HIE RON. 415 
perspective, which seems to have been a CHAP. 
general aim of the architects by whom such _ ^ ' - 
structures were planned throughout Greece, 
this position of the theatre may have been 
designed to afford it as much shade as its 
situation was capable of receiving. Its northern 
aspect, and the mountain towering behind it, 
must have protected the whole edifice, during 
a great portion of the day, from the beams of 
the sun; and we may suppose this to have been 
a consideration, rather than any circumstance of 
expediency as to the mountain itself, because 
the whole circumference of the Peribolus 
afforded declivities equally well adapted to 
the purpose of constructing a theatre; and it 
is also well known that the Greeks were 
frequently obliged to carry umbrellas (<r*/a&a) 
with them into their theatres : submitting 
to their incumbrance, rather than remain 
exposed to the sun's rays. The women upon 
such occasions were also attended by their 
umbrella-bearers (tttted^pofoi/*; and this cus- 
tom, from the increase it occasioned in the 
throng, added to the embarrassment caused 
among the audience by the number of um- 
brellas intercepting the view of the stage, must 
have rendered a shaded theatre a very desirable 
(l) Mlwn. Hist. Var. lib. vi. c. 1. Lips. 1780. 
