Heretofore Men in
highest dignity have labour'd not a little to be thought able to
compose a Tragedy. Of that honour Dionysius the elder was no less
ambitious, then before of his attaining to the Tyranny. Augustus Cesar
also had begun his Ajax, but unable to please his own judgment with
what he had begun, left it unfinisht. Seneca the Philosopher is by
some thought the Author of those Tragedies (at lest the best of
them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen a Father of the
Church, thought it not unbeseeming the sanctity of his person to write
a Tragedy, which he entitl'd, Christ suffering. This is mention'd to
vindicate Tragedy from the small esteem, or rather infamy, which in
the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common
Interludes; hap'ning through the Poets error of intermixing Comic
stuff with Tragic sadness and gravity; or introducing trivial and
vulgar persons, which by all judicious hath bin counted absurd; and
brought in without discretion, corruptly to gratifie the people. And
though antient Tragedy use no Prologue, yet using sometimes, in case
of self defence, or explanation, that which Martial calls an
Epistle; in behalf of this Tragedy coming forth after the antient
manner, much different from what among us passes for best, thus much
before-hand may be Epistl'd; that Chorus is here introduc'd after
the Greek manner, not antient only but modern, and still in use
among the Italians.
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