| A | B |
|---|
| catharsis | spiritual purging or emotional release (the goal of tragedy) |
| choregoi | well-to-do citizens chosen by lottery who acted as plays' producers as a kind of income tax |
| City Dionysia | huge religious festival in Athens in honor of Dionysus which included performances of plays |
| Deus ex machina | special effect in which a crane with an arm (the machine) is used to fly a god (deus) or hero through the air above the stage |
| dithyramb | poetic verse celebrating Dionysus' life; "goat song" |
| eccyclema | circular "tableau machine" showed acts of violence that had occurred offstage in a dramatically posed tableau that was rolled out onstage |
| exodus | the exiting of the chorus at the end of the play |
| hamartia | character flaw such as hubris or excessive pride that causes a character to somehow "miss the mark" and attain his target |
| in media res | "in the middle of things"; Greek plays traditionally start in the middle of some conflict or action |
| orchestra | "dancing place"; level circle where chorus performed |
| prologue | the first words (pro-log) at the start of the play; contained dialogue which informs the audience of the circumstances of the conflict |
| rhapsodia | Homeric recitation contest |
| skene | low rectangular building with passages at each end, where actors made entrances and exits or mask and costume changes |
| stasimon | A choral ode or chant which serves as a sort of refrain or comment on the episodes of action within a play |
| theatron | tiered auditorium seating |
| Thespis | First winner at the City Dionysia; considered the first actor; introduced chorus and acting out of rhapsodia |
