors, as it would be in the north of Europe.
Here, therefore, the women, notwithstanding the retired life they led among the Greeks, even those who were unmarried, might appear without any impropriety. Neither was it impossible for them, if necessary, to give a view of the interior of the house; and this was effected, as we shall presently see; by means of the Encyclema.
Euripidion in the German Euripidelein. A technical expression from the Encyclema, which was thrust out. Euripides appears in the upper story; but as in an altana, or sitting to an open gallery. Alluding to the holes in the mantle which he holds up to the light. These lines are from Euripides' tragedy of Telephus. See previous footnote.
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