The origins of Satyric Drama may be traced back to Pratinas of Phlius (early tragic poet, about 500 B.C.). It is probable that, after settling in Athens, he adapted the old dithyramb* with its chorus of Satyrs, which was customary in his native place, to the form of tragedy which had been recently invented in Athens. This new kind of drama met with so much approval, and was so much developed by Pratinas himself, as well as by his son Aristeas, by Cloerilus, by Aeschylus, and the dramatists who succeeded him, that it became the custom to act a satyric drama after a set of three tragedies. The seriousness of the preceding plays was thus relieved, while the chorus of Satyrs* and Sileni, the companions of Dionysus, served to indicate the original connection between that divinity and the drama.
The material for a satyric drama, like that for a tragedy, was taken from an epic or legendary story, and the action, which took place under an open sky, in a lonely wood (the haunt of the Satyrs) had generally an element of tragedy; but the characteristic solemnity and stateliness of tragedy was somewhat diminished, without in any way impairing the splendor of the tragic costume and the dignity of the heroes introduced. The amusing effect of the play did not depend so much on the action itself, as was the case in comedy, but rather on the relation of the chorus to that action. That relation was in keeping with the wanton, saucy, and insolent, and at the same time cowardly, nature of the Satyrs. The number of persons in the chorus is not known, probably there were either twelve or fifteen, as in tragedy. In accordance with the popular notions about the Satyrs, their costume consisted of the skin of a goat, deer, or panther, thrown over the naked body, and besides this a hideous mask and bristling hair. The dance of the chorus in the satyric drama was called sicinnis, and consisted of a fantastic kind of skipping and jumping. The only satyric play now extant is the Cyclops of Euripides.
This is particularly interesting when it comes to the witches and Hecate. Iambic pentameter (what Shakespeare uses in his poetic dialogue) replaced trochaic tetrameter (what the witches speak in) around Aeschylus' time (520 B.C.). Furthermore, trochaic tetrameter was originally employed when the poetry was of the Satyric order--pulling the chorus (witches) to the action as a connection between divinity (Hecate) and the drama (Macbeth). Trochaic tetrameter has, inherently, a greater connection to song and dance which elevates the witches' scenes even more when adding song and dance amongst the events of the play.
*dithyramb--a wild choral hymn of ancient Greece, especially one dedicated to Dionysus; a passionate or inflated speech, poem, or other writing.
*satyrs--satyrs were depicted as animalistic men with asinine ears, pug noses, reclining hair-lines, the tails of horses and erect members. As companions of Dionysis they were usually shown drinking, dancing, playing flutes and sporting.
Sources: Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by S.H. Butcher, Mockingbird Classics, 2017.
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