The same genius which, applied to poetry, placed him
at the head of tragic writers, raised him in the field to a high rank
among the greatest captains of antiquity. At the celebrated battles of
Marathon, Salamis and Plataea he distinguished himself in a manner that
would have rendered his name forever illustrious as a warrior, if the
splendor of his martial fame were not lost in the blaze of his poetical
glories. Descended from some of the highest Athenian blood, he was early
placed under Pythagoras to learn philosophy, and at the age of
twenty-one was a candidate for the prize in poetry. Thus illustrious as
a philosopher, a warrior and a poet, it is no wonder that he was held in
the highest respect and consideration by his countrymen. He wrote
sixty-six, or, as some say, ninety tragedies, forty of which were
rewarded with the public prize. Of all these, seven only have escaped
the ravages of time, and descended to us perfect.

Thespis, who had gone before him, still left the Grecian stage in a
state of great rudeness and imperfection, and, what was worse, in a
condition of low buffoonery. Before Thespis tragedy consisted of no more
than one person, who sung songs in honour of Bacchus. Thespis introduced
a second performer; such was the state of the Grecian stage when
AEschylus arose, and made an illustrious epoch in the history of the
drama. Before him the chorus was the principal part of the performance;
but he reduced it to the state of an assistant, which was introduced
between the acts to heighten the effect by recitation or singing, and by
explaining the subject in its progression. He introduced another actor,
which made his dramatis personae three. He divided his pieces into acts,
and laid the foundation of those principles of dramatic poesy upon which
Aristotle afterwards built his rules. Thespis and his successors before
AEschylus, acted from a cart in the streets: neither his actors nor
himself were distinguished by any more than their ordinary dress.
AEschylus built a theatre, embellished it with appropriate scenery,
machinery, and decorations, and clothed his actors with dresses suitable
to their several characters. This would have been effecting much if he
had done nothing more; but to the theatre which he erected, he added
plays worthy of being represented with the splendor of such
preparations. Abandoning the monstrous extravagancies and uncouth
buffoonery of his predecessors, he took Homer for his guide,