FESPID

(ca. 580 BC -?)

Greek actor, poet. For the first time along with the choir was introduced to the dramatic presentation of an actor-reciter. It is considered the founder of tragedy.

Theater as a separate kind of art was born in Athens in the second half of VI century BC Aristotle with certainty binds the drama started with the cult of Dionysus. Evidence of confirmed by the fact that a theatrical spectacle throughout the known history of Greek theater was preceded by a sacrifice on the altar of Dionysus, and put them in the form of competitions of poets, playwrights in the days of his holidays. "Tragedy" - the word compound, consisting of two words: "tragos" - "goat" and OGE - "Song". So - "song of the goats. " Interpret this word as far back as ancient times in many ways. Some felt that this kind of drama takes its name from the tragic chorus, whose members, representing satellite Dionysus, dressed in Goat skins, while others, among them, and Horace, it is not interpreted as a "song of the goats," and as "the song for goat ", bearing in mind the award, which, in their view, in antiquity were the winners in the tragic events of their statements one way or another, but the image of a goat from the Greeks firmly entered the symbol of Dionysus.

With the cult of Dionysus rites connected and the word "comedy. " It is too complex: "MEPC" and OGE - song MEPC. "MEPC" also called the phallic processions ryazhenyh in the days of festivals of Dionysus. St. Petersburg University Professor FF Zelinsky, a great connoisseur of classical literature and theater, was firmly convinced that the Greek tragedy "is not one source, and four, if not more - dionisiyskie choirs, drama satirovskuyu, dramatize the funeral and mourning elevsinskie mystery.

Greeks themselves believed that the tragedy owe Fespidu (another form of Russian - Tespis) born in Attica, ca. 580 in BC It is called the father of tragedy.

Ikari Fespid grew up in, located near the Peloponnesian Megar, where the popular rites of Dionysus, and not far from Elevsina, where the annual ritual performed drama about Demeter, Persephone and Dionysus. Dionysus had sacrificed a goat. Perhaps the "goat song", a tragedy which borrowed its name, symbol pelas over dismembered or intoxicated embodiment of the god.

Athens drama performed as part of the festival of Dionysus, under the chairmanship of his priests, his name in the theater, actors, called "iskusnikami of Dionysus. " In the theater brought a statue of Dionysus, and put her in front of the stage, so that God can take pleasure in a spectacle. Representation was preceded by taking an animal in sacrifice to God. This theater was Hoveyan holiness church.

The first playwrights called dancers, as their play consisted mainly of choral dances, and they in fact were the teachers of dance. To transform these choral presentation in drama, lacking one thing: opposition actor - in dialogue and action - the choir. At this step was to induce a dance teacher and mentor choir Fespid. He singled out a special choir singer - actor, known as "gipokrit", that is the defendant.

Photo — «Fespid»

Name the actor "the defendant" clearly demonstrates that the chorus of all time, played an active role in the tragedy. Shortly after Fespida Eshil has introduced a second actor (devteragonista), a junior contemporary of Э�хила, Sophocles, - third (tritagonista). But after appearing Sophocles play, which played only two actors.

Tiran Pisistrat was endowed with rich imagination and the festival of Dionysus in the year 534 BC organized in Athens, the first formal presentation of drama in which drama and made a Fespid. He won, and the dramatic competition at the Great Dionisy are in Athens every year. It seems, at first Fespid not yet decided to limit the effect satirovskih choirs, but over time he gave a clear preponderance of the heroic element of the element satirovskim, and eventually became the last to exist only in satirovskih drama, is now entirely separated from the tragedies.

According to legend, Fespid was the only actor in his tragedies. Party of the actor, alternating with the choir singing, and was all play. The dialogue in the early tragedies could have a different form. He could be a purely lyrical, and consist of alternate singing the chorus and an actor. Most of the time it was to exchange complaints, pathetically issues moaning and cries of sorrow, of which further raised kommos - cries of classical tragedy.

Sometimes the choir sang the same one, but the actor enjoyed intoned, approaching more or less to the recitation. Or, finally, singer-coryphaeus on behalf of the choir, then between him and the actor appeared genuine dialogue.

Horatio in the "Message to Pizonam tells that Fespid traveled to villages in a sort of wagon, which served, apparently, not only for the storage of simple equipment, but also served as decoration. Proof of this image are used in some black vases carts, having the form of a ship, delivered to the wheels. These "sea-chariot" lived for many years. They have spread to the Mediterranean to Rome, from Rome went to the province, and later appeared on the Italian carnivals, received its name from here.

From Fespida works have survived only a few titles of his plays.

It is believed that Fespid introduced improvements in the actors′ clothing.

Permanent theatrical buildings in Athens, but has not yet been, and to arrange on a central square of the city, where visitors each constructed of planks and logs temporary pavement. But even then, these shows have been massive. Plutarch, referring to the biography of Solon Fespide and the first theatrical performances, writes that the Athenian playwright "was fond of" people of the novelty of their submissions and spoke to "a lot of people. "

A lot of people gathered in Athens and in the dramatic competition 500 years BC The wooden platform on which sat the spectators, did not pass so many people and collapsed, causing him, obviously, a lot of casualties. After this disaster, the highest legislative body of the Athens State - People′s Assembly issued a decree to build a permanent theater in the holy district of the god Dionysus, on the southern slope of the Acropolis.