Studies in Greek drama

The worship of Dionysus was the Greek worship most connected to the play, and the most influential on its development, because its rituals included many representational movements and conflicting emotions, expressed by the god's followers in joy and happiness accompanied by heavy jokes and loud laughter, which were like the seeds from which the comedy arose. Other times they express it in deep sadness accompanied by complaints and groaning. This was the origin of tragedy, and Dionysus's life was full of painful engagements and happy events. The Greeks considered it a symbol of natural phenomena. Lyric poets composed pieces of Dithyrambus and sang them on the feasts of Dionysus, and they used his legend as the subject of their hymns. They talked about his birth, dealt with his life in detail, and described the dangers that he faced. The poet had a group of people with him, and he taught them some verses overflowing with sadness and grief, which they chanted while chanting. The members of this group (later the choir) wore goat skins to appear as satyrs, followers of Dionysus.