Sock and buskin

For the Canadian university theatre troupe, see Sock 'n' Buskin Theatre Company.

Sock and buskin are ancient symbols of comedy and tragedy. In ancient Greek theatre, actors in tragic roles wore a boot called a buskin (Latin cothurnus) while the actors with comedic roles wore only a thin-soled shoe called a sock (Latin soccus). "Sock and Buskin" also commonly refers to a pair of masks, one crying and one laughing, that have widely come to represent the performing arts, since appearing as early as 700 AD.

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  Sock
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  Buskin
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  Typical "Sock and Buskin" masks

Melpomene, the muse of tragedy, is often depicted holding the tragic mask and wearing buskins. Thalia, the muse of comedy, is similarly associated with the mask of comedy and comic's socks.