---
title: "On Music · Περὶ μουσικῆς"
author: "Pseudo-Plutarch"
translator: "John Philips, rev. William W. Goodwin"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Philosophy"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/
cite: "Pseudo-Plutarch, tr. John Philips, rev. William W. Goodwin, On Music · Περὶ μουσικῆς. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/"
---

# On Music · Περὶ μουσικῆς

*Pseudo-Plutarch, tr. John Philips, rev. William W. Goodwin*

A dialogue on the history of Greek music, its modes and its inventors, transmitted with Plutarch’s works.

> Greek: ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0094.tlg002, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: John Philips, rev. William W. Goodwin, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0094.tlg002.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Sections 1–16](https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/1.md)
2. [Sections 17–30](https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/2.md)
3. [Sections 31–44](https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/3.md)

## 1. Sections 1–16

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. THE wife of Phocion the just was always wont to maintain that her chiefest glory consisted in the warlike achievements of her husband. For my part, I am of opinion that all my glory, not only that peculiar to myself, but also what is common to all my familiar friends and relations, flows from the care and diligence of my master that taught me learning. For the most renowned performances of great commanders tend only to the preservation of some few private soldiers or the safety of a single city or nation, but make neither the soldiers nor the citizens nor the people any thing the better. But true learning, being the essence and body of felicity and the source of prudence, we find to be profitable and beneficial, not only to one house or city or nation, but to all the race of men. Therefore by how much the more the benefit and advantage of learning transcends the profits of military performances, by so much the more is it to be remembered and mentioned, as most worthy your study and esteem.

> Greek: 1. ἡ μὲν Φωκίωνος τοῦ χρηστοῦ γυνὴ κόσμον αὑτῆς ἔλεγεν εἶναι τὰ Φωκίωνος στρατηγήματα· ἐγὼ δὲ κόσμον ἐμὸν οὐ μόνον ἴδιον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ κοινὸν τῶν οἰκείων πάντων ἡγοῦμαι τὴν τοῦ ἐμοῦ διδασκάλου περὶ λόγους σπουδήν. τῶν μὲν γὰρ στρατηγῶν τὰ ἐπιφανέστατα κατορθώματα σωτηρίας μόνον οἴδαμεν τῆς ἐκ τῶν παραχρῆμα κινδύνων αἴτια γιγνόμενα στρατιώταις ὀλίγοις ἢ πόλει μιᾷ ἢ κἂν ἑνί τινι ἔθνει, βελτίους δʼ οὐδαμῶς ποιοῦντα οὔτε τοὺς στρατιώτας οὔτε τοὺς πολίτας, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τοὺς ὁμοεθνεῖς· τὴν δὲ παιδείαν, οὐσίαν εὐδαιμονίας οὖσαν αἰτίαν τʼ εὐβουλίας, οὐ μόνον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἢ οἴκῳ ἢ πόλει ἢ ἔθνει χρησίμην, ἀλλὰ παντὶ τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένει. ὅσῳ οὖν ἡ ἐκ παιδείας ὠφέλεια μείζων πάντων στρατηγημάτων, τοσούτῳ καὶ ἡ περὶ αὐτῆς μνήμη ἀξία σπουδῆς.

[¶1] 2. For this reason, upon the second day of the Saturnalian festival, the famous Onesicrates invited certain persons, the best skilled in music, to a banquet; by name Soterichus of Alexandria, and Lysias, one of those to whom he gave a yearly pension. After all had done and the table was cleared,—To dive, said he, most worthy friends, into the nature and reason of the human voice is not an argument proper for this merry meeting, as being a subject that requires a more sober scrutiny. But because our chiefest grammarians define the voice to be a percussion of the air made sensible to the ear, and for that we were yesterday discoursing of Grammar,—which is an art that can give the voice form and shape by means of letters, and store it up in the memory as a magazine,—let us consider what is the next science to this which may be said to relate to the voice. In my opinion, it must be music. For it is one of the chiefest and most religious duties belonging to man, to celebrate the praise of the Gods, who gave to him alone the most excelling advantage of articulate discourse, as Homer has observed in the following verses:—
With sacred hymns and songs that sweetly please,
The Grecian youth all day the Gods appease;
Their lofty paeans bright Apollo hears,
And still the charming sounds delight his ears. Now then, you that are of the grand musical chorus, tell your friends, who was the first that brought music into use; what time has added for the advantage of the science; who have been the most famous of its professors; and lastly, for what and how far it may be beneficial to mankind.

> Greek: 2. τῇ γοῦν δευτέρᾳ τῶν Κρονίων ἡμέρᾳ ὁ καλὸς Ὀνησικράτης ἐπὶ τὴν ἑστίασιν ἄνδρας μουσικῆς; ἐπιστήμονας παρακεκλήκει· ἦσαν δὲ Σωτήριχος Ἀλεξανδρεὺς καὶ Λυσίας, εἷς τις τῶν σύνταξιν παρʼ αὐτοῦ λαμβανόντων. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ νομιζόμενα συντετέλεστο τὸ μὲν αἴτιον τῆς ἀνθρώπου φωνῆς ἔφη ὅ τί πότʼ ἐστιν, ὦ ἑταῖροι, νῦν ἐπιζητεῖν οὐ συμποτικόν· σχολῆς γὰρ νηφαλιωτέρας δεῖται τὸ θεώρημα· ἐπεὶ δʼ ὁρίζονται τὴν φωνὴν οἱ ἄριστοι γραμματικοὶ ἀέρα πεπληγμένον αἰσθητὸν ἀκοῇ, ἐτυγχάνομέν τε χθὲς ἐζητηκότες περὶ γραμματικῆς, ὡς τέχνης ἐπιτηδείου γράμμασι τὰς φωνὰς δημιουργεῖν καὶ ταμιεύειν τῇ ἀναμνήσει, ἴδωμεν τίς μετὰ ταύτην δευτέρα πρέπουσα φωνῇ ἐπιστήμη. οἶμαι δʼ ὅτι μουσική. ὑμνεῖν γὰρ εὐσεβὲς καὶ προηγούμενον ἀνθρώποις τοὺς χαρισαμένους αὐτοῖς μόνοις τὴν ἔναρθρον φωνὴν θεούς· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐπεσημήνατο ἐν οἷς λέγει
οἱ δὲ πανημέριοι μολπῇ θεὸν ἱλάσκοντο,
καλὸν ἀείδοντες παιήονα, κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν,
μέλποντες Ἑκάεργον· ὁ δὲ φρένα τέρπετʼ ἀκούων.
ἄγε δή, ὦ μουσικῆς θιασῶται, τίς πρῶτος ἐχρήσατο μουσικῇ, ἀναμνήσατε τοὺς ἑταίρους, καὶ τί εὗρε πρὸς αὔξησιν ταύτης ὁ χρόνος καί τίνες εὐδόκιμοι γεγόνασι τῶν τὴν μουσικὴν ἐπιστήμην μεταχειρισαμένων ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ εἰς πόσα καὶ εἰς τίνα χρήσιμον τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα. ταῦτα μὲν εἶπεν ὁ διδάσκαλος.

[¶2] 3. This the scholar propounded; to which Lysias made reply. Noble Onesicrates, said he, you desire the solution of a hard question, that has been by many already proposed. For of the Platonics the most, of the Peripatetic philosophers the best, have made it their business to compile several treatises concerning the ancient music and the reasons why it came to lose its pristine perfection. Nay, the very grammarians and musicians themselves who arrived to the height of education have expended much time and study upon the same subject, whence has arisen great variety of discording opinions among the several writers. Heraclides in his Compendium of Music asserts, that Amphion, the son of Jupiter and Antiope, was the first that invented playing on the harp and lyric poesy, being first instructed by his father; which is confirmed by a small manuscript, preserved in the city of Sicyon, wherein is set down a catalogue of the priests, poets, and musicians of Argos. In the same age, he tells us, Linus the Euboean composed several elegies; Anthes of Anthedon in Boeotia was the first author of hymns, and Pierus of Pieria the first that wrote in the praise of the Muses. Philammon also, the Delphian, set forth in verse a poem in honor of the nativity of Latona, Diana, and Apollo, and was the first that instituted dancing about the temple of Delphi. Thamyras, of Thracian extraction, had the best voice and the neatest manner of singing of any of his time; so that the poets feigned him to be a contender with the Muses. He is said to have described in a poem the Titans’ war against the Gods. There was also Demodocus the Corcyraean, who is said to have written the Destruction of Troy, and the Nuptials of Vulcan and Venus; and then Phemius of Ithaca composed a poem, entitled The Return of those who came back with Agamemnon from Troy. Not that any of these stories before cited were compiled in a style like prose without metre; they were rather like the poems of Stesichorus and other ancient lyric poets, who composed in heroic verse and added a musical accompaniment. The same Heraclides writes that Terpander, the first that instituted the lyric nomes, set verses of Homer as well as his own to music according to each of these nomes, and sang them at public trials of skill. He also was the first to give names to the lyric nomes. In imitation of Terpander, Clonas, an elegiac and epic poet, first instituted nomes for flute-music, and also the songs called Prosodia. And Polymnestus the Colophonian in later times used the same measure in his compositions.

> Greek: 3. ὁ δὲ Λυσίας ὑπολαβὼν παρὰ πολλοῖς ἔφη ἐζητημένον πρόβλημα ἐπιζητεῖς, ἀγαθὲ Ὀνησίκρατες τῶν τε γὰρ Πλατωνικῶν οἱ πλεῖστοι καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Περιπάτου φιλοσόφων οἱ ἄριστοι περί τε τῆς ἀρχαίας μουσικῆς συντάξαι ἐσπούδασαν καὶ περὶ τῆς αὐτῇ γεγενημένης παραφθορᾶς· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ γραμματικῶν καὶ ἁρμονικῶν οἱ ἐπʼ ἄκρον παιδείας ἐληλακότες πολλὴν σπουδὴν περὶ τοῦτο πεποίηνται. πολλὴ γοῦν ἡ τῶν συντεταχότων διαφωνία. Ἡρακλείδης δʼ ἐν τῇ Συναγωγῇ τῶν ἐν μουσικῇ τὴν κιθαρῳδίαν καὶ τὴν κιθαρῳδικὴν ποίησιν πρῶτόν φησιν Ἀμφίονα ἐπινοῆσαι τὸν Διὸς καὶ Ἀντιόπης, τοῦ πατρὸς δηλονότι διδάξαντος αὐτόν. πιστοῦται δὲ τοῦτο ἐκ τῆς ἀναγραφῆς τῆς ἐν Σικυῶνι ἀποκειμένης, διʼ ἧς τάς τε ἱερείας τὰς ἐν Ἄργει καὶ τοὺς ποιητὰς καὶ τοὺς μουσικοὺς ὀνομάζει. κατὰ δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἡλικίαν καὶ Λίνον τὸν ἐξ Εὐβοίας θρήνους πεποιηκέναι λέγει καὶ Ἄνθην τὸν ἐξ Ἀνθηδόνος τῆς Βοιωτίας ὕμνους καὶ Πίερον τὸν ἐκ Πιερίας τὰ περὶ τὰς Μούσας ποιήματα· ἀλλὰ καὶ Φιλάμμωνα τὸν Δελφὸν Λητοῦς τε καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ Ἀπόλλωνος γένεσιν δηλῶσαι ἐν μέλεσι καὶ χοροὺς πρῶτον περὶ τὸ ἐν Δελφοῖς ἱερὸν στῆσαι· Θάμυριν δὲ τὸ γένος Θρᾷκα εὐφωνότερον καὶ ἐμμελέστερον πάντων τῶν τότε ᾆσαι, ὡς ταῖς; Μούσαις, κατὰ τοὺς ποιητάς, εἰς ἀγῶνα καταστῆναι· πεποιηκέναι δὲ τοῦτον ἱστορεῖται Τιτάνων πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς πόλεμον γεγονέναι δὲ καὶ Δημόδοκον Κερκυραῖον παλαιὸν μουσικόν, ὃν πεποιηκέναι Ἰλίου τε πόρθησιν καὶ Ἀφροδίτης καὶ Ἡφαίστου γάμον· ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ Φήμιον Ἰθακήσιον νόστον τῶν ἀπὸ Τροίας μετʼ Ἀγαμέμνονος ἀνακομισθέντων ποιῆσαι. οὐ λελυμένην δʼ εἶναι τῶν προειρημένων τὴν τῶν ποιημάτων λέξιν καὶ μέτρον οὐκ ἔχουσαν, ἀλλὰ καθάπερ Στησιχόρου τε καὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων μελοποιῶν, οἳ ποιοῦντες ἔπη, τούτοις μέλη περιετίθεσαν· καὶ γὰρ τὸν Τέρπανδρον ἔφη κιθαρῳδικῶν ποιητὴν ὄντα νόμων, κατὰ νόμον ἕκαστον τοῖς ἔπεσι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῖς Ὁμήρου μέλη περιτιθέντα ᾄδειν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν ἀποφῆναι δὲ τοῦτον λέγει ὀνόματα πρῶτον τοῖς κιθαρῳδικοῖς νόμοις· ὁμοίως δὲ Τερπάνδρῳ Κλονᾶν, τὸν πρῶτον συστησάμενον τοὺς αὐλῳδικοὺς νόμους καὶ τὰ προσόδια, ἐλεγείων τε καὶ ἐπῶν ποιητὴν γεγονέναι· καὶ Πολύμνηστον τὸν Κολοφώνιον τὸν μετὰ τοῦτον γενόμενον τοῖς αὐτοῖς χρήσασθαι ποιήμασιν.

[¶3] 4. Now the measures appointed by these persons, noble Onesicrates, in reference to such songs as are to be sung to the flutes or pipes, were distinguished by these names, —Apothetus, Elegiac, Comarchius, Schoenion, Cepion, Tenedius, and Trimeles (or of three parts). To these succeeding ages added another sort, which were called Polymnastia. But the measures set down for those that played and sung to the harp, being the invention of Terpander, were much more ancient than the former. To these he gave the several appellations of Boeotian, Aeolian, Trochaean, the Acute, Cepion, Terpandrian, and Tetraoedian. And Terpander made preludes to be sung to the lyre in heroic verse. Besides, Timotheus testifies how that the lyric nomes were anciently appropriated to epic verses. For Timotheus merely intermixed the dithyrambic style with the ancient nomes in heroic measure, and thus sang them, that he might not seem to make too sudden an innovation upon the ancient music. But as for Terpander, he seems to have been the most excellent composer to the harp of his age, for he is recorded to have been four times in succession a victor at the Pythian games. And certainly he was one of the most ancient musicians in the world; for Glaucus the Italian in his treatise of the ancient poets and musicians asserts him to have lived before Archilochus, affirming him to be the second next to those that first invented wind-music.

> Greek: 4. οἱ δὲ νόμοι οἱ κατὰ τούτους, ἀγαθὲ Ὀνησίκρατες, αὐλῳδικοὶ ἦσαν, Ἀπόθετος, Ἔλεγοι, Κωμάρχιος, Σχοινίων, Κηπίων τε καὶ Δεῖος καὶ Τριμελής· ὑστέρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ καὶ τὰ Πολυμνάστια καλούμενα ἐξευρέθη. οἱ δὲ τῆς κιθαρῳδίας νόμοι πρότερον πολλῷ χρόνῳ τῶν αὐλῳδικῶν κατεστάθησαν ἐπὶ Τερπάνδρου· ἐκεῖνος γοῦν τοὺς κιθαρῳδικοὺς πρότερος ὠνόμασε, Βοιώτιόν τινα καὶ Αἰόλιον Τροχαῖόν τε καὶ Ὀξὺν Κηπίωνά τε καὶ Τερπάνδρειον καλῶν, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ Τετραοίδιον. πεποίηται δὲ τῷ Τερπάνδρῳ καὶ προοίμια κιθαρῳδικὰ ἐν ἔπεσιν. ὅτι δʼ οἱ κιθαρῳδικοὶ νόμοι οἱ πάλαι ἐξ ἐπῶν συνίσταντο, Τιμόθεος ἐδήλωσε τοὺς γοῦν πρώτους νόμους ἐν ἔπεσι διαμιγνύων διθυραμβικὴν λέξιν ᾖδεν, ὅπως; μὴ εὐθὺς φανῇ παρανομῶν εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν μουσικήν. ἔοικε δὲ κατὰ τὴν τέχνην τὴν κιθαρῳδικὴν ὁ Τέρπανδρος διενηνοχέναι· τὰ Πύθια γὰρ τετράκις ἑξῆς νενικηκὼς ἀναγέγραπται. καὶ τοῖς χρόνοις δὲ σφόδρα παλαιός ἐστι· πρεσβύτερον γοῦν αὐτὸν Ἀρχιλόχου ἀποφαίνει Γλαῦκος ὁ ἐξ Ἰταλίας ἐν συγγράμματί τινι τῷ Περὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων ποιητῶν τε καὶ μουσικῶν φησὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν δεύτερον γενέσθαι μετὰ τοὺς πρώτους ποιήσαντας αὐλῳδίαν.

[¶4] 5. Alexander in his Collections of Phrygia says, that Olympus was the first that brought into Greece the manner of touching the strings with a quill; and next to him were the Idaean Dactyli; Hyagnis was the first that sang to the pipe; after him his son Marsyas, then Olympus; that Terpander imitated Homer in his verses and Orpheus in his musical compositions; but that Orpheus never imitated any one, since in his time there were none but such as composed to the pipe, which was a manner quite different from that of Orpheus. Clonas, a composer of nomes for flute-music, and somewhat later than Terpander, as the Arcadians affirm, was born in Tegea or, as the Boeotians allege, at Thebes. After Terpander and Clonas flourished Archilochus; yet there are some writers who affirm, that Ardalus the Troezenian taught the manner of composing to wind-music before Clonas. There was also the poet Polymnestus, the son of Meles the Colophonian, who invented the Polymnestian measures. They farther write that Clonas invented the nomes Apothetus and Schoenion. Of Polymnestus mention is made by Pindar and Alcman, both lyric poets; but of several of the lyric nomes said to be instituted by Terpander they make Philammon (the ancient Delphian) author.

> Greek: 5. Ἀλέξανδρος δʼ ἐν τῇ Συναγωγῇ τῶν περὶ Φρυγίας κρούματα Ὄλυμπον ἔφη πρῶτον εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας κομίσαι, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ἰδαίους Δακτύλους· Ὕαγνιν δὲ πρῶτον αὐλῆσαι, εἶτα τὸν τούτου υἱὸν Μαρσύαν, εἶτʼ Ὄλυμπον· ἐζηλωκέναι δὲ τὸν Τέρπανδρον Ὁμήρου μὲν τὰ ἔπη Ὀρφέως δὲ τὰ μέλη. ὁ δʼ Ὀρφεὺς οὐδένα φαίνεται μεμιμημένος· οὐδεὶς γάρ πω γεγένητο, εἰ μὴ οἱ τῶν αὐλῳδικῶν ποιηταί· τούτοις δὲ κατʼ οὐθὲν τὸ Ὀρφικὸν ἔργον ἔοικε. Κλονᾶς δʼ ὁ τῶν αὐλῳδικῶν νόμων ποιητής, ὁ ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον Τερπάνδρου γενόμενος, ὡς μὲν Ἀρκάδες λέγουσι, Τεγεάτης ἦν, ὡς δὲ Βοιωτοί, Θηβαῖος. μετὰ δὲ Τέρπανδρον καὶ Κλονᾶν Ἀρχίλοχος παραδίδοται γενέσθαι. ἄλλοι δέ τινες τῶν συγγραφέων Ἄρδαλόν φασι Τροιζήνιον πρότερον Κλονᾶ τὴν αὐλῳδικὴν συστήσασθαι μοῦσαν· γεγονέναι δὲ καὶ Πολύμνηστον ποιητὴν Μέλητος τοῦ Κολοφωνίου υἱόν· ὃν Πολύμνηστόν τε καὶ Πολυμνήστην νόμους ποιῆσαι. περὶ δὲ Κλονᾶ, ὅτι τὸν Ἀπόθετον νόμον καὶ Σχοινίωνα πεποιηκὼς εἴη, μνημονεύουσιν οἱ ἀναγεγραφότες· τοῦ δὲ Πολυμνήστου καὶ Πίνδαρος καὶ Ἀλκμὰν οἱ τῶν μελῶν ποιηταὶ ἐμνημόνευσαν· τινὰς δὲ τῶν νόμων τῶν κιθαρῳδικῶν τῶν ὑπὸ Τερπάνδρου πεποιημένων Φιλάμμωνά φασι τὸν ἀρχαῖον τὸν Δελφὸν συστήσασθαι.

[¶5] 6. Now the music appropriated to the harp, such as it was in the time of Terpander, continued in all its simplicity, till Phrynis grew into esteem. For it was not the ancient custom to make lyric poems in the present style, or to intermix measures and rhythms. For in each nome they were careful to observe its own proper pitch; whence came the expression nome (from νόμος, law), because it was unlawful to alter the pitch appointed for each one. At length, falling from their devotion to the Gods, they began to sing the verses of Homer and other poets. This is manifest by the proems of Terpander. Then for the form of the harp, it was such as Cepion, one of Terpander’s scholars, first caused to be made, and it was called the Asian harp, because the Lesbian harpers bordering upon Asia always made use of it. And it is said that Periclitus, a Lesbian by birth, was the last harper who won a prize by his skill, which he did at one of the Spartan festivals called Carneia; but he being dead, that succession of skilful musicians, which had so long continued among the Lesbians, expired. Some there are who erroneously believe that Hipponax was contemporary with Terpander, when it is plain that Hipponax lived after Periclitus.

> Greek: 6. τὸ δʼ ὅλον ἡ μὲν κατὰ Τέρπανδρον κιθαρῳδία καὶ μέχρι τῆς Φρύνιδος ἡλικίας παντελῶς ἁπλῆ τις οὖσα διετέλει· οὐ γὰρ ἐξῆν τὸ παλαιὸν οὕτω ποιεῖσθαι τὰς κιθαρῳδίας ὡς νῦν οὐδὲ μεταφέρειν τὰς ἁρμονίας καὶ τοὺς ῥυθμούς ἐν γὰρ τοῖς νόμοις ἑκάστῳ διετήρουν τὴν οἰκείαν τάσιν· διὸ καὶ ταύτην ἐπωνυμίαν εἶχον· νόμοι γὰρ προσηγορεύθησαν, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐξῆν παραβῆναι καθʼ ἕκαστον νενομισμένον εἶδος τῆς τάσεως. τὰ γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ὡς βούλονται ἀφοσιωσάμενοι ἐξέβαινον εὐθὺς ἐπί τε τὴν Ὁμήρου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ποίησιν· δῆλον δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ διὰ τῶν Τερπάνδρου προοιμίων. ἐποιήθη δὲ καὶ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς κιθάρας πρῶτον κατὰ Κηπίωνα, τὸν Τερπάνδρου μαθητὴν ἐκλήθη δʼ Ἀσιὰς διὰ τὸ κεχρῆσθαι τοὺς Λεσβίους αὐτῇ κιθαρῳδοὺς πρὸς τῇ Ἀσίᾳ κατοικοῦντας. τελευταῖον δὲ Περίκλειτόν φασι κιθαρῳδὸν νικῆσαι ἐν Λακεδαίμονι Κάρνεια, τὸ γένος ὄντα Λέσβιον· τούτου δὲ τελευτήσαντος, τέλος λαβεῖν Λεσβίοις τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς κατὰ τὴν κιθαρῳδίαν διαδοχῆς. ἔνιοι δὲ πλανώμενοι νομίξουσι κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον Τερπάνδρῳ Ἱππώνακτα γεγονέναι· φαίνεται δʼ Ἱππώνακτος καὶ Περίκλειτος ὢν πρεσβύτερος.

[¶6] 7. Having thus discoursed of the several nomes appropriated to the stringed as well as to the wind instruments, we will now speak something in particular concerning those peculiar to the wind instruments. First they say, that Olympus, a Phrygian player upon the flute, invented a certain nome in honor of Apollo, which he called Polycephalus, or of many heads. This Olympus, they say, was descended from the first Olympus, the scholar of Marsyas, who invented several forms of composition in honor of the Gods; and he, being a boy beloved of Marsyas, and by him taught to play upon the flute, first brought into Greece the laws of harmony. Others ascribe the Polycephalus to Crates, the scholar of Olympus; though Pratinas will have Olympus the younger to be the author of it. The Harmatian nome is also said to be invented by Olympus, the scholar of Marsyas. This Marsyas was by some said to be called Masses; which others deny, not allowing him any other name but that of Marsyas, the son of that Hyagnis who invented the art of playing upon the pipe. But that Olympus was the author of the Harmatian nome is plainly to be seen in Glaucus’s treatise of the ancient poets; and that Stesichorus of Himera imitated neither Orpheus nor Terpander nor Antilochus nor Thales, but Olympus, and that he made use of the Harmatian nome and the dactylic dance, which some rather apply to the Orthian mood, while others aver it to have been the invention of the Mysians, for that some of the ancient pipers were Mysians.

> Greek: 7. ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς αὐλῳδικοὺς νόμους καὶ κιθαρῳδικοὺς ὁμοῦ τοὺς ἀρχαίους ἐμπεφανίκαμεν, μεταβησόμεθα ἐπὶ μόνους τοὺς αὐλῳδικούς. λέγεται γὰρ τὸν προειρημένον Ὄλυμπον, αὐλητὴν ὄντα τῶν ἐκ Φρυγίας, ποιῆσαι νόμον αὐλητικὸν εἰς Ἀπόλλωνα τὸν καλούμενον Πολυκέφαλον εἶναι δὲ τὸν Ὄλυμπον τοῦτόν φασιν ἕνα τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πρώτου Ὀλύμπου τοῦ Μαρσύου, πεποιηκότος εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς· τοὺς νόμους· οὗτος γὰρ παιδικὰ γενόμενος Μαρσύου καὶ τὴν αὔλησιν μαθὼν παρʼ αὐτοῦ τοὺς νόμους τοὺς ἁρμονικοὺς ἐξήνεγκεν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα, οἷς νῦν χρῶνται οἱ Ἕλληνες ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς τῶν θεῶν. ἄλλοι δὲ Κράτητος εἶναί φασι τὸν Πολυκέφαλον νόμον, γενομένου μαθητοῦ Ὀλύμπου ὁ δὲ Πρατίνας Ὀλύμπου φησὶν εἶναι τοῦ νεωτέρου Τὸν νόμον τοῦτον. τὸν δὲ καλούμενον Ἁρμάτιον νόμον λέγεται ποιῆσαι ὁ πρῶτος Ὄλυμπος, ὁ Μαρσύου μαθητής. τὸν δὲ Μαρσύαν φασί τινες Μάσσην καλεῖσθαι· οἱ δʼ οὔ, ἀλλὰ Μαρσύαν εἶναι δʼ αὐτὸν Ὑάγνιδος υἱόν, τοῦ πρώτου εὑρόντος τὴν αὐλητικὴν τέχνην. ὅτι δʼ ἐστὶν Ὀλύμπου ὁ ἁρμάτιος νόμος, ἐκ τῆς Γλαύκου ἀναγραφῆς τῆς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀρχαίων ποιητῶν μάθοι ἄν τις, καὶ ἔτι γνοίη ὅτι Στησίχορος ὁ Ἱμεραῖος οὔτʼ Ὀρφέα οὔτε Τέρπανδρον οὔτʼ Ἀρχίλοχον οὔτε Θαλήταν ἐμιμήσατο, ἀλλʼ Ὄλυμπον, χρησάμενος τῷ ἁρματίῳ νόμῳ καὶ τῷ κατὰ δάκτυλον εἴδει, ὃ τινες ἐξ ὀρθίου νόμου φασὶν εἶναι. ἄλλοι δέ τινες ὑπὸ Μυσῶν εὑρῆσθαι τοῦτον τὸν νόμον· γεγονέναι γάρ τινας ἀρχαίους αὐλητὰς Μυσούς.

[¶7] 8. There was also another mood in use among the ancients, called Cradias, which Hipponax says Mimnermus always delighted in. For formerly they that played upon the flute sang also elegies at the same time set to notes. Which the description of the Panathenaea concerning the musical combat makes manifest. Among the rest, Sacadas of Argos set several odes and elegies to music, he himself being also a good flute-player and thrice a victor at the Pythian games. Of him Pindar makes mention. Now whereas in the time of Polymnestus and Sacadas there existed three musical moods, the Dorian, Phrygian, and Lydian, it is said that Sacadas composed a strophe in every one of those moods, and then taught the choruses to sing the first after the Dorian manner, the second according to the Phrygian, and the third after the Lydian manner; and this nome was called Trimeres (or threefold) by reason of the shifting of the moods, although in the Sicyonian catalogue of the poets Clonas is said to be the inventor of this name.

> Greek: 8. καὶ ἄλλος δʼ ἐστὶν ἀρχαῖος νόμος καλούμενος; κραδίας, ὅν φησιν Ἱππῶναξ Μίμνερμον αὐλῆσαι. ἐν ἀρχῇ γὰρ ἐλεγεῖα μεμελοποιημένα οἱ αὐλῳδοὶ ᾖδον· τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῖ ἡ τῶν Παναθηναίων γραφὴ ἡ περὶ τοῦ μουσικοῦ ἀγῶνος. γέγονε δὲ καὶ Σακάδας Ἀργεῖος; ποιητὴς μελῶν τε καὶ ἐλεγείων μεμελοποιημένων· ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς καὶ ποιητὴς ἀγαθὸς καὶ τὰ Πύθια τρὶς νενικηκὼς ἀναγέγραπται· τούτου καὶ Πίνδαρος μνημονεύει· τόνων γοῦν τριῶν ὄντων κατὰ Πολύμνηστον καὶ Σακάδαν, τοῦ τε Δωρίου καὶ Φρυγίου καὶ Λυδίου, ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν εἰρημένων τόνων στροφὴν ποιήσαντά φασι τὸν Σακάδαν διδάξαι ᾄδειν τὸν χορὸν Δωριστὶ μὲν τὴν πρώτην, Φρυγιστὶ δὲ τὴν δευτέραν, Λυδιστὶ δὲ τὴν τρίτην· καλεῖσθαι δὲ Τριμερῆ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον διὰ τὴν μεταβολήν. ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐν Σικυῶνι ἀναγραφῇ τῇ περὶ τῶν ποιητῶν Κλονᾶς εὑρετὴς ἀναγέγραπται τοῦ τριμεροῦς νόμου.

[¶8] 9. Music then received its first constitution from Terpander at Sparta. Of the second constitution, Thaletas the Gortinean, Xenodamus the Cytherean, Xenocritus the Locrian, Polymnestus the Colophonian, and Sacadas the Argive were deservedly acknowledged to be the authors. For these, having introduced the Gymnopaediae into Lacedaemon, settled the so-called Apodeixeis (or Exhibitions) among the Arcadians, and the Endymatia in Argos. Now Thaletas, Xenodamus, and Xenocritus, and their scholars, were poets that addicted themselves altogether to making of paeans; Polymnestus was all for the Orthian or military strain, and Sacadas for elegies. Others, and among the rest Pratinas, affirm Xenodamus to have been a maker of songs for dances (Hyporchemes), and not of paeans; and a tune of Xenodamus is preserved, which plainly appears to have been composed for a dance. Now that a paean differs from a song made for a dance is manifest from the poems of Pindar, who made both.

> Greek: 9. ἡ μὲν οὖν πρώτη κατάστασις τῶν περὶ τὴν μουσικὴν ἐν τῇ Σπάρτῃ, Τερπάνδρου καταστήσαντος, γεγένηται· τῆς δευτέρας δὲ Θαλήτας τε ὁ Γορτύνιος καὶ,Ξενόδαμος ὁ Κυθήριος; καὶ,Ξενόκριτος ὁ Λοκρὸς καὶ Πολύμνηστος ὁ Κολοφώνιος καὶ Σακάδας ὁ Ἀργεῖος μάλιστα αἰτίαν ἔχουσιν ἡγεμόνες γενέσθαι· τούτων γὰρ εἰσηγησαμένων τὰ περὶ τὰς γυμνοπαιδίας τὰς ἐν Λακεδαίμονι λέγεται κατασταθῆναι; τὰ περὶ τὰς ἀποδείξεις τὰς ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ, τῶν τε ἐν Ἄργει τὰ ἐνδυμάτια καλούμενα. ἦσαν δʼ οἱ περὶ Θαλήταν τε καὶ Ξενόδαμον καὶ Ξενόκριτον ποιηταὶ παιάνων, οἱ δὲ περὶ Πολύμνηστον τῶν ὀρθίων καλουμένων, οἱ δὲ περὶ Σακάδαν ἐλεγείων. ἄλλοι δὲ Ξενόδαμον ὑπορχημάτων ποιητὴν γεγονέναι φασὶ καὶ οὐ παιάνων, καθάπερ Πρατίνας· καὶ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ Ξενοδάμου ἀπομνημονεύεται ᾆσμα, ὃ ἐδτι φανερῶς ὑπόρχημα. κέχρηται δὲ τῷ γένει τῆς ποιήσεως ταύτης καὶ Πίνδαρος· ὁ δὲ παιὰν ὅτι διαφορὰν ἔχει πρὸς τὰ ὑπορχήματα, τὰ Πινδάρου ποιήματα δηλώσει· γέγραφε γὰρ καὶ παιᾶνας καὶ ὑπορχήματα.

[¶9] 10. Polymnestus also composed nomes for flute-music; but in the Orthian nome he made use of his lyric vein, as the students in harmony declare. But in this we cannot be positive, because we have nothing of certainty concerning it from antiquity; and whether Thaletas of Crete was a composer of hymns is much doubted. For Glaucus, asserting Thaletas to be born after Archilochus, says that he imitated the odes of Archilochus, only he made them longer, and used the Paeonic and Cretic rhythm, which neither Archilochus nor Orpheus nor Terpander ever did; for Thaletas learned these from Olympus, and became a good poet besides. As for Xenocritus the Locrian from Italy, it is much questioned whether he was a maker of paeans or not, as being one that always took heroic subjects with dramatic action for his verses, for which reason some there were who called his arguments Dithyrambic. More over, Glaucus asserts Thaletas to have preceded him in time.

> Greek: 10. καὶ Πολύμνηστος δʼ αὐλῳδικοὺς νόμους ἐποίησεν· ἐν δὲ τῷ ὀρθίῳ νόμῳ τῇ μελοποιίᾳ κέχρηται, καθάπερ οἱ ἁρμονικοί φασιν, οὐκ ἔχομεν δʼ ἀκριβῶς εἰπεῖν· οὐ γὰρ εἰρήκασιν οἱ ἀρχαῖοί τι περὶ τούτου. καὶ περὶ Θαλήτα δὲ τοῦ Κρητός, εἰ παιάνων γεγένηται ποιητὴς, ἀμφισβητεῖται. Γλαῦκος γὰρ μετʼ Ἀρχίλοχον φάσκων γεγενῆσθαι Θαλήταν μεμιμῆσθαι μὲν αὐτόν φησι τὰ Ἀρχιλόχου μέλη, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ μακρότερον ἐκτεῖναι, καὶ Μάρωνα καὶ Κρητικὸν ῥυθμὸν εἰς τὴν μελοποιίαν ἐνθεῖναι· οἷς Ἀρχίλοχον μὴ κεχρῆσθαι, ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ Ὀρφέα οὐδὲ Τέρπανδρον ἐκ γὰρ τῆς Ὀλύμπου αὐλήσεως Θαλήταν φασὶν ἐξειργάσθαι ταῦτα καὶ δόξαι ποιητὴν ἀγαθὸν γεγονέναι. περὶ δὲ Ξενοκρίτου ὃς ἦν τὸ γένος ἐκ Λοκρῶν τῶν ἐν· Ἰταλίᾳ, ἀμφισβητεῖται εἰ παιάνων ποιητὴς γέγονεν· ἡρωϊκῶν γὰρ ὑποθέσεων πράγματα ἐχουσῶν ποιητὴν γεγονέναι φασὶν αὐτόν· διὸ καί τινας διθυράμβους καλεῖν αὐτοῦ τὰς ὑποθέσεις· πρεσβύτερον δὲ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ φησὶν ὁ Γλαῦκος Θαλήταν Ξενοκρίτου γεγονέναι.

[¶10] 11. Olympus, by the report of Aristoxenus, is supposed by the musicians to have been the inventor of the enharmonic species of music; for before him there was no other than the diatonic and chromatic. And it is thought that the invention of the enharmonic species was thus brought to pass: for that Olympus before altogether composing and playing in the diatonic species, and having frequent occasion to shift to the diatonic parhypate, sometimes from the paramese and sometimes from the mese, skipping the diatonic lichanos, he found the beauty that appeared in the new character; and thus, admiring a conjunction or scheme so agreeable to proportion, he made this new species in the Doric mood. For now he held no longer to what belonged either to the diatonic or to the chromatic, but he was already come to the enharmonic. And the first foundations of enharmonic music which he laid were these: in enharmonics the first thing that appears is the spondiasmus, to which none of the divisions of the tetrachord seems properly to belong, unless any one will take the more intense spondiasmus to be diatonic. But he that maintained this would maintain a falsehood and an absurdity in harmony; a falsehood, because it would be less by a diesis than is required by the leading note; an absurdity in harmony, because, even if we should place the proper nature of the more intense spondiasmus in the simple chromatic, it would then come to pass, that two double tones would follow in order, the one compounded, the other uncompounded. For the thick enharmonic now used in the middle notes does not seem to be the invention of the fore-mentioned author. But this is more easily understood by hearing any musician play in the ancient style; for then you shall find the semi-tone in the middle parts to be uncompounded. These were the beginnings of enharmonic music; afterwards the semitone was also divided, as well in the Phrygian as Lydian moods. But Olympus seems to have advanced music by producing something never known or heard of before, and to have gained to himself the honor of being the most excellent, not only in the Grecian but in all other music.

> Greek: 11. Ὄλυμπος δὲ, ὡς Ἀριστόξενός φησιν, ὑπολαμβάνεται ὑπὸ τῶν μουσικῶν τοῦ ἐναρμονίου γένους εὑρετὴς γεγενῆσθαι· τὰ γὰρ πρὸ ἐκείνου πάντα διάτονα καὶ χρωματικὰ ἦν. ὑπονοοῦσι δὲ τὴν εὕρεσιν τοιαύτην τινὰ γενέσθαι· ἀναστρεφόμενον τὸν Ὄλυμπον ἐν τῷ διατόνῳ καὶ διαβιβάζοντα τὸ μέλος πολλάκις ἐπὶ τὴν διάτονον παρυπάτην, τοτὲ μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς παραμέσης τοτὲ δʼ ἀπὸ τῆς μέσης, καὶ παραβαίνοντα τὴν διάτονον λιχανὸν καταμαθεῖν τὸ κάλλος τοῦ ἤθους, καὶ οὕτω τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἀναλογίας συνεστηκὸς σύστημα θαυμάσαντα καὶ ἀποδεξάμενον ἐν τούτῳ ποιεῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ Δωρίου τόνου· οὔτε γὰρ τῶν τοῦ διατόνου ἰδίων οὔτε τῶν τοῦ χρώματος ἅπτεσθαι ἀλλʼ ἤδη τῶν τῆς ἁρμονίας. εἶναι δʼ αὐτῷ τὰ πρῶτα τῶν ἐναρμονίων τοιαῦτα. τιθέασι γὰρ τούτων πρῶτον τὸν Σπονδεῖον, ἐν ᾧ οὐδεμία τῶν διαιρέσεων τὸ ἴδιον ἐμφαίνει, εἰ μή τις εἰς τὸν συντονώτερον σπονδειασμὸν βλέπων αὐτὸ τοῦτο διάτονον εἶναι ἀπεικάσει. δῆλον δʼ ὅτι καὶ ψεῦδος καὶ θήσει ὁ τοιοῦτο τιθείς ψεῦδος μέν, ὅτι διέσει ἔλαττόν ἐστι τόνου τοῦ περὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα κειμένου· ἐκμελὲς δέ, ὅτι, καὶ εἴ τις ἐν τῇ τοῦ τονιαίου δυνάμει τιθείη τὸ τοῦ συντονωτέρου σπονδειασμοῦ ἴδιον, συμβαίνοι ἂν δύο ἑξῆς τίθεσθαι δίτονα, τὸ μὲν ἀσύνθετον τὸ δὲ σύνθετον· τὸ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς μέσαις ἐναρμόνιον πυκνὸν, ᾧ νῦν χρῶνται, οὐ δοκεῖ τοῦ ποιητοῦ εἶναι. ῥᾴδιον δʼ ἐστὶ συνιδεῖν, ἐάν τις ἀρχαϊκῶς τινος αὐλοῦντος ἀκούσῃ ἀσύνθετον γὰρ βούλεται εἶναι καὶ τὸ ἐν ταῖς μέσαις ἡμιτόνιον. τὰ μὲν οὖν πρῶτα τῶν ἐναρμονίων τοιαῦτα· ὕστερον δὲ τὸ ἡμιτόνιον διῃρέθη ἔν τε τοῖς Λυδίοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς Φρυγίοις. φαίνεται δʼ Ὄλυμπος αὐξήσας μουσικὴν τῷ ἀγένητόν τι καὶ ἀγνοούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εἰσαγαγεῖν, καὶ ἀρχηγὸς γενέσθαι τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς καὶ καλῆς μουσικῆς.

[¶11] 12. Let us now proceed to rhythms; for there were several varieties of these, as well in musical as in rhythmical composition. And here Terpander, among all those novelties with which he adorned music, introduced an elegant manner, that gave it much life. After him, beside the Terpandrian, which he did not relinquish, Polymnestus brought in use another of his own, retaining however the former elegant manner, as did also Thaletas and Sacadas. Other innovations were also made by Alkman and Stesichorus, who nevertheless receded not from the ancient forms. But Crexus, Timotheus, and Philoxenus, and those other poets of the same age, growing more arrogant and studious of novelty, affected those other manners now called Philanthropic and Thematic. For now the fewness of strings and the plainness and majesty of the old music are looked upon as absolutely out of date.

> Greek: 12. ἔστι δέ τις καὶ περὶ τῶν ῥυθμῶν λόγος· γένη γάρ τινα καὶ εἴδη ῥυθμῶν προσεξευρέθη, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ μελοποιιῶν τε καὶ ῥυθμοποιιῶν. προτέρα μὲν γὰρ ἡ Τερπάνδρου καινοτομία καλόν τινα τρόπον εἰς τὴν μουσικὴν εἰσήγαγε· πολύμνηστος δὲ μετὰ τὸν Τερπάνδρειον τρόπον, ᾧ καὶ ἐχρήσατο, καὶ αὐτὸς, μέντοι ἐχόμενος τοῦ καλοῦ τύπου, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ Θαλήτας καὶ Σακάδας· καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι κατά γε τὰς ῥυθμοποιίας ἱκανοί, οὐκ ἐκβαίνοντες; μέντοι τοῦ καλοῦ τύπου. ἔστι δέ τις Ἀλκμανικὴ καινοτομία καὶ Στησιχόρειος, καὶ αὐταὶ οὐκ ἀφεστῶσαι τοῦ καλοῦ. Κρέξος δὲ καὶ Τιμόθεος καὶ Φιλόξενος καὶ οἱ κατʼ αὐτοὺς τὴν ἡλικίαν γεγονότες ποιηταὶ φορτικώτεροι καὶ φιλόκαινοι γεγόνασι, τὸν φιλάνθρωπον καὶ θεματικὸν νῦν ὀνομαζόμενον τρόπον διώξαντες· τὴν γὰρ ὀλιγοχορδίαν καὶ τὴν ἁπλότητα καὶ σεμνότητα τῆς μουσικῆς παντελῶς ἀρχαϊκὴν εἶναι συμβέβηκεν.

[¶12] 13. And now, having discoursed to the best of my ability of the ancient music and the first inventors of it, and how succeeding ages brought it to more and more perfection, I shall make an end, and give way to my friend Soterichus, not only greatly skilled in music but in all the rest of the sciences. For we have always labored rather on the practical than the contemplative part. Which when Lysias had said, he forbare speaking any farther; but then Soterichus thus began.

> Greek: 13. εἰρηκὼς κατὰ δύναμιν περί τε τῆς πρώτης μουσικῆς καὶ τῶν πρῶτον εὑρόντων αὐτήν καὶ ὑπὸ τίνων κατὰ χρόνους; ταῖς προσεξευρέσεσιν ηὔξηται καταπαύσω τὸν λόγον καὶ παραδώσω τῷ ἑταίρῳ Σωτηρίχῳ, ἐσπουδακότι οὐ μόνον περὶ μουσικὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἐγκύκλιον παιδείαν ἡμεῖς; γὰρ μᾶλλον χειρουργικῷ μέρει τῆς μουσικῆς ἐγγεγυμνάσμεθα. ὁ μὲν Λυσίας ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν κατέπαυσε τὸν λόγον.

[¶13] 14. Most noble Onesicrates, said he, since you have engaged us to speak our knowledge concerning the most venerable excellencies of music, which is most pleasing to the Gods, I cannot but approve the learning of our master Lysias, and his great memory in reciting all the inventors of the ancient music, and those who have written concerning it. But I must needs say, that he has given us this account, trusting only to what he has found recorded. We on the other side have not heard of any man that was the inventor of the benefits of music, but of the God Apollo, adorned with all manner of virtue. The flute was neither the invention of Marsyas nor Olympus nor Hyagnis; nor was the harp Apollo’s invention only, but as a God he was the inventor of all the music both of the flute and harp. This is manifest from the dances and sacrifices which were solemnized to Apollo, as Alcaeus and others in their hymns relate. His statue also placed in the Temple of Delos holds in his right hand a bow; at his left the Graces stand, with every one a musical instrument in her hands, one carrying a harp, another a flute, another with a shepherd’s pipe set to her lips. And that this is no conceit of mine appears from this, that Anticles and Ister have testified the same in their commentaries upon these things. And the statue is reported to be so ancient, that the artificers were said to have lived in the time of Hercules. The youth also that carries the Tempic laurel into Delphi is accompanied by one playing upon the flute. And the sacred presents of the Hyperboreans were sent of old to Delos, attended with flutes, pipes, and harps. Some have thought that the God himself played upon the flute, as the best of lyrics, Alcman, relates. Corinna also asserts that Apollo was by Minerva taught to pipe. Venerable is therefore music altogether, as being the invention of the Gods.

> Greek: 14. Σωτήριχος δὲ μετὰ τοῦτον ὧδέ πως ἔφη· ὑπὲρ σεμνοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος καὶ θεοῖς μάλιστα ἀρέσκοντος, ὠγαθὲ Ὀνησίκρατες, τοὺς λόγους ἡμᾶς προετρέψω ποιήσασθαι. ἀποδέχομαι μὲν οὖν τῆς συνέσεως τὸν διδάσκαλον Λυσίαν ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τῆς μνήμης ἣν ἐπεδείξατο περί τε τοὺς εὑρετὰς τῆς πρώτης μουσικῆς καὶ περὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα συγγεγραφότας· ὑπομνήσω δὲ τοῦθʼ, ὅτι τοῖς ἀναγεγραμμένοις μόνοις κατακολουθήσας πεποίηται τὴν δεῖξιν. ἡμεῖς δʼ οὐκ ἄνθρωπόν τινα παρελάβομεν εὑρετὴν τῶν τῆς μουσικῆς ἀγαθῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸν πάσαις ταῖς ἀρεταῖς κεκοσμημένον θεὸν Ἀπόλλωνα. οὐτε γὰρ Μαρσύου ἢ Ὀλύμπου ἢ Ὑάγνιδος, ὥς τινες οἴονται, εὕρημα ὁ αὐλός· οὐ μόνη δὲ κιθάρα Ἀπόλλωνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐλητικῆς καὶ κιθαριστικῆς εὑρετὴς ὁ θεός. δῆλον δʼ ἐκ τῶν χορῶν καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν, ἃς προσῆγον μετʼ αὐλῶν τῷ θεῷ· καθάπερ ἄλλοι τε καὶ Ἀλκαῖος ἔν τινι τῶν ὕμνων ἱστορεῖ. καὶ ἡ ἐν Δήλῳ δὲ τοῦ ἀγάλματος αὐτοῦ ἀφίδρυσις ἔχει ἐν μὲν τῇ δεξιᾷ τόξον, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ Χάριτας, τῶν τῆς μουσικῆς ὀργάνων ἑκάστην τι ἔχουσαν· ἡ μὲν γὰρ λύραν κρατεῖ ἡ δʼ αὐλοὺς ἡ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ προσκειμένην ἔχει τῷ στόματι σύριγγα ὅτι δʼ οὗτος οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος, Ἀντικλῆς καὶ Ἴστρος ἐν ταῖς Ἐπιφανείαις περὶ τούτων ἀφηγήσαντο. οὕτω δὲ παλαιόν ἐστι τὸ ἀφίδρυμα, τοῦτο, ὥστε τοὺς ἐργασαμένους αὐτὸ τῶν καθʼ Ἡρακλέα Μερόπων φασὶν εἶναι. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τῷ κατακομίζοντι παιδὶ τὴν Τεμπικὴν δάφνην εἰς Δελφοὺς παρομαρτεῖ αὐλητής· καὶ τὰ ἐξ Ὑπερβορέων δʼ ἱερὰ μετʼ αὐλῶν καὶ συρίγγων καὶ κιθάρας εἰς τὴν Δῆλόν φασι τὸ παλαιὸν στέλλεσθαι. ἄλλοι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν θεόν φασιν αὐλῆσαι, καθάπερ ἱστορεῖ ὁ ἄριστος μελῶν ποιητὴς Ἀλκμάν· ἡ δὲ Κόριννα καὶ διδαχθῆναί φησι τὸν Ἀπόλλω ὑπʼ Ἀθηνᾶς αὐλεῖν. σεμνὴ οὖν κατὰ πάντα ἡ μουσική, θεῶν εὕρημα οὖσα.

[¶14] 15. The ancients made use of it for its worth, as they did all other beneficial sciences. But our men of art, contemning its ancient majesty, instead of that manly, grave, heaven-born music, so acceptable to the Gods, have brought into the theatres a sort of effeminate musical tattling, mere sound without substance; which Plato utterly rejects in the third book of his commonwealth, refusing the Lydian harmony as fit only for lamentations. And they say that this was first instituted for doleful songs. Aristoxenus, in his first book of music, tells us how that Olympus sang an elegy upon the death of Python in the Lydian mood, though some will have Menalippides to be the author of that song. Pindar, in his paean on the nuptials of Niobe, asserts that the Lydian harmony was first used by Anthippus. Others affirm, that Torebus was the first that made use of that sort of harmony; among the rest, Dionysius the iambic writer.

> Greek: 15. ἐχρήσαντο δʼ αὐτῇ οἱ παλαιοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν, ὥσπερ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτηδεύμασι πᾶσιν οἱ δὲ νῦν τὰ σεμνὰ αὐτῆς παραιτησάμενοι, ἀντὶ τῆς ἀνδρώδους ἐκείνης καὶ θεσπεσίας καὶ θεοῖς φίλης κατεαγυῖαν καὶ κωτίλην εἰς τὰ θέατρα εἰσάγουσι. τοιγάρτοι Πλάτων ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ τῆς Πολιτείας δυσχεραίνει τῇ τοιαύτῃ μουσικῇ· τὴν γοῦν Λύδιον ἁρμονίαν παραιτεῖται, ἐπειδὴ ὀξεῖα καὶ ἐπιτήδειος πρὸς θρῆνον. καὶ τὴν πρώτην σύστασιν αὐτῆς φασι θρηνώδη τινὰ γενέσθαι. Ὄλυμπον γὰρ πρῶτον Ἀριστόξενος ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ περὶ Μουσικῆς ἐπὶ τῷ Πύθωνί φησιν ἐπικήδειον αὐλῆσαι Λυδιστί. εἰσὶ δʼ οἳ Μελανιππίδην τούτου τοῦ μέλους ἄρξαι φασί· Πίνδαρος δʼ ἐν Παιᾶσιν ἐπὶ τοῖς Νιόβης γάμοις φησὶ Λύδιον ἁρμονίαν πρῶτον διδαχθῆναι. ἄλλοι δὲ Τόρηβον πρῶτον τῇ ἁρμονίᾳ χρήσασθαι, καθάπερ Διονύσιος ὁ Ἴαμβος ἱστορεῖ.

[¶15] 16. The mixed Lydian moves the affections, and is fit for tragedies. This mood, as Aristoxenus alleges, was invented by Sappho, from whom the tragedians learned it and joined it with the Doric. The one becomes a majestic, lofty style, the other mollifies and stirs to pity; both which are the properties of tragedy. The history of music, however, made Pythoclides the flute-player to be the author of it; and Lysis reports that Lamprocles the Athenian, finding that the diazeuxis (or separation of two tetrachords) was not where almost all others thought it had been, but toward the treble, made such a scheme as is now from paramese to the highest hypate. But for the softer Lydian, being contrary to the mixed Lydian and like the Ionian, they say it was invented by Damon the Athenian.

> Greek: 16. καὶ ἡ Μιξολύδιος δὲ παθητικὴ τίς ἐστι, τραγῳδίαις ἁρμόζουσα., Ἀριστόξενος δέ φησι Σαπφὼ πρώτην εὕρασθαι τὴν Μιξολυδιστί, παρʼ ἧς τοὺς τραγῳδοποιοὺς μαθεῖν· λαβόντας γοῦν αὀτοὺς συζεῦξαι τῇ Δωριστί, ἐπεὶ ἡ μὲν τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς καὶ ἀξιωματικὸν ἀποδίδωσιν ἡ δὲ τὸ παθητικόν, μέμικται δὲ διὰ τούτων τραγῳδία. ἐν δὲ τοῖς Ἱστορικοῖς τῆς Ἁρμονικῆς Πυθοκλείδην φησὶ τὸν αὐλητὴν εὑρετὴν αὐτῆς γεγονέναι. Λῦσις δὲ Λαμπροκλέα τὸν Ἀθηναῖον συνιδόντα, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνταῦθα ἔχει τὴν διάζευξιν, ὅπου σχεδὸν ἅπαντες ᾤοντο, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὸ ὀξύ, τοιοῦτον αὐτῆς ἀπεργάσασθαι τὸ σχῆμα οἷον τὸ ἀπὸ παραμέσης ἐπὶ ὑπάτην ὑπατῶν. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὴν Ἐπανειμένην Λυδιστί, εἴπερ ἐναντία τῇ Μιξολυδιστί, παραπλησίαν οὖσαν τῇ Ἰάδι, ὑπὸ Δάμωνος εὑρῆσθαί φασι τοῦ Ἀθηναίου.

## 2. Sections 17–30

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/2/#p-N

[¶0] 17. But as for those sorts of harmony, the one being sad and doleful, the other loose and effeminate, Plato deservedly rejected them, and made choice of the Dorian, as more proper for sober and warlike men; not being ignorant, however (as Aristoxenus discourses in his second book of music), that there might be something advantageous in the rest to a circumspect and wary commonwealth. For Plato gave much attention to the art of music, as being the hearer of Draco the Athenian and Metellus the Agrigentine; but considering, as we have intimated before, that there was much more majesty in the Dorian mood, it was that he preferred. He knew moreover that Alcman, Pindar, Simonides, and Bacchylides had composed several Parthenia in the Doric mood; and that several Prosodia (or supplications to the Gods), several hymns and tragical lamentations, and now and then love verses, were composed to the same melody. But he contented himself with such songs as were made in honor of Mars or Minerva, or else such as were to be sung at solemn offerings, called Spondeia. For these he thought sufficient to fortify and raise the mind of a sober person; not being at all ignorant in the mean time of the Lydian and Ionian, of which he knew the tragedians made use.

> Greek: 17. τούτων δὴ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν τῆς μὲν θρηνῳδικῆς τινος οὔσης τῆς δʼ ἐκλελυμένης, εἰκότως ὁ Πλάτων παραιτησάμενος αὐτὸς τὴν Δωριστὶ ὡς πολεμικοῖς ἀνδράσι καὶ σώφροσιν ἁρμόζουσαν εἵλετο· οὐ μὰ Δίʼ ἀγνοήσας, ὡς Ἀριστόξενός φησιν ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τῶν Μουσικῶν, ὅτι καὶ ἐν ἐκείναις τι χρήσιμον ἦν πρὸς πολιτειῶν φυλακήν· πάνυ γὰρ προσέσχε τῇ μουσικῇ ἐπιστήμῃ Πλάτων, ἀκουστὴς γενόμενος Δράκοντος τοῦ Ἀθηναίου καὶ Μετέλλου τοῦ Ἀκραγαντίνου. ἀλλʼ ἐπεί, ὡς προείπομεν, πολὺ τὸ σεμνόν ἐστιν ἐν τῇ Δωριστί, ταύτην προυτίμησεν· οὐκ ἠγνόει δʼ ὅτι πολλὰ Δώρια Παρθένεια ἅμα Ἀλκμᾶνι καὶ Πινδάρῳ καὶ Σιμωνίδῃ καὶ Βακχυλίδῃ πεποίηται, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ὅτι προσόδια καὶ παιᾶνες, καὶ μέντοι ὅτι καὶ τραγικοὶ οἶκτοί ποτε ἐπὶ τοῦ Δωρίου τρόπου ἐμελῳδήθησαν καί τινα ἐρωτικὰ ἐξήρκει δʼ αὐτῷ τὰ εἰς τὸν Ἄρη καὶ Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ τὰ σπονδεῖα· ἐπιρρῶσαι γὰρ ταῦτα ἱκανὰ ἀνδρὸς σώφρονος ψυχήν καὶ περὶ τοῦ Λυδίου δʼ οὐκ ἠγνόει καὶ περὶ τῆς Ἰάδος· ἠπίστατο γὰρ ὅτι ἡ τραγῳδία ταύτῃ τῆ μελοποιίᾳ κέχρηται.

[¶1] 18. Moreover, the ancients well understood all the sorts of styles, although they used but few. For it was not their ignorance that confined them to such narrow instruments and so few strings; nor was it out of ignorance that Olympus and Terpander and those that came after them would not admit of larger instruments and more variety of strings. This is manifest from the poems of Olympus and Terpander and all those that were their imitators. For, being plain and without any more than three strings, these so far excelled those that were more numerously strung, insomuch that none could imitate Olympus’s play; and they were all inferior to him when they betook themselves to their polychords.

> Greek: 18. καὶ οἱ παλαιοὶ δὲ πάντες οὐκ ἀπείρως ἔχοντες πασῶν τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἐνίαις ἐχρήσαντο· οὐ γὰρ ἡ ἄγνοια τῆς τοιαύτης στενοχωρίας; καὶ ὀλιγοχορδίας αὐτοῖς αἰτία γεγένηται· οὐδὲ διʼ ἄγνοιαν οἱ περὶ Ὄλυμπον καὶ Τέρπανδρον καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθήσαντες τῇ τούτων προαιρέσει περιεῖλον τὴν πολυχορδίαν τε καὶ ποικιλίαν. μαρτυρεῖ γοῦν τὰ Ὀλύμπου τε καὶ Τερπάνδρου ποιήματα καὶ τῶν τούτοις ὁμοιοτρόπων πάντων· ἀλιγόχορδα γὰρ ὄντα καὶ ἁπλᾶ διαφέρει τῶν ποικίλων καὶ πολυχόρδων, ὡς μηδένα δύνασθαι μιμήσασθαι τὸν Ὀλύμπου τρόπον, ὑστερίζειν δὲ τούτου τοὺς ἐν τῷ πολυχόρδῳ τε καὶ πολυτρόπῳ καταγιγνομένους.

[¶2] 19. Then again, that the ancients did not through ignorance abstain from the third string in the spondaic style, their use of it in play makes apparent. For had they not known the use of it, they would never have struck it in harmony with parhypate; but the elegancy and gravity that attended the spondaic style by omitting the third string induced them to transfer the music to paranete. The same reason may serve for nete; for this in play they struck in concord to mese, but in discord to paranete, although in song it did not seem to them proper to the slow spondaic motion. And not only did they do this, but they did the same with nete of the conjunct heptachords; for in play they struck it in concord to mese and lichanos, and in discord to paranete and parhypate; but in singing those touches were no way allowable, as being ungrateful to the ear and shaming the performer. As certain it is from the Phrygians that Olympus and his followers were not ignorant of the third string; for they made use of it not only in pulsation, but in their hymns to the Mother of the Gods and several other Phrygian songs. Nor is it less apparent, with regard to the ὑπάται, that they never abstained for want of skill from that tetrachord in the Dorian mood; indeed in other moods they knowingly made use of it, but removed it from the Dorian mood to preserve its elegant gravity.

> Greek: 19. Ὅτι δʼ οἱ παλαιοὶ οὐ διʼ ἄγνοιαν ἀπείχοντο τῆς τρίτης ἐν τῷ σπονδειάζοντι τρόπῳ, φανερὸν ποιεῖ ἡ ἐν τῇ κρούσει γενομένη χρῆσις· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ποτʼ αὐτῇ πρὸς τὴν παρυπάτην κεχρῆσθαι συμφώνως, μὴ γνωρίζοντας τὴν χρῆσιν· ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὅτι τὸ τοῦ κάλλους ἦθος, ὃ γίγνεται ἐν τῷ σπονδειακῷ τρόπῳ διὰ τὴν τῆς τρίτης ἐξαίρεσιν, τοῦτʼ ἦν τὸ τὴν αἴσθησιν αὐτῶν ἐπάγον ἐπὶ τὸ διαβιβάζειν τὸ μέλος ἐπὶ τὴν παρανήτην. ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ λόγος καὶ περὶ τῆς νήτης· καὶ γὰρ ταύτῃ κατὰ μὲν τὴν κροῦσιν ἐχρῶντο, καὶ πρὸς παρανήτην διαφώνως καὶ πρὸς μέσην συμφώνως· κατὰ δὲ τὸ μέλος οὐκ ἐφαίνετο αὐτοῖς οἰκεία εἶναι τῷ σπονδειακῷ τρόπῳ. οὐ μόνον δὲ τούτοις ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ συνημμένων νήτῃ οὕτω κέχρηνται πάντες· κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τὴν κροῦσιν αὐτὴν διεφώνουν πρός τε παρανήτην καὶ πρὸς παραμέσην, καὶ συνεφώνουν πρός τε μέσην καὶ πρὸς λιχανόν κατὰ δὲ τὸ μέλος κἂν αἰσχυνθῆναι τῷ χρησαμένῳ ἐπὶ τῷ γιγνομένῳ διʼ αὐτὴν ἤθει. δῆλον δʼ εἶναι καὶ ἐκ τῶν Φρυγίων, ὅτι οὐκ ἠγνόητο ὑπʼ Ὀλύμπου τε καὶ τῶν ἀκολουθησάντων ἐκείνῳ· ἐχρῶντο γὰρ αὐτῇ οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν κροῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὸ μέλος ἐν τοῖς Μητρῴοις καὶ ἔν τισὶ τῶν Φρυγίων. δῆλον δὲ καὶ τὸ περὶ τῶν ὑπατῶν, ὅτι οὐ διʼ ἄγνοιαν ἀπείχοντο ἐν τοῖς Δωρίοις τοῦ τετραχόρδου τούτου· αὐτίκα ἐπὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τόνων ἐχρῶντο, δηλονότι εἰδότες· διὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ ἤθους φυλακὴν ἀφῄρουν ἐπὶ τοῦ Δωρίου τόνου, τιμῶντες τὸ καλὸν αὐτοῦ.

[¶3] 20. The same thing was done also by the tragedians. For the tragedians have never to this day used either the chromatic or the enharmonic scale; while the lyre, many generations older than tragedy, used them from the very beginning. Now that the chromatic was more ancient than the enharmonic is plain. For we must necessarily account it of greater antiquity, according to the custom and use of men themselves; otherwise it cannot be said that any of the differences and distinctions were ancienter the one than the other. Therefore, if any one should allege that Aeschylus or Phrynichus abstained from the chromatic out of ignorance, would he not be thought to maintain a very great absurdity? Such a one might as well aver that Pancrates lay under the same blindness, who avoided it in most, but made use of it in some things; therefore he forebore not out of ignorance, but judgment, imitating Pindar and Simonides and that which is at present called the ancient manner.

> Greek: 20. οἷόν τι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς τραγῳδίας ποιητῶν· τῷ γὰρ χρωματικῷ γένει καὶ τῷ ῥυθμῷ τραγῳδία μὲν οὐδέπω καὶ τήμερον κέχρηται, κιθάρα δέ, πολλαῖς γενεαῖς πρεσβυτέρα τραγῳδίας οὖσα, ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐχρήσατο. τὸ δὲ χρῶμα ὅτι πρεσβύτερόν ἐστι τῆς ἁρμονίας, σαφές. δεῖ γὰρ δηλονότι κατὰ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἔντευξιν καὶ χρῆσιν τὸ πρεσβύτερον λέγειν· κατὰ γὰρ αὐτὴν τὴν τῶν γενῶν φύσιν οὐκ ἔστιν ἕτερον ἑτέρου πρεσβύτερον. εἰ οὖν τις Αἰσχύλον ἢ Φρύνιχον φαίη ἄγνοιαν ἀπεσχῆσθαι τοῦ χρώματος, ἆρά γ’ οὐκ ἂν ἄτοπος εἴη; ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ Παγκράτην ἂν εἴποι ἀγνοεῖν τὸ χρωματικὸν γένος· ἀπείχετο γὰρ καὶ οὗτος ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τούτου, ἐχρήσατο δʼ ἔν τισιν· οὐ διʼ ἄγνοιαν οὖν δηλονότι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἀπείχετο· ἐζήλου γοῦν, ὡς αὐτὸς ἔφη, τὸν Πινδάρειόν τε καὶ Σιμωνίδειον τρόπον καὶ καθόλου τὸ ἀρχαῖον καλούμενον· ὑπὸ τῶν νῦν.

[¶4] 21. The same may be said of Tyrtaeus the Mantinean, Andreas the Corinthian, Thrasyllus the Phliasian, and several others, who, as we well know, abstained by choice from the chromatic, from transition, from the increased number of strings, and many other common forms of rhythms, tunes, diction, composition, and expression. Telephanes of Megara was so great an enemy to the pipe made of reed (called syrinx), that he would not suffer the instrument maker to join it to the flute (pipe made of wood or horn), and chiefly for that reason forbore to go to the Pythian games. In short, if a man should be thought to be ignorant of that which he makes no use of, there would be found a great number of ignorant persons in this age. For we see that the admirers of the Dorian composition make no use of the Antiginedian; the followers of the Antiginedian reject the Dorian; and other musicians refuse to imitate Timotheus, being almost all bewitched with the trifles and the idle poems of Polyidus. On the other side, if we dive into the business of variety and compare antiquity with the present times, we shall find there was great variety then, and that frequently made use of. For then the variation of rhythm was more highly esteemed, and the change of their manner of play more frequent. We are now lovers of fables, they were then lovers of rhythm. Plain it is therefore, that the ancients did not refrain from broken measures out of ignorance, but out of judgment. And yet what wonder is this, when there are so many other things necessary to human life which are not unknown, though not made use of by those who have no occasion to use them? But they are refused, and the use of them is altogether neglected, as not being found proper on many occasions.

> Greek: 21. ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ λόγος καὶ περὶ Τυρταίου τε τοῦ Μαντινέως καὶ Ἀνδρέα τοῦ Κορινθίου καὶ Θρασύλλου τοῦ Φλιασίου καὶ ἑτέρων πολλῶν, οὓς πάντας ἴσμεν διὰ προαίρεσιν ἀπεσχημένους χρώματὸς τε καὶ μεταβολῆς καὶ πολυχορδίας καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν ἐν μέσῳ ὄντων ῥυθμῶν τε καὶ ἁρμονιῶν καὶ λέξεων καὶ μελοποιίας καὶ ἑρμηνείας. αὐτίκα Τηλεφάνης ὁ Μεγαρικὸς οὕτως ἐπολέμησε ταῖς σύριγξιν, ὥστε τοὺς αὐλοποιοὺς οὐδʼ ἐπιθεῖναι πώποτʼ εἴασεν ἐπὶ τοὺς αὐλούς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Πυθικοῦ ἀγῶνος μάλιστα διὰ ταῦτʼ ἀπέστη. καθόλου δʼ εἴ τις τῷ μὴ χρῆσθαι τεκμαιρόμενος καταγνώσεται τῶν μὴ χρωμένων ἄγνοιαν, πολλῶν ἄν τις φθάνοι καὶ τῶν νῦν καταγιγνώσκων οἷον, τῶν μὲν Δωριωνείων τοῦ Ἀντιγενιδείου τρόπου καταφρονούντων, ἐπειδήπερ οὐ χρῶνται αὐτῷ τῶν δʼ, Ἀντιγενιδείων τοῦ Δωριωνείου διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν αἰτίαν τῶν κιθαρῳδῶν τοῦ Τιμοθείου τρόπου, σχεδὸν γὰρ ἀποπεφοιτήκασιν εἴς τε τὰ καττύματα καὶ εἰς τὰ Πολυείδου ποιήματα. πάλιν δʼ αὖ εἴ τις καὶ περὶ τῆς ποικιλίας ὀρθῶς τε καὶ ἐμπείρως ἐπισκοποίη, τὰ τότε καὶ τὰ νῦν συγκρίνων, εὕροι ἂν ἐν χρήσει οὖσαν καὶ τότε τὴν ποικιλίαν, τῇ γὰρ περὶ τὰς ῥυθμοποιίας ποικιλίᾳ οὔσῃ ποικιλωτέρᾳ ἐχρήσαντο οἱ παλαιοί· ἐτίμων γοῦν τὴν ῥυθμικὴν ποικιλίαν, καὶ τὰ περὶ τὰς κρουματικὰς δὲ διαλέκτους τότε ποικιλώτερα ἦν· οἱ μὲν γὰρ νῦν φιλομαθεῖς οἱ δὲ τότε φιλόρρυθμοι. δῆλον οὖν ὅτι οἱ παλαιοὶ οὐ διʼ ἄγνοιαν ἀλλὰ διὰ προαίρεσιν ἀπείχοντο τῶν κεκλασμένων μελῶν. καὶ τί θαυμαστόν; πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἄλλα τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐπιτηδευμάτων οὐκ ἀγνοεῖται μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν χρωμένων, ἀπηλλοτρίωται δʼ αὐτῶν, τῆς χρείας ἀφαιρεθείσης, διὰ τὸ εἰς ἔνια ἀπρεπές.

[¶5] 22. Having already shown that Plato neither for want of skill nor for ignorance blamed all the other moods and casts of composition, we now proceed to show that he really was skilled in harmony. For in his discourse concerning the procreation of the soul, inserted into Timaeus, he has made known his great knowledge in all the sciences, and of music among the rest, in this manner: “After this,” saith he, “he filled up the double and treble intervals, taking parts from thence, and adding them to the midst between them, so that there were in every interval two middle terms.” This proem was the effect of his experience in music, as we shall presently make out. The means from whence every mean is taken are three, arithmetical, enharmonical, geometrical. Of these the first exceeds and is exceeded in number, the second in proportion, the third neither in number nor proportion. Plato therefore, desirous to show the harmony of the four elements in the soul, and harmonically also to explain the reason of that mutual concord arising from discording and jarring principles, undertakes to make out two middle terms of the soul in every interval, according to harmonical proportion. Thus in a musical octave there happen to be two middle distances, whose proportion we shall explain. As for the octaves, they keep a double proportion between their two extremes. For example, let the double arithmetical proportion be 6 and 12, this being the interval between the ὑπάτη μέσων and the νήτη διεζευγμένων; 6 therefore and 12 being the two extremes, the former note contains the number 6, and the latter 12. To these are to be added the intermediate numbers, to which the extremes must hold the proportion, the one of one and a third, and the other of one and a half. These are the numbers 8 and 9. For as 8 contains one and a third of 6, so 9 contains one and a half of 6; thus you have one extreme. The other is 12, containing 9 and a third part of 9, and 8 and half 8. These then being the numbers between 6 and 12, and the interval of the octave consisting of a diatessaron and diapente, it is plain that the number 8 belongs to mese, and the number 9 to paramese; which being so, it follows that hypate is to mese as paramese to nete of the disjunct tetrachords; for it is a fourth from the first term to the second of this proportion, and the same interval from the third term to the fourth. The same proportion will be also found in the numbers. For as 6 is to 8, so is 8 to 12; and as 6 is to 9, so is 8 to 12. For 8 is one and a third part of 6, and 12 of 9; while 9 is one and a half part of 6, and 12 of 8. What has been said may suffice to show how great was Plato’s zeal and learning in the liberal sciences.

> Greek: 22. δεδειγμένου δʼ ὅτι ὁ Πλάτων οὔτʼ ἀγνοίᾳ οὔτʼ ἀπειρίᾳ τὰ ἄλλα παρῃτήσατο ἀλλʼ ὡς οὐ πρέποντα τοιαύτῃ πολιτείᾳ, δείξομεν ἑξῆς ὅτι ἔμπειρος ἁρμονίας ἦν. ἐν γοῦν τῇ ψυχογονίᾳ τῇ ἐν τῷ Τιμαίῳ τήν τε περὶ τὰ μαθήματα καὶ μουσικὴν σπουδὴν ἐπεδείξατο ὧδέ πως· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα συνεπλήρου τά τε διπλάσια καὶ τὰ τριπλάσια διαστήματα, μοίρας τʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἀποτέμνων καὶ τιθεὶς εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ τούτων· ὥστʼ ἐν ἑκάστῳ διαστήματι δύο εἶναι μεσότητας. ἁρμονικῆς γὰρ ἦν ἐμπειρίας τοῦτο τὸ προοίμιον, ὡς αὐτίκα δείξομεν. τρεῖς εἰσι μεσότητες αἱ πρῶται, ἀφʼ ὧν λαμβάνεται πᾶσα μεσότης, ἀριθμητική, ἁρμονική, γεωμετρουμένη. τούτων ἡ μὲν ἴσῳ ἀριθμῷ ὑπερέχει καὶ ὑπερέχεται ἡ δʼ ἴσῳ λόγῳ ἡ δʼ οὔτε λόγῳ οὔτʼ ἀριθμῷ, ὁ τοίνυν τὴν ψυχικὴν ἁρμονίαν τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς πρὸς ἄλληλα ἐξ ἀνομοίων συμφωνίας δεῖξαι ἁρμονικῶς βουληθεὶς ἐν ἑκάστῳ διαστήματι δύο μεσότητας ψυχικὰς ἀπέφηνε κατὰ τὸν μουσικὸν λόγον. τῆς γὰρ διὰ πασῶν ἐν μουσικῇ συμφωνίας δύο διαστήματα μέσα εἶναι συμβέβηκεν, ὧν τὴν ἀναλογίαν δείξομεν. ἡ μὲν γὰρ διὰ πασῶν ἐν διπλασίονι· λόγῳ θεωρεῖται· ποιήσει δʼ εἰκόνος χάριν τὸν διπλάσιον λόγον κατʼ ἀριθμὸν τὰ ἓξ καὶ τὰ δώδεκα· ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο τὸ διάστημα ἀφʼ ὑπάτης μέσων ἐπὶ νήτην διεζευγμένων. ὄντων οὖν τῶν ἓξ καὶ δώδεκα ἄκρων, ἔχει ἡ μὲν ὑπάτη μέσων τὸν τῶν ἓξ ἀριθμόν, ἡ δὲ νήτη διεζευγμένων τὸν τῶν δώδεκα. λαβεῖν δὴ λοιπὸν χρὴ πρὸς τούτοις ἀριθμοὺς τοὺς μεταξὺ πίπτοντας· ὧν οἱ ἄκροι ὁ μὲν ἐπίτριτος ὁ δʼ ἡμιόλιος φανήσεται· εἰσὶ δʼ ὁ τῶν ὀκτὼ καὶ τῶν ἐννέα· τῶν γὰρ ἓξ τὰ μὲν ὀκτὼ ἐπίτριτα τὰ δʼ ἐννέα ἡμιόλια. τὸ μὲν ἓν ἄκρον τοιοῦτο, τὸ δʼ ἄλλο τὸ τῶν δώδεκα τῶν μὲν ἐννέα ἐπίτριτα τῶν δʼ ὀκτὼ ἡμιόλια. τούτων οὖν τῶν ἀριθμῶν ὄντων μεταξὺ τῶν ἓξ καὶ τῶν δώδεκα καὶ τοῦ διὰ πασῶν διαστήματος ἐκ τοῦ διὰ τεττάρων καὶ τοῦ διὰ πέντε συνεστῶτος, δῆλον ὅτι ἕξει ἡ μὲν μέση τὸν τῶν ὀκτὼ ἀριθμόν, ἡ δὲ παραμέση τὸν τῶν ἐννέα. τούτου γενομένου, ἕξει ἡ ὑπάτη πρὸς μέσην ὡς παραμέση πρὸς νήτην διεζευγμένων ἀπὸ γὰρ ὑπάτης μέσων διὰ τεττάρων ἐπὶ μέσην, ἀπὸ δὲ παραμέσης ἐπὶ νήτην διεζευγμένων διὰ πασῶν. ἡ αὐτὴ δʼ ἀναλογία καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀριθμῶν εὑρίσκεται ὡς γὰρ ἔχει τὰ ἓξ πρὸς τὰ ὀκτώ, οὕτω τὰ ἐννέα πρὸς τὰ δώδεκα· καὶ ὡς ἔχει τὰ ἓξ πρὸς τὰ ἐννέα, οὕτω τὰ ὀκτὼ πρὸς τὰ δώδεκα· ἐπίτριτα γὰρ τὰ μὲν ὀκτὼ τῶν ἓξ τὰ δὲ δώδεκα τῶν ἐννέα, ἡμιόλιά δὲ τὰ μὲν ἐννέα τῶν ἓξ τὰ δὲ δώδεκα τῶν ὀκτώ. ἀρκέσει τὰ εἰρημένα εἰς τὸ ἐπιδεδειχέναι ἣν εἶχε περὶ τὰ μαθήματα σπουδὴν καὶ ἐμπειρίαν Πλάτων.

[¶6] 23. Now that there is something of majesty, something great and divine in music, Aristotle, who was Plato’s scholar, thus labors to convince the world: “Harmony,” saith he, “descended from heaven, and is of a divine, noble, and angelic nature; but being fourfold as to its efficacy, it has two means,—the one arithmetical, the other enharmonical. As for its members, its dimensions, and its excesses of intervals, they are best discovered by number and equality of measure, the whole art being contained in two tetrachords.” These are his words. The body of it, he saith, consists of discording parts, yet concording one with another; whose means nevertheless agree according to arithmetical proportion. For the upper string being fitted to the lowest in the ratio of two to one produces a perfect diapason. Thus, as we said before, nete consisting of twelve units, and hypate of six, the paramese accords with hypate according to the sesquialter proportion, and has nine units, whilst mese has eight units. So that the chiefest intervals through the whole scale are the diatessaron (which is the proportion of 4:3), the diapente (which is the proportion of 3:2), and the diapason (which is the proportion of 2:1); while the proportion of 9:8 appears in the interval of a tone. With the same inequalities of excess or diminution, all the extremes are differenced one from another, and the means from the means, either according to the quantity of the numbers or the measure of geometry; which Aristotle thus explains, observing that nete exceeds mese by a third part of itself, and hypate is exceeded by paramese in the same proportion, so that the excesses stand in proportion. For by the same parts of themselves they exceed and are exceeded; that is, the extremes (nete and hypate) exceed and are exceeded by mese and paramese in the same proportions, those of 4: 3 and of 3: 2. Now these excesses are in what is called harmonic progression. But the distances of nete from mese and of paramese from hypate, expressed in numbers, are in the same proportion (12:8 = 9:6); for paramese exceeds mese by one-eighth of the latter. Again, nete is to hypate as 2:1; paramese to hypate as 3:2; and mese to hypate as 4:3. This, according to Aristotle, is the natural constitution of harmony, as regards its parts and its numbers.

> Greek: 23. ὅτι δὲ σεμνὴ ἡ ἁρμονία καὶ θεῖόν τι καὶ μέγα, Ἀριστοτέλης ὁ Πλάτωνος ταυτὶ λέγει· ἡ δʼ ἁρμονία ἐστὶν οὐρανία, τὴν φύσιν ἔχουσα θείαν καὶ καλὴν καὶ δαιμονίαν τετραμερὴς δὲ τῇ δυνάμει πεφυκυῖα δύο μεσότητας ἔχει, ἀριθμητικήν τε καὶ ἁρμονικὴν φαίνεταί τε τὰ μέρη αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ μεγέθη καὶ αἱ ὑπεροχαὶ κατʼ ἀριθμὸν καὶ ἰσομετρίαν· ἐν γὰρ δυσὶ τετραχόρδοις ῥυθμίζεται τὰ μέλη. ταῦτα μὲν τὰ ῥητά. συνεστάναι δʼ αὐτῆς τὸ σῶμα ἔλεγεν ἐκ μερῶν ἀνομοίων, συμφωνούντων μέντοι πρὸς ἄλληλα· ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὰς μεσότητας αὐτῆς κατὰ τὸν ἀριθμητικὸν λόγον συμφωνεῖν. τὸν γὰρ νέατον πρὸς τὸν ὕπατον ἐκ διπλασίου λόγου ἡρμοσμένον τὴν διὰ πασῶν συμφωνίαν ἀποτελεῖν. ἔχει γάρ, ὡς προείπομεν, τὸν νέατον δώδεκα μονάδων τὸν δʼ ὕπατον ἕξ τὴν δὲ παραμέσην συμφωνοῦσαν πρὸς ὑπάτην καθʼ ἡμιόλιον λόγον ἐννέα μονάδων· τῆς δὲ μέσης ὀκτὼ εἶναι μονάδας ἐλέγομεν. συγκεῖσθαι δὲ διὰ τούτων τῆς μουσικῆς τὰ κυριώτατα διαστήματα συμβαίνει, τό τε διὰ τεσσάρων ὅ ἐστι κατὰ τὸν ἐπίτριτον λόγον, καὶ τὸ διὰ πέντε ὅ ἐστι κατὰ τὸν ἡμιόλιον λόγον, καὶ τὸ διὰ πασῶν ὅ ἐστι κατὰ τὸν διπλάσιον· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τὸν ἐπόγδοον σῴζεσθαι, ὅς ἐστι κατὰ τὸν τονιαῖον λόγον. ταῖς αὐταῖς δʼ ὑπεροχαῖς ὑπερέχειν καὶ ὑπερέχεσθαι τῆς ἁρμονίας τὰ μέρη ὑπὸ τῶν μερῶν καὶ τὰς μεσότητας ὑπὸ τῶν μεσοτήτων κατά τε τὴν ἐν ἀριθμοῖς ὑπεροχὴν καὶ κατὰ τὴν γεωμετρικὴν δύναμιν συμβαίνει. ἀποφαίνει γοῦν αὐτὰς Ἀριστοτέλης τὰς δυνάμεις ἐχούσας τοιαύτας, τὴν μὲν νεάτην τῆς μέσης τῷ τρίτῳ μέρει τῷ αὑτῆς ὑπερέχουσαν, τὴν δʼ ὑπάτην ὑπὸ τῆς παραμέσης ὑπερεχομένην ὁμοίως· ὡς γίγνεσθαι τὰς ὑπεροχὰς τῶν πρός τι· τοῖς γὰρ αὐτοῖς μέρεσιν ὑπερέχουσι καὶ ὑπερέχονται· τοῖς γοῦν αὐτοῖς λόγοις οἱ ἄκροι τῆς μέσης καὶ παραμέσης ὑπερέχουσι καὶ ὑπερέχονται, ἐπιτρίτῳ καὶ ἡμιολίῳ. τοιαύτη δὴ ὑπεροχή ἐστιν ἡ ἁρμονική. ἡ δὲ τῆς νεάτης ὑπεροχὴ καὶ τῆς μέσης κατʼ ἀριθμητικὸν λόγον ἴσῳ μέρει τὰς ὑπεροχὰς ἐμφαίνουσιν, ὡσαύτως καὶ ἡ παραμέση τῆς ὑπάτης· τῆς γὰρ μέσης ἡ παραμέση κατὰ τὸν ἐπόγδοον λόγον ὑπερέχει, πάλιν ἡ νεάτη τῆς ὑπάτης διπλασία ἐστίν ἡ δὲ παραμέση τῆς ὑπάτης ἡμιόλιος, ἡ δὲ μέση ἐπίτριτος πρὸς ὑπάτην ἥρμοσται. καὶ τοῖς μὲν μέρεσι καὶ τοῖς πλήθεσι καὶ κατʼ Ἀριστοτέλην ἡ ἁρμονία οὕτως ἔχουσα πέφυκε.

[¶7] 24. But, according to natural philosophy, both harmony and its parts consist of even, odd, and also even-odd. Altogether it is even, as consisting of four terms; but its parts and proportions are even, odd, and even-odd. So nete is even, as consisting of twelve units; paramese is odd, of nine; mese even, of eight; and hypate even-odd, of six (i.e., 2×3). Whence it comes to pass, that music —herself and her parts—being thus constituted as to excesses and proportion, the whole accords with the whole, and also with each one of the parts.

> Greek: 24. συνέστηκε δὲ φυσικώτατα ἔκ τε τῆς ἀπείρου καὶ περαινούσης καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἀρτιοπερίσσου φύσεως καὶ αὐτὴ καὶ τὰ μέρη αὐτῆς πάντα· αὐτὴ μὲν γὰρ ὅλη ἀρτία ἐστί, τετραμερὴς οὖσα τοῖς ὅροις· τὰ δὲ μέρη αὐτῆς καὶ οἱ λόγοι ἄρτιοι καὶ περισσοὶ καὶ ἀρτιοπέρισσοι. τὴν μὲν γὰρ νεάτην ἔχει ἀρτίαν ἐκ δώδεκα μονάδων, τὴν δὲ παραμέσην περισσὴν ἐξ ἐννέα μονάδων, τὴν δὲ μέσην ἀρτίαν ἐξ ὀκτὼ μονάδων, τὴν δʼ ὑπάτην ἀρτιοπέρισσον, ἓξ μονάδων οὖσαν. οὕτω δὲ πεφυκυῖα αὐτή τε καὶ τὰ μέρη αὐτῆς πρὸς ἄλληλα ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς τε καὶ τοῖς λόγοις, ὅλη θʼ ὅλῃ καὶ τοῖς μέρεσι συμφωνεῖ.

[¶8] 25. But now as for the senses that are created within the body, such as are of celestial and heavenly extraction, and which by divine assistance affect the understanding of men by means of harmony,—namely, sight and hearing,— do by the very light and voice express harmony. And others which are their attendants, so far as they are senses, likewise exist by harmony; for they perform none of their effects without harmony; and although they are inferior to the other two, they are not independent of them. Nay, those two also, since they enter into human bodies at the very same time with God himself, claim by reason a vigorous and incomparable nature.

> Greek: 25. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ αἱ αἰσθήσεις αἱ τοῖς σώμασιν ἐγγιγνόμεναι, αἱ μὲν, οὐράνιαι θεῖαι οὖσαι, μετὰ θεοῦ τὴν αἴσθησιν διὰ τὴν ἁρμονίαν παρεχόμεναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ὄψις τε καὶ ἀκοή, μετὰ φωνῆς καὶ φωτὸς τὴν ἁρμονίαν ἐπιφαίνουσι· καὶ ἄλλαι δʼ αὐταῖς ἀκόλουθοι, αἰσθήσεις, καθʼ ἁρμονίαν συνεστᾶσι· πάντα γὰρ καὶ αὗται ἐπιτελοῦσιν οὐκ ἄνευ ἁρμονίας, ἐλάττους μὲν ἐκείνων οὖσαι οὐκ ἄπο δʼ ἐκείνων· ἐκεῖναι γὰρ ἅμα θεοῦ παρουσίᾳ παραγιγνόμεναι τοῖς σώμασι κατὰ λογισμὸν ἰσχυράν τε καὶ καλὴν φύσιν ἔχουσι.

[¶9] 26. Manifest from hence therefore it is, why the ancient Greeks, with more reason than others, were so careful to teach their children music. For they deemed it requisite by the assistance of music to form and compose the minds of youth to what was decent, sober, and virtuous; believing the use of music beneficially efficacious to incite to all serious actions, especially to the adventuring upon warlike dangers. To which purpose they made use of pipes or flutes when they advanced in battle array against their enemies; like the Lacedaemonians, who upon the same occasion caused the Castorean melody to be played before their battalions. Others inflamed their courage with harps, playing the same sort of harmony when they went to look danger in the face, as the Cretans did for a long time. Others, even to our own times, continue to use the trumpet. The Argives made use of flutes at their wrestling matches called Stheneia; which sort of sport was first instituted in honor of Danaus, but afterwards consecrated to Jupiter Sthenius, or Jupiter the Mighty. And now at this day it is the custom to make use of flutes at the games called Pentathla, although there is now nothing exquisite or antique, nothing like what was customary among men of old time, like the song composed by Hierax for this very game; still, even though it is sorry stuff and nothing exquisite, it is accompanied by flute-music.

> Greek: 26. φανερὸν οὖν ἐκ τούτων, ὅτι τοῖς παλαιοῖς τῶν Ἑλλήνων εἰκότως μάλιστα πάντων ἐμέλησε πεπαιδεῦσθαι μουσικήν. τῶν γὰρ νέων τὰς ψυχὰς ᾤοντο δεῖν διὰ μουσικῆς πλάττειν τε καὶ ῥυθμίζειν ἐπὶ τὸ εὔσχημον, χρησίμης δηλονότι τῆς μουσικῆς ὑπαρχούσης πρὸς πάντα καιρὸν καὶ πᾶσαν ἐσπουδασμένην πρᾶξιν, προηγουμένως δὲ πρὸς τοὺς πολεμικοὺς κινδύνους· πρὸς οὓς οἱ μὲν αὐλοῖς ἐχρῶντο, καθάπερ Λακεδαιμόνιοι, παρʼ οἷς τὸ καλούμενον Καστόρειον ηὐλεῖτο μέλος, ὁπότε τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν κόσμῳ προσῄεσαν μαχεσόμενοι· οἱ δὲ καὶ πρὸς λύραν ἐποίουν τὴν πρόσοδον τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους, καθάπερ ἱστοροῦνται μέχρι πολλοῦ χρήσασθαι τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ τῆς ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμικοὺς κινδύνους ἐξόδου Κρῆτες. οἱ δʼ ἔτι καὶ καθʼ ἡμᾶς σάλπιγξι διατελοῦσι χρώμενοι. Ἀργεῖοι δὲ πρὸς τὴν τῶν Σθενείων τῶν καλουμένων παρʼ αὐτοῖς πάλην ἐχρῶντο τῷ αὐλῷ τὸν δʼ ἀγῶνα τοῦτον ἐπὶ Δαναῷ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν τεθῆναί φασιν, ὕστερον δʼ ἀνατεθῆναι Διὶ Σθενίῳ· οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἔτι καὶ νῦν τοῖς πεντάθλοις νενόμισται προσαυλεῖσθαι οὐδὲν μὲν κεκριμένον οὐδʼ ἀρχαῖον, οὐδʼ οἷον ἐνομίζετο παρὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐκείνοις, ὥσπερ τὸ ὑπὸ Ἱέρακος πεποιημένον πρὸς τὴν ἀγωνίαν ταύτην, ὃ ἐκαλεῖτο Ἐνδρομή· ὅμως δὲ καὶ εἰ ἀσθενές τι καὶ οὐ κεκριμένον, ἀλλʼ οὖν προσαυλεῖται.

[¶10] 27. But among the more ancient Greeks, music in theatres was never known, for they employed their whole musical skill in the worship of the Gods and the education of youth; at which time, there being no theatres erected, music was yet confined within the walls of their temples, as being that with which they worshipped the supreme Deity and sang the praises of virtuous men. And it is probable that the word θέατρον, at a later period, and θεωρεῖν (to behold) much earlier, were derived from θεός (God). But in our age is such another face of new inventions, that there is not the least remembrance or care of that use of music which related to education; for all our musicians make it their business to court the theatre Muses, and study nothing but compositions for the stage.

> Greek: 27. ἐπὶ μέντοι τῶν ἔτι ἀρχαιοτέρων οὐδʼ εἰδέναι φασὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας τὴν θεατρικὴν μοῦσαν· ὅλην δʼ αὐτῆς τὴν ἐπιστήμην πρός τε θεῶν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν τῶν νέων παίδευσιν παραλαμβάνεσθαι, μηδὲ τὸ παράπαν ἤδη θεάτρου παρὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐκείνοις κατεσκευασμένου, ἀλλʼ ἔτι τῆς μουσικῆς ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀναστρεφομένης, ἐν οἷς τιμήν τε τοῦ θείου διὰ ταύτης ἐποιοῦντο καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπαίνους εἰκὸς δʼ εἶναι ὅτι τὸ θέατρον ὕστερον καὶ τὸ θεωρεῖν πολὺ πρότερον ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἔλαβεν. ἐπὶ μέντοι τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς χρόνων τοσοῦτον ἐπιδέδωκε τὸ τῆς διαφθορᾶς εἶδος, ὥστε τοῦ μὲν παιδευτικοῦ τρόπου μηδεμίαν μνείαν μηδʼ ἀντίληψιν εἶναι, πάντας δὲ τοὺς μουσικῆς ἁπτομένους πρὸς τὴν θεατρικὴν προσκεχωρηκέναι μοῦσαν.

[¶11] 28. But some will say, Did the ancients invent nothing themselves? Yes, say I, they did invent, but their inventions were grave and decent. For they who have written the history of music attribute to Terpander the addition of the Dorian nete, which before was not in use. Even the whole Mixolydian mood is a new invention. Such were also the Orthian manner of melody with Orthian rhythms, and also the Trochaeus Semantus. And if we believe Pindar, Terpander was the inventor of the Scolion (or roundelay). Archilochus also invented the rhythmic composition of the iambic trimeter, the change to rhythms of different character, the melo-dramatic delivery, and the accompaniment proper to each of these. He is also presumed to be the author of epodes, tetrameters, the Cretic and the prosodiac rhythms, and the augmentation of the heroic verse. Some make him author also of the elegiac measure, as likewise of the extending the iambic to the paeon epibatus, the prolonged and heroic to the prosodiac and Cretic. And Archilochus is first said to have taught how iambics could be partly recited to the stroke of the lyre and partly sung; from him the tragedians learned it, and from them Crexus took it, and made use of it in dithyrambics. It is thought that he invented also playing on the lyre at intervals in the song, whereas the ancients played only during the singing.

> Greek: 28. εἴποι τις ὦ τᾶν, οὐδὲν οὖν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀρχαίων προσεξεύρηται καὶ κεκαινοτόμηται; φημὶ καὶ αὐτός, ὅτι προσεξεύρηται, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ σεμνοῦ καὶ πρέποντος. οἱ γὰρ ἱστορήσαντες τὰ τοιαῦτα Τερπάνδρῳ μὲν τήν τε Δώριον νήτην προσετίθεσαν, οὐ χρησαμένων αὐτῇ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν κατὰ τὸ μέλος· καὶ τὸν Μιξολύδιον δὲ τόνον ὅλον προσεξευρῆσθαι λέγεται, καὶ τὸν τῆς ὀρθίου μελῳδίας τρόπον τὸν κατὰ τοὺς ὀρθίους πρός τε τῷ ὀρθίῳ καὶ τὸν σημαντὸν τροχαῖον. ἔτι δέ, καθάπερ Πίνδαρός φησι, καὶ τῶν σκολιῶν μελῶν Τέρπανδρος εὑρετὴς ἦν· ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ Ἀρχίλοχος τὴν τῶν τριμέτρων ῥυθμοποιίαν προσεξεῦρε καὶ τὴν εἰς τοὺς οὐχ ὁμογενεῖς ῥυθμοὺς ἔντασιν καὶ τὴν παρακαταλογὴν καὶ τὴν περὶ ταῦτα κροῦσιν· πρώτῳ δʼ αὐτῷ τὰ τʼ ἐπῳδὰ καὶ τὰ τετράμετρα καὶ τὸ κρητικὸν καὶ τὸ προσοδιακὸν ἀποδέδοται καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἡρῴου αὔξησις, ὑπʼ ἐνίων δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐλεγεῖον, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἥ τε τοῦ ἰαμβείου πρὸς τὸν ἐπιβατὸν παίωνα ἔντασις καὶ ἡ τοῦ ηὐξημένου ἡρῴου εἴς τε τὸ προσοδιακὸν καὶ τὸ κρητικόν· ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἰαμβείων τὸ τὰ μὲν λέγεσθαι παρὰ τὴν κροῦσιν τὰ δʼ ᾄδεσθαι, Ἀρχίλοχόν φασι καταδεῖξαι, εἶθʼ οὕτω χρήσασθαι τοὺς τραγικοὺς ποιητάς, Κρέξον δὲ λαβόντα εἰς διθυράμβων χρῆσιν ἀγαγεῖν. οἴονται δὲ καὶ τὴν κροῦσιν τὴν ὑπὸ τὴν ᾠδὴν τοῦτον πρῶτον εὑρεῖν, τοὺς δʼ ἀρχαίους πάντας πρόσχορδα κρούειν.

[¶12] 29. Of the Hypolydian mood they make Polymnestus the inventor, and the first that taught the lowering and raising of the voice (ἔκλυσις and ἐκβολή). To the same Olympus to whom they also ascribe the first invention of Grecian and well-regulated nomic music they attribute likewise the finding out the enharmonic music, the prosodiac measure to which is composed the hymn to Mars, and the chorean measure which he used in the hymns to the Mother of the Gods. Some report him to be the author also of the bacchius. And every one of the ancient songs show that this is so. But Lasus of Hermione, transferring the rhythms to suit the dithyrambic time, and making use of an instrument with many notes, made an absolute innovation upon the ancient music, by the use of more notes, and those more widely distributed.

> Greek: 29. Πολυμνάστῳ δὲ τὸν θʼ ὑπολύδιον νῦν ὀνομαζόμενον τόνον ἀνατιθέασι, καὶ τὴν ἔκλυσιν καὶ τὴν ἐκβολὴν πολὺ μείζω πεποιηκέναι φασὶν αὐτόν. καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Ὄλυμπον ἐκεῖνον, ᾧ δὴ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς τε καὶ νομικῆς μούσης ἀποδιδόασι, τό τε τῆς ἁρμονίας γένος ἐξευρεῖν φασι, καὶ τῶν ῥυθμῶν τόν τε προσοδιακὸν ἐν ᾧ ὁ τοῦ Ἄρεως νόμος, καὶ τὸν χορεῖον ᾧ πολλῷ κέχρηται ἐν τοῖς Μητρῴοις· ἔνιοι δὲ καὶ τὸν βακχεῖον Ὄλυμπον οἴονται εὑρηκέναι. δηλοῖ δʼ ἕκαστον τῶν ἀρχαίων μελῶν, ὅτι ταῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει. Λᾶσος δʼ ὁ Ἑρμιονεὺς εἰς τὴν διθυραμβικὴν ἀγωγὴν μεταστήσας τοὺς ῥυθμοὺς· καὶ τῇ τῶν αὐλῶν πολυφωνίᾳ κατακολουθήσας πλείοσί τε φθόγγοις καὶ διερριμμένοις χρησάμενος εἰς μετάθεσιν τὴν προϋπάρχουσαν ἤγαγε μουσικήν.

[¶13] 30. In like manner Menalippides the lyric poet, Philoxenus and Timotheus, all forsook the ancient music. For whereas until the time of Terpander the Antissaean the harp had only seven strings, he added a greater number, and gave its notes a wider range. The wind-music also exchanged its ancient plainness for a more copious variety. For in ancient times, till Menalippides the dithyrambic came into request, the wind-music received salaries from the poets, poetry holding the first rank and the musicians being in the service of the poet. Afterwards that custom grew out of date; insomuch that Pherecrates the comedian brings in Music in woman’s habit, all bruised and battered, and then introduces Justice asking the reason; to which Music thus replies:—
Music.’Tis mine to speak, thy part to hear,
And therefore lend a willing ear;
Much have I suffered, long opprest
By Menalippides, that beast;
He haled me from Parnassus’ springs,
And plagued me with a dozen strings.
His rage howe’er sufficed not yet,
To make my miseries complete.
Cinesias, that cursed Attic,
A mere poetical pragmatic,
Such horrid strophes in mangled verse
Made the unharmonious stage rehearse,
That I, tormented with the pains
Of cruel dithyrambic strains,
Distorted lay, that you would swear
The right side now the left side were.
Nor did my miseries end here;
For Phrynis with his whirlwind brains,
Wringing and racking all my veins,
Ruined me quite, while nine small wires
With harmonies twice six he tires.
Yet might not he so much be blamed,
From all his errors soon reclaimed;
But then Timotheus with his freaks
Furrowed my face, and ploughed my cheeks.
Justice. Say which of them so vile could be?
Music. Milesian Pyrrhias, that was he,
Whose fury tortured me much more
Than all that I have named before;
Where’er I walk the streets alone,
If met by him, the angry clown,
With his twelve cat-guts strongly bound,
He leaves me helpless on the ground. Aristophanes the comic poet, making mention of Philoxenus, complains of his introducing lyric verses among the cyclic choruses, where he brings in Music thus speaking:—
He filled me with discordant measures airy,
Wicked Hyperbolaei and Niglari;
And to uphold the follies of his play,
Like a lank radish bowed me every way.
Other comedians have since set forth the absurdity of those who have been slicers and manglers of music.

> Greek: 30. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Μελανιππίδης ὁ μελοποιὸς ἐπιγενόμενος οὐκ ἐνέμεινε τῇ προϋπαρχούσῃ μουσικῇ, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ Φιλόξενος; οὐδὲ Τιμόθεος· οὗτος γάρ, ἑπταφθόγγου τῆς λύρας ὑπαρχούσης ἕως εἰς Τέρπανδρον τὸν Ἀντισσαῖον, διέρριψεν εἰς πλείονας φθόγγους. ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ αὐλητικὴ ἀφʼ ἁπλουστέρας εἰς ποικιλωτέραν μεταβέβηκε μουσικήν· τὸ γὰρ παλαιόν, ἕως εἰς· Μελανιππίδην τὸν τῶν διθυράμβων ποιητήν, συμβεβήκει τοὺς αὐλητὰς; παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν λαμβάνειν τοὺς μισθούς, πρωταγωνιστούσης δηλονότι τῆς ποιήσεως, τῶν δʼ αὐλητῶν ὑπηρετούντων τοῖς διδασκάλοις·; ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο διεφθάρη, ὡς καὶ Φερεκράτη τὸν κωμικὸν εἰσαγαγεῖν τὴν Μουσικὴν ἐν γυναικείῳ σχήματι, ὅλην κατῃκισμένην τὸ σῶμα· ποιεῖ δὲ τὴν Δικαιοσύνην διαπυνθανομένην τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς λώβης καὶ τὴν Ποίησιν λέγουσαν·
ΜΟΥΣ. λέξω μὲν οὐκ ἄκουσα· σοί τε γὰρ κλύειν
ἐμοί τε λέξαι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν ἔχει.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἦρξε τῶν κακῶν Μελανιππίδης,
ἐν τοῖσι πρῶτος ὃς λαβὼν ἀνῆκέ με
χαλαρωτέραν τʼ ἐποίησε χορδαῖς δώδεκα.
ἀλλʼ οὖν ὅμως οὗτος μὲν ἦν ἀποχρῶν ἀνὴρ
ἔμοιγε … πρὸς τὰ νῦν κακά.
Κινησίας δὲ μʼ ὁ κατάρατος Ἀττικός,
ἐξαρμονίους καμπὰς ποιῶν ἐν ταῖς στροφαῖς
ἀπολώλεχʼ οὕτως, ὥστε τῆς ποιήσεως
τῶν διθυράμβων, καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς ἀσπίσιν,
ἀριστέρʼ αὐτοῦ φαίνεται τὰ δεξιά.
ἀλλʼ οὖν ἀνεκτὸς οὗτος ἦν ὅμως ἐμοί.
Φρῦνις δʼ ἴδιον στρόβιλον ἐμβαλών τινα
κάμπτων με καὶ στρέφων ὅλην διέφθορεν,
ἐν πέντε χορδαῖς δώδεχʼ ἁρμονίας ἔχων.
ἀλλʼ οὖν ἔμοιγε χοὖτος ἦν ἀποχρῶν ἀνήρ·
εἰ γάρ τι κἀξήμαρτεν, αὖθις ἀνέλαβεν.
ὁ δὲ Τιμόθεὸς μʼ, ὦ φιλτάτη, κατορώρυχε
καὶ διακέκναικʼ αἴσχιστα.
ΔΙΚ. ποῖος οὑτοσὶ
ὁ Τιμόθεος;
ΜΟΥΣ. Μιλήσιός τις πυρρίας
κακά μοι παρέσχεν οὗτος, ἅπαντας οὓς λέγω
παρελήλυθʼ ᾅδων ἐκτραπέλους μυρμηκιάς.
κἂν ἐντύχῃ πού μοι βαδιζούσῃ μόνῃ,
ἀπέδυσε κἀνέδυσε χορδαῖς δώδεκα.
καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης ὁ κωμικὸς μνημονεύει Φιλοξένου καί φησιν, ὅτι εἰς τοὺς κυκλίους χοροὺς μέλη εἰσηνέγκατο. ἡ δὲ Μουσικὴ λέγει ταῦτα·
ἐξαρμονίους ὑπερβολαίους, τʼ ἀνοσίους
καὶ νιγλάρους, ὥσπερ τε τὰς ῥαφάνους ὅλην
καμπῶν με κατεμέστωσε.
καὶ ἄλλοι δὲ κωμῳδοποιοὶ ἔδειξαν τὴν ἀτοπίαν τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν μουσικὴν κατακεκερματικότων.

## 3. Sections 31–44

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pseudo-plutarch-on-music/3/#p-N

[¶0] 31. Now that the right moulding or ruin of ingenuous manners and civil conduct lies in a well-grounded musical education, Aristoxenus has made apparent. For, of those that were contemporary with him, he gives an account of Telesias the Theban, who in his youth was bred up in the noblest excellences of music, and moreover studied the works of the most famous lyrics, Pindar, Dionysius the Theban, Lamprus, Pratinas, and all the rest who were accounted most eminent; who played also to perfection upon the flute, and was not a little industrious to furnish himself with all those other accomplishments of learning; but being past the prime of his age, he was so bewitched with the theatre’s new fangles and the innovations of multiplied notes, that despising those noble precepts and that solid practice to which he had been educated, he betook himself to Philoxenus and Timotheus, and among those delighted chiefly in such as were most depraved with diversity of notes and baneful innovation. And yet, when he made it his business to make verses and labor both ways as well in that of Pindar as that of Philoxenus, he could have no success in the latter. And the reason proceeded from the truth and exactness of his first education.

> Greek: 31. ὅτι δὲ παρὰ τὰς ἀγωγὰς καὶ τὰς μαθήσεις διόρθωσις ἢ διαστροφὴ γίγνεται, δῆλον Ἀριστόξενος ἐποίησε. τῶν γὰρ κατὰ τὴν αὑτοῦ ἡλικίαν φησὶ Τελεσίᾳ τῷ Θηβαίῳ συμβῆναι νέῳ μὲν ὄντι τραφῆναι ἐν τῇ καλλίστῃ μουσικῇ καὶ μαθεῖν ἄλλα τε τῶν εὐδοκιμούντων καὶ δὴ καὶ τὰ Πινδάρου, τὰ τε Διονυσίου τοῦ Θηβαίου καὶ τὰ Λάμπρου καὶ τὰ Πρατίνου καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ὅσοι τῶν λυρικῶν ἄνδρες ἐγένοντο ποιηταὶ κρουμάτων ἀγαθοί· καὶ αὐλῆσαι δὲ καλῶς καὶ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ μέρη τῆς συμπάσης παιδείας ἱκανῶς διαπονηθῆναι· παραλλάξαντα δὲ τὴν τῆς ἀκμῆς ἡλικίαν οὕτω σφόδρα ἐξαπατηθῆναι ὑπὸ τῆς σκηνικῆς τε καὶ ποικίλης μουσικῆς, ὡς καταφρονῆσαι τῶν καλῶν ἐκείνων, ἐν οἷς ἀνετράφη, τὰ Φιλοξένου δὲ καὶ Τιμοθέου ἐκμανθάνειν, καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν τὰ ποικιλώτατα καὶ πλείστην ἐν αὑτοῖς ἔχοντα καινοτομίαν· ὁρμήσαντὰ τʼ ἐπὶ τὸ ποιεῖν μέλη καὶ διαπειρώμενον ἀμφοτέρων τῶν τρόπων, τοῦ τε Πινδαρείου καὶ Φιλοξενείου, μὴ δύνασθαι κατορθοῦν ἐν τῷ Φιλοξενείῳ γένει· γεγενῆσθαι δʼ αἰτίαν τὴν ἐκ παιδὸς καλλίστην ἀγωγήν.

[¶1] 32. Therefore, if it be the aim of any person to practise music with skill and judgment, let him imitate the ancient manner; let him also adorn it with those other sciences, and make philosophy his tutor, which is sufficient to judge what is iii music decent and useful. For music being generally divided into three parts, diatonic, chromatic, and enharmonie, it behooves one who comes to learn music to understand poetry, which uses these three parts, and to know how to express his poetical inventions in proper musical form. First therefore we are to consider that all musical learning is a sort of habituation, which does not teach the reason of her precepts at one and the same time to the learner. Moreover, we are to understand that to such an education there is not requisite an enumeration of its several divisions, but every one learns by chance what either the master or scholar, according to the authority of the one and the liberty of the other, has most affection for. But the more prudent sort reject this chance-medley way of learning, as the Lacedaemonians of old, the Mantineans, and Pallenians, who, making choice either of one single method or else but very few styles, used only that sort of music which they deemed most proper to regulate the inclinations of youths.

> Greek: 32. εἰ οὖν τις βούλεται μουσικῇ καλῶς καὶ κεκριμένως χρῆσθαι, τὸν ἀρχαῖον ἀπομιμείσθω τρόπον· ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις αὐτὴν μαθήμασιν ἀναπληρούτω καὶ φιλοσοφίαν ἐπιστησάτω παιδαγωγόν· αὕτη γὰρ ἱκανὴ κρῖναι τὸ μουσικῇ πρέπον μέτρον καὶ τὸ χρήσιμον. τριῶν γὰρ ὄντων μερῶν, εἰς ἃ διῄρηται τὴν καθόλου διαίρεσιν ἡ πᾶσα μουσική, διατόνου χρώματος ἁρμονίας, ἐπιστήμονα χρὴ εἶναι τῆς τούτοις χρωμένης ποιήσεως τὸν μουσικῇ προσιόντα καὶ τῆς ἑρμηνείας τῆς τὰ πεποιημένα παραδιδούσης ἐπήβολον. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν κατανοητέον, ὅτι πᾶσα μάθησις τῶν περὶ τὴν μουσικὴν ἐθισμός ἐστιν οὐδέπω προσειληφὼς τὸ τίνος ἕνεκα τῶν διδασκομένων ἕκαστον τῷ μανθάνοντι μαθητέον ἐστί. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτʼ ἐνθυμητέον, ὅτι πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην ἀγωγήν τε καὶ μάθησιν οὐδέπω προσάγεται τρόπων ἐξαρίθμησις· ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ εἰκῇ μανθάνουσιν ὃ ἂν τῷ διδάσκοντι ἢ τῷ μανθάνοντι ἀρέσῃ, οἱ δὲ συνετοὶ τὸ εἰκῇ ἀποδοκιμάζουσιν, ὥσπερ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τὸ παλαιὸν καὶ Μαντινεῖς καὶ Πελληνεῖς· ἕνα γάρ τινα τρόπον ἢ παντελῶς ὀλίγους ἐκλεξάμενοι, οὓς ᾤοντο πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἠθῶν ἐπανόρθωσιν ἁρμόττειν, αὐτῇ τῇ μουσικῇ ἐχρῶντο.

[¶2] 33. This will be apparent, if any one shall examine every one of the parts, and see what is the subject of their several contemplations. For harmony takes cognizance of intervals, systems, classes of harmonious sounds, notes, tones, and systematical transmutations. Farther than this it goes not. And therefore it would be in vain to enquire of harmony, whether the poet have rightly and (so to speak) musically chosen the Dorian for the beginning, the mixed Lydian and Dorian for the end, or the Hypophrygian and Phrygian for the middle. For the industry of harmony reaches not to these, and it is defective in many other things, as not understanding the force and extent of elegant aptness and proper concinnity. Neither did ever the chromatic or enharmonic species arrive to such force of aptitude as to discover the nature and genius of the poem; for that is the work of the poet. It is as plain, that the sound of the system is different from the sound of the descant sung in the same system; which, however, does not belong to the consideration of harmonical studies. There is the same to be said concerning rhythms, for no rhythm can claim to itself the force of perfect aptitude. For we call a thing apt and proper when we consider the nature of it. The reason of this, we say, is either a certain plain and mixed composure, or both; like the enharmonic species of Olympus, by him set in the Phrygian mood and mixed with the paeon epibatos, which rendered the beginning of the key naturally elegant in what is called the nome of Minerva. For having made choice of his key and measure, he only changed the paeon epibatos for the trochee, which produced his enharmonic species. However, the enharmonic species and Phrygian tone remaining together with the whole system, the elegancy of the character was greatly altered. For that which was called harmony in the nome of Minerva was quite another thing from that in the introduction. He then that has both judgment as well as skill is to be accounted the most accurate musician. For he that understands the Dorian mood, not being able withal to discern by his judgment what is proper to it and when it is fit to be made use of, shall never know what he does; nay, he shall quite mistake the nature and custom of the key. Indeed it is much questioned among the Dorians themselves, whether the enharmonic composers be competent judges of the Dorian songs. The same is to be said concerning the knowledge of rhythm. For he that understands a paeon may not understand the proper use of it, though he know the measure of which it consists. Because it is much doubted among those that make use of paeons, whether the bare knowledge make a man capable to determine concerning the proper use of those rhythms; or, as others say, whether it aspire to presume so far. Therefore it behooves that person to have two sorts of knowledge, who will undertake to judge of what is proper and what improper; first, of the custom and manner of elegancy for which such a composition was intended, and next of those things of which the composition consists. And thus, that neither the bare knowledge of harmony, nor of rhythm, nor of any other things that singly by themselves are but a part of the whole body of music, is sufficient to judge and determine either of the one or the other, what has been already said may suffice to prove.

> Greek: 33. φανερὸν δʼ ἂν γένοιτο, εἴ τις ἑκάστην ἐξετάζοιτο τῶν ἐπιστημῶν, τίνος ἐστὶ θεωρητική δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἁρμονικὴ γενῶν τε τῶν τοῦ ἡρμοσμένου καὶ διαστημάτων καὶ συστημάτων καὶ φθόγγων καὶ τόνων καὶ μεταβολῶν συστηματικῶν ἐστι γνωστική· πορρωτέρω δʼ οὐκέτι ταύτῃ προελθεῖν οἷόν τε ὥστʼ οὐδὲ ζητεῖν παρὰ ταύτης τὸ διαγνῶναι δύνασθαι, πότερον οἰκείως εἴληφεν ὁ ποιητὴς ὅμοἷον εἰπεῖν ἐν μούσοις τὸν Ὑποδώριον τόνον ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἢ τὸν Μιξολύδιόν τε καὶ Δώριον ἐπὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν ἢ τὸν Ὑποφρύγιόν τε καὶ Φρύγιον ἐπὶ τὴν μέσην. οὐ γὰρ διατείνει τῇ ἁρμονικὴ πραγματεία πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα, προσδεῖται δὲ πολλῶν ἑτέρων· τὴν γὰρ τῆς οἰκειότητος δύναμιν ἀγνοεῖ. οὔτε γὰρ τὸ χρωματικὸν γένος οὔτε τὸ ἐναρμόνιον ἣξει ποτʼ ἔχον τὴν τῆς οἰκειότητος δύναμιν τελείαν καὶ καθʼ ἣν τὸ τοῦ πεποιημένου μέλους ἦθος ἐπιφαίνεται ἀλλὰ τοῦτο τοῦ τεχνίτου ἔργον. φανερὸν δὴ ὅτι ἑτέρα τοῦ συστήματος ἡ φωνὴ τῆς ἐν τῷ συστήματι κατασκευασθείσης μελοποιίας, περὶ ἧς οὐκ ἔστι θεωρῆσαι τῆς ἁρμονικῆς· πραγματείας. ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ λόγος καὶ περὶ τῶν ῥυθμῶν· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ῥυθμὸς τὴν τῆς τελείας οἰκειότητος δύναμιν ἣξει ἔχων ἐν αὑτῷ· τὸ γὰρ οἰκείως ἀεὶ λεγόμενον πρὸς ἦθός τι βλέποντες λέγομεν. τούτου δέ φαμεν αἰτίαν εἶναι σύνθεσίν τινα ἢ μῖξιν ἢ ἀμφότερα. οἷον Ὀλύμπῳ τὸ ἐναρμόνιον γένος ἐπὶ Φρυγίου τόνου τεθὲν παίωνι ἐπιβατῷ μιχθέν· τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς ἀρχῆς· τὸ ἦθος ἐγέννησεν ἐπὶ τῷ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς νόμῳ προσληφθείσης γὰρ μελοποιίας καὶ ῥυθμοποιίας τεχνικῶς τε μεταληφθέντος τοῦ ῥυθμοῦ μόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ γενομένου τροχαίου ἀντὶ παίωνος, συνέστη τὸ Ὀλύμπου ἐναρμόνιον γένος. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοῦ ἐναρμονίου γένους καὶ τοῦ Φρυγίου τόνου διαμενόντων καὶ πρὸς τούτοις τοῦ συστήματος παντός, μεγάλην ἀλλοίωσιν ἔσχηκε τὸ ἦθος· ἡ γὰρ καλουμένη ἁρμονία ἐν τῷ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς νόμῳ πολὺ διέστηκε κατὰ τὸ ἦθος τῆς ἀναπείρας. εἰ οὖν προσγένοιτο τῷ τῆς μουσικῆς ἐμπείρῳ τὸ κριτικόν, δῆλον ὅτι οὗτος ἂν εἴη ὁ ἀκριβὴς ἐν μουσικῇ ὁ γὰρ εἰδὼς τὸ Δωριστὶ ἄνευ τοῦ κρίνειν ἐπίστασθαι τὴν τῆς χρήσεως αὐτοῦ οἰκειότητα οὐκ εἴσεται ὃ ποιεῖ· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὸ ἦθος σῴσει· ἐπεὶ καὶ περὶ αὐτῶν τῶν Δωρίων μελοποιιῶν ἀπορεῖται, πότερόν ἐστι διαγνωστικὴ ἡ ἁρμονικὴ πραγματεία, καθάπερ τινὲς οἴονται, τῶν Δωρίων, ἢ οὔ. ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ λόγος καὶ περὶ τῆς ῥυθμικῆς ἐπιστήμης; πάσης· ὁ γὰρ εἰδὼς; τὸν παίωνα τὴν τῆς χρήσεως αὐτοῦ οἰκειότητα οὐκ εἴσεται διὰ τὸ αὐτὴν μόνην εἰδέναι τὴν τοῦ παίωνος ξύνθεσιν ἐπεὶ καὶ περὶ αὐτῶν τῶν παιωνικῶν ῥυθμοποιιῶν ἀπορεῖται, πότερόν ἐστι διαγνωστικὴ ἡ ῥυθμικὴ πραγματεία τούτων, καθάπερ τινές φασιν, ἢ οὐ διατείνει μέχρι τούτου. ἀναγκαῖον οὖν δύο τοὐλάχιστον γνώσεις ὑπάρχειν τῷ μέλλοντι διαγνώσεσθαι τὸ τʼ οἰκεῖον καὶ τὸ ἀλλότριον· πρῶτον μὲν τοῦ ἤθους, οὗ ἕνεκα ἡ σύνθεσις γεγένηται· ἔπειτα τούτων, ἐξ ὧν ἡ σύνθεσις. ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὔθʼ ἡ ἁρμονικὴ οὔθʼ ἡ ῥυθμικὴ οὔτʼ ἄλλη οὐδεμία τῶν καθʼ ἓν μέρος λεγομένων αὐτάρκης αὐτὴ καθʼ αὑτὴν τοῦ ἤθους εἶναι καὶ γνωστικὴ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων κριτική, ἀρκέσει τὰ εἰρημένα.

[¶3] 34. [Now then, there being three species into which all harmony is divided, equal in the magnitude of systems or intervals and force of notes and tetrachords, we find that the ancients never disputed about any more than one; for they never troubled themselves with the chromatic or diatonic, but differed only about the enharmonic; and there no farther than about the great interval called the diapason. The further subdivision indeed caused some little variance, but they nearly all agreed that harmony itself is but one. ] Therefore he must never think to be a true artist in the understanding and practice of music, who advances no farther than the single knowledge of this or that particular: but it behooves him to trace through all the particular members of it, and so to be master of the whole body, by understanding how to mix and join all the divided members. For he that understands only harmony is confined to a single manner. Wherefore, in short, it is requisite that the sense and understanding concur in judging the parts of music; and that they should neither be too hasty, like those senses which are rash and forward, nor too slow, like those which are dull and heavy; though it may happen sometimes, through the inequality of Nature, that the same senses may be too slow and too quick at the same time. Which things are to be avoided by a sense and judgment that would run an equal course.

> Greek: 34. τριῶν δʼ ὄντων γενῶν, εἰς ἃ διαιρεῖται τὸ ἡρμοσμένον, ἴσων τοῖς τε τῶν συστημάτων μεγέθεσι καὶ ταῖς τῶν φθόγγων δυνάμεσιν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ταῖς τῶν τετραχόρδων, περὶ ἑνὸς μόνου οἱ παλαιοὶ ἐπραγματεύσαντο· ἐπειδήπερ οὔτε περὶ χρώματος οὔτε περὶ διατόνου οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐπεσκόπουν, ἀλλὰ περὶ μόνου τοῦ ἐναρμονίου, καὶ αὖ τούτου περὶ ἓν τι μέγεθος συστήματος, τοῦ καλουμένου διὰ πασῶν· περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς χρόας διεφέροντο, περὶ δὲ τοῦ μίαν εἶναι αὐτὴν τὴν ἁρμονίαν σχεδὸν πάντες συνεφώνουν. οὐκ ἂν οὖν ποτε συνίδοι τὰ περὶ τὴν ἁρμονικὴν πραγματείαν ὁ μέχρι αὐτῆς τῆς γνώσεως ταύτης προεληλυθώς, ἀλλὰ δηλονότι παρακολουθῶν ταῖς τε κατὰ μέρος ἐπιστήμαις καὶ τῷ συνόλῳ σώματι τῆς μουσικῆς καὶ ταῖς τῶν μερῶν μίξεσί τε καὶ συνθέσεσιν, ὁ γὰρ μόνον ἁρμονικὸς περιγέγραπται τρόπῳ τινί. καθόλου μὲν οὖν εἰπεῖν, ὁμοδρομεῖν δεῖ τὴν τʼ αἴσθησιν καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν ἐν τῇ κρίσει τῶν τῆς μουσικῆς μερῶν καὶ μήτε προάγειν, ὃ ποιοῦσιν αἱ προπετεῖς τε καὶ φερόμεναι τῶν αἰσθήσεων, μήθʼ ὑστερίζειν, ὃ ποιοῦσιν αἱ βραδεῖαὶ τε καὶ δυσκίνητοι. γίγνεται δὲ ποτʼ ἐπί τινων αἰσθήσεων καὶ τὸ συγκείμενον ἐκ τοῦ συναμφοτέρου καὶ ὑστεροῦσιν αἱ αὐταὶ καὶ προτεροῦσι διά τινα φυσικὴν ἀνωμαλίαν. περιαιρετέον οὖν τῆς μελλούσης ὁμοδρομεῖν αἰσθήσεως ταῦτα.

[¶4] 35. For there are three things at least that at the same instant strike the ear,—the note, the time, and the word or syllable. By the note we judge of the harmony, by the time of the rhythm, and by the word of the matter or subject of the song. As these proceed forth altogether, it is requisite the sense should give them entrance at the same moment. But this is certain, where the sense is not able to separate every one of these and consider the effects of each apart, there it can never apprehend what is well or what is amiss in any. First therefore let us discourse concerning coherence. For it is necessary that coherence accompany the discerning faculty. For judgment of good or bad is not to be made from notes disjoined, broken time, and shattered words, but from coherence. For there is in practice a certain commixture of parts which commonly are not compounded. So much as to coherence.

> Greek: 35. ἀεὶ γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον τρίʼ ἐλάχιστα εἶναι τὰ πίπτοντα ἅμʼ εἰς τὴν ἀκοήν, φθόγγον τε καὶ χρόνον καὶ συλλαβὴν ἢ γράμμα. συμβήσεται δʼ ἐκ τῆς μὲν κατὰ τὸν φθόγγον πορείας τὸ ἡρμοσμένον γνωρίζεσθαι, ἐκ δὲ τῆς κατὰ χρόνον τὸν ῥυθμόν, ἐκ δὲ τῆς κατὰ γράμμα ἢ συλλαβὴν τὸ λεγόμενον· ὁμοῦ δὲ προβαινόντων, ἅμα τὴν τῆς αἰσθήσεως ἐπιφορὰν ἀναγκαῖον ποιεῖσθαι. ἀλλὰ μὴν κἀκεῖνο φανερόν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνδέχεται, μὴ δυναμένης τῆς αἰσθήσεως χωρίζειν ἕκαστον τῶν εἰρημένων, παρακολουθεῖν τε δύνασθαι τοῖς καθʼ ἕκαστα καὶ συνορᾶν τὸ θʼ ἁμαρτανόμενον ἐν ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ μή. πρῶτον οὖν περὶ συνεχείας γνωστέον. ἀναγκαῖον γάρ ἐστιν ὑπάρχειν τῇ κριτικῇ δυνάμει συνέχειαν τὸ γὰρ εὖ καὶ τὸ ἐναντίως οὐκ ἐν ἀφωρισμένοις τοῖσδέ τισι γίγνεται φθόγγοις ἢ χρόνοις ἢ γράμμασιν, ἀλλʼ ἐν συνεχέσιν ἐπειδὴ μῖξίς τις ἔστι κατὰ τὴν, χρῆσιν τῶν ἀσυνθέτων μερῶν. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς παρακολουθήσεως τοσαῦτα.

[¶5] 36. We are next to consider whether the masters of music are sufficiently capable of being judges of it. Now I aver the negative. For it is impossible to be a perfect musician and a good judge of music by the knowledge of those things that seem to be but parts of the whole body, as by excellency of hand upon the instrument, or singing readily at first sight, or exquisiteness of the ear, so far as this extends to the understanding of harmony and time. Neither does the knowledge of time and harmony, pulsation or elocution, or whatever else falls under the same consideration, perfect their judgment. Now for the reasons why a musician cannot gain a perfect judgment from any of these, we must endeavor to make them clear. First then it must be granted that, of things about which judgment is to be made, some are perfect and others imperfect. Those things which are perfect are the compositions in general, whether sung or played, and the expression of those, whether upon the instruments or by the voice, with the rest of the same nature. The imperfect are the things to these appertaining, and for whose sake they are made use of. Such are the parts of expression. A second reason may be found in poetry, with which the case is the same. For a man that hears a consort of voices or instruments can judge whether they sing or play in tune, and whether the language be plain or not. But every one of these are only parts of instrumental and vocal expression; not the end itself, but for the sake of the end. For by these and things of the same nature shall the elegancy of elocution be judged, whether it be proper to the poem which the performer undertakes to sing. The same is to be said of the several passions expressed in the poetry.

> Greek: 36. τὸ δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο ἐπισκεπτέον, ὅτι οἱ μουσικῆς ἐπιστήμονες πρὸς τὴν κριτικὴν πραγματείαν οὔκ εἰσιν αὐτάρκεις. οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε τέλεον γενέσθαι μουσικόν τε καὶ κριτικὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι μερῶν τῆς ὅλης μουσικῆς, οἷον ἔκ τε τῆς τῶν ὀργάνων ἐμπειρίας καὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν ᾠδήν, ἔτι δὲ τῆς περὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν συγγυμνασίας· λέγω δὲ τῆς συντεινούσης εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἡρμοσμένου ξύνεσιν καὶ ἔτι τὴν τοῦ ῥυθμοῦ· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἔκ τε τῆς ῥυθμικῆς καὶ τῆς ἁρμονικῆς πραγματείας καὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν κροῦσίν τε καὶ λέξιν θεωρίας, καὶ εἴ τινες ἄλλαι τυγχάνουσι λοιπαὶ οὖσαι. διʼ ἃς δʼ αἰτίας οὐχ οἷὸν τʼ ἐξ αὐτῶν τούτων γενέσθαι κριτικόν, πειρατέον καταμαθεῖν. πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ ἡμῖν ὑποκεῖσθαι τὰ μὲν τῶν κρινομένων τέλεια τὰ δʼ ἀτελῆ· τέλεια μὲν αὐτό τε τῶν ποιημάτων ἕκαστον, οἷον τὸ ᾀδόμενον ἢ αὐλούμενον ἢ κιθαριζόμενον καὶ ἡ ἑκάστου αὐτῶν ἑρμηνεία, οἷον ἥ τʼ αὔλησις καὶ ἡ ᾠδὴ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν τοιούτων· ἀτελῆ δὲ τὰ πρὸς ταῦτα συντείνοντα καὶ τὰ τούτων ἕνεκα γιγνόμενα τοιαῦτα δὲ τὰ μέρη τῆς ἑρμηνείας. δεύτερον ἐκ τῆς ποιήσεως· ὡσαύτως γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ· ὑποκρίνειε γὰρ ἄν τις ἀκούων αὐλητοῦ, πότερόν ποτε συμφωνοῦσιν οἱ αὐλοὶ ἢ οὔ, καὶ πότερον ἡ διάλεκτος σαφὴς ἢ τοὐναντίον· τούτων δʼ ἕκαστον μέρος ἐστὶ τῆς αὐλητικῆς ἑρμηνείας, οὐ μέντοι τέλος, ἀλλʼ ἕνεκα τοῦ τέλους γιγνόμενον παρὰ ταῦτα γὰρ αὖ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πάντα κριθήσεται τὸ τῆς ἑρμηνείας ἦθος, εἰ οἰκεῖον ἀποδίδοται τῷ παραποιηθέντι ποιήματι, ὃ μεταχειρίσασθαι καὶ ἑρμηνεῦσαι ὁ ἐνεργῶν βεβούληται. ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ λόγος καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν παθῶν τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς; ποιητικῆς σημαινομένων ἐν τοῖς ποιήμασιν.

[¶6] 37. The ancients now made principal account of the moral impression, and therefore preferred that fashion of the antique music which was grave and least affected. Therefore the Argives are said to have punished deviation from the ancient music, and to have imposed a fine upon such as first adventured to play with more than seven strings, and to introduce the Mixolydian mood. Pythagoras, that grave philosopher, rejected the judging of music by the senses, affirming that the virtue of music could be appreciated only by the intellect. And therefore he did not judge of music by the ear, but by the harmonical proportion, and thought it sufficient to fix the knowledge of music within the compass of the diapason.

> Greek: 37. ἅτʼ οὖν ἠθῶν μάλιστα φροντίδα πεποιημένοι οἱ παλαιοί, τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ ἀπερίεργον τῆς ἀρχαίας μουσικῆς προετίμων. Ἀργείους μὲν καὶ κόλασιν ἐπιθεῖναὶ ποτέ φασι τῇ εἰς τὴν μουσικὴν παρανομίᾳ ζημιῶσαί τε τὸν ἐπιχειρήσαντα πρῶτον ταῖς πλείοσι τῶν ἑπτὰ χρήσασθαι παρʼ, αὐτοῖς χορδῶν καὶ παραμιξολυδιάζειν ἐπιχειρήσαντα. Πυθαγόρας δʼ, ὁ σεμνὸς ἀπεδοκίμαζε τὴν κρίσιν τῆς μουσικῆς τὴν διὰ τῆς αἰσθήσεως νῷ γὰρ ληπτὴν τὴν ταύτης ἀρετὴν ἔφασκεν εἶναι. τοιγάρτοι τῇ μὲν ἀκοῇ οὐκ ἔκρινεν αὐτὴν τῇ δʼ ἀναλογικῇ ἁρμονίᾳ αὔταρκές τʼ, ἐνόμιζε τοῦ διὰ πασῶν στῆσαι τὴν τῆς μουσικῆς ἐπίγνωσιν.

[¶7] 38. But our musicians nowadays have so utterly exploded the most noble of all the moods, which the ancients greatly admired for its majesty, that hardly any among them make the least account of enharmonic distances. And so negligent and lazy are they grown, as to believe the enharmonic diesis to be too contemptible to fall under the apprehension of sense, and they therefore exterminate it out of their compositions, deeming those to be triflers that have any esteem for it or make use of the mood itself. For proof of which they think they bring a most powerful argument, which rather appears to be the dulness of their own senses; as if whatever fled their apprehensions were to be rejected as useless and of no value. And then again they urge that its magnitude cannot be perceived through its concord, like that of the semitone, tone, and other distances; not understanding, that at the same time they throw out the third, fifth, and seventh, of which the one consists of three, the other of five, and the last of seven dieses. And on the same principle all the intervals that are odd should be rejected as useless, inasmuch as none of them is perceptible through concord; and this would include all which by means of even the smallest diesis are measured by odd numbers. Whence it necessarily follows, that no division of the tetrachord would be of use but that which is to be measured by all even intervals, as in the syntonic diatonic, and in the toniaean chromatic.

> Greek: 38. οἱ δὲ νῦν τὸ μὲν κάλλιστον τῶν γενῶν, ὅπερ μάλιστα σεμνότητα παρὰ τοῖς ἀρχαίοις ἐσπουδάζετο, παντελῶς παρῃτήσαντο, ὥστε μηδὲ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἀντίληψιν τῶν ἐναρμονίων διαστημάτων τοῖς πολλοῖς ὑπάρχειν·ν· οὕτω δʼ, ἀργῶζ; διάκεινται καὶ ῥᾳθύμως, ὥστε μηδʼ ἔμφασιν νομίζειν παρέχειν καθʼ ὅλου τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν αἴσθησιν πιπτόντων τὴν ἐναρμόνιον δίεσιν, ἐξορίζειν δʼ αὐτὴν ἐκ τῶν μελῳδημάτων πεφλυαρηκέναι τε τοὺς δόξαντάς τι περὶ τούτου καὶ τῷ γένει τούτῳ κεχρημένους. ἀπόδειξιν δʼ ἰσχυροτάτην τοῦ τἀληθῆ λέγειν φέρειν οἴονται μάλιστα μὲν τὴν αὑτῶν ἀναισθησίαν, ὡς πᾶν, ὅ τι περ ἂν αὐτοὺς ἐκφύγῃ, τοῦτο καὶ δὴ πάντως ἀνύπαρκτον ὂν παντελῶς καὶ ἄχρηστον εἶτα καὶ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι ληφθῆναι διὰ συμφωνίας τὸ μέγεθος, καθάπερ τό τε ἡμιτόνιον καὶ τὸν τόνον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ τῶν τοιούτων διαστημάτων. ἠγνοήκασι δʼ ὅτι καὶ τὸ τρίτον μέγεθος οὕτως ἂν καὶ τὸ πέμπτον ἐκβάλλοιτο καὶ τὸ ἕβδομον· ὧν τὸ μὲν τριῶν τὸ δὲ πέντε τὸ δʼ ἑπτὰ διέσεών ἐστι· καὶ καθόλου πάνθʼ ὅσα περιττὰ φαίνεται τῶν διαστημάτων ἀποδοκιμάζοιτʼ ἂν ὡς ἄχρηστα, παρʼ ὅσον οὐδὲν αὐτῶν διὰ συμφωνίας λαβεῖν ἔστι· ταῦτα δʼ ἂν εἴη, ὅσα ὑπὸ τῆς ἐλαχίστης διέσεως μετρεῖται περισσάκις, οἷς ἀκολουθεῖν ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ μηδεμίαν τῶν τετραχορδικῶν διαιρέσεων χρησίμην εἶναι, πλὴν μόνην ταύτην, διʼ ἧς πᾶσιν ἀρτίοις χρῆσθαι διαστήμασι συμβέβηκεν αὕτη δʼ ἂν εἵη ἥ τε τοῦ συντόνου καὶ διατόνου καὶ ἡ τοῦ τονιαίου χρώματος.

[¶8] 39. But these opinions are not only contrary to appearance, but repugnant one to another. For they themselves chiefly make use of those divisions of tetrachords in which most of the intervals are either unequal or irrational. To which purpose they always soften both lichanos and paranete, and lower even some of the standing sounds by an irrational interval, bringing the trite and paranete to approach them. And especially they applaud the use of those systems in which most of the intervals are irrational, by relaxing not only those tones which are by nature movable, but also some which are properly fixed; as it is plain to those that rightly understand these things.

> Greek: 39. τὸ δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγειν τε καὶ ὑπολαμβάνειν, οὐ μόνον τοῖς φαινομένοις ἐναντιουμένων ἐστὶν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὑτοῖς μαχομένων. χρώμενοι γὰρ αὐτοὶ τοιαύταις τετραχόρδων μάλιστα φαίνονται διαιρέσεσιν, ἐν αἷς τὰ πολλὰ τῶν διαστημάτων ἤτοι περιττά ἐστιν ἢ ἄλογα· μαλάττουσι γὰρ ἀεὶ τάς τε λιχανοὺς καὶ τὰς παρανήτας· ἤδη δὲ καὶ τῶν ἑστώτων τινὰς παρανιᾶσι φθόγγων, ἀλόγῳ τινὶ διαστήματι προσανιέντες αὐτοῖς τάς τε τρίτας καὶ τὰς παρανήτας· καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην εὐδοκιμεῖν μάλιστά πως οἴονται τῶν συστημάτων χρῆσιν, ἐν τὰ πολλὰ τῶν διαστημάτων ἐστὶν ἄλογα οὐ μόνον τῶν κινεῖσθαι πεφυκότων φθόγγων, ἀλλὰ καί τινων ἀκινήτων ἀνιεμένων, ὥς ἐστι δῆλον τοῖς αἰσθάνεσθαι τῶν τοιούτων δυναμένοις.

[¶9] 40. Now for the advantages that accrue to men from the use of music, the famous Homer has taught it us, introducing Achilles, in the height of his fury toward Agamemnon, appeased by the music which he learned from Chiron, a person of great wisdom. For thus says he:—
Amused at ease, the god-like man they found,
Pleased with the solemn harp’s harmonious sound.
The well-wrought harp from conquered Thebe came;
Of polished silver was its costly frame.
With this he soothes his angry soul, and sings
The immortal deeds of heroes and of kings.
Learn, says Homer, from hence the true use of music. For it became Achilles, the son of Peleus the Just, to sing the famous acts and achievements of great and valiant men. Also, in teaching the most proper time to make use of it, he found out a profitable and pleasing pastime for one’s leisure hours. For Achilles, being both valiant and active, by reason of the disgust he had taken against Agamemnon withdrew from the war. Homer therefore thought he could not do better than by the laudable incitements of music and poetry to inflame the hero’s courage for those achievements which he afterwards performed. And this he did, calling to mind the great actions of former ages. Such was then the ancient music, and such the advantages that made it profitable. To which end and purpose we read that Hercules, Achilles, and many others made use of it; whose master, wisest Chiron, is recorded to have taught not only music, but morality and physic.

> Greek: 40. χρῆσιν δὲ μουσικῆς προσήκουσαν ἀνδρὶ ὁ καλὸς Ὅμηρος ἐδίδαξε δηλῶν γάρ, ὅτι ἡ μουσικὴ πολλαχοῦ χρησίμη, τὸν Ἀχιλλέα πεποίηκε τὴν ὀργὴν πέττοντα τὴν πρὸς τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα διὰ μουσικῆς ἧς ἔμαθε παρὰ τοῦ σοφωτάτου Χείρωνος·
τὸν δʼ εὗρον ʽ φησἴ φρένα τερπόμενον φόρμιγγι λιγείῃ,
καλῇ δαιδαλέῃ· ἐπὶ δʼ ἀργύρεον ζυγὸν
τὴν ἄρετʼ ἐξ ἐνάρων πόλιν Ἠετίωνος ὀλέσσας,
τῇ ὅγε θυμὸν ἔτερπεν, ἄειδε δʼ ἄρα κλέα ἀνδρῶν.
μάθε, φησὶν Ὅμηρος, πῶς δεῖ μουσικῇ χρῆσθαι· κλέα γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ᾄδειν καὶ πράξεις ἡμιθέων ἔπρεπεν· Ἀχιλλεῖ τῷ Πηλέως τοῦ δικαιοτάτου. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς χρήσεως τὸν ἁρμόττοντα διδάσκων Ὅμηρος ἀργοῦντι γυμνάσιον ἐξεῦρεν ὠφέλιμον καὶ ἡδύ· πολεμικὸς γὰρ ὢν καὶ πρακτικὸς ὁ Ἀχιλλεὺς διὰ τὴν γενομένην αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα μῆνιν οὐ μετεῖχε τῶν κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον κινδύνων ᾠήθη οὖν Ὅμηρος πρέπον εἶναι τὴν ψυχὴν τοῖς καλλίστοις τῶν μελῶν παραθήγειν τὸν ἥρωα, ἵνʼ ἐπὶ τὴν μετὰ μικρὸν αὐτῷ γενησομένην ἔξοδον παρεσκευασμένος τοῦτο δʼ ἐποίει δηλονότι μνημονεύων τῶν πάλαι πράξεων. τοιαύτη ἦν ἡ ἀρχαία μουσικὴ καὶ εἰς τοῦτο χρησίμη. Ἡρακλέα τε γὰρ ἀκούομεν κεχρημένον μουσικῇ καὶ Ἀχιλλέα καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους, ὧν παιδευτὴς ὁ σοφώτατος Χείρων παραδέδοται, μουσικῆς τε ἅμα ὢν καὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἰατρικῆς διδάσκαλος.

[¶10] 41. In brief therefore, a rational person will not blame the sciences themselves, if any one make use of them amiss, but will adjudge such a failing to be the error of those that abuse them. So that whoever he be that shall give his mind to the study of music in his youth, if he meet with a musical education, proper for the forming and regulating his inclinations, he will be sure to applaud and embrace that which is noble and generous, and to rebuke and blame the contrary, as well in other things as in what belongs to music. And by that means he will become clear from all reproachful actions, for now having reaped the noblest fruit of music, he may be of great use, not only to himself but to the commonwealth; while music teaches him to abstain from every thing indecent both in word and deed, and to observe decorum, temperance, and regularity.

> Greek: 41. καθόλου δʼ ὅ γε νοῦν ἔχων οὐ τῶν ἐπιστημῶν ἔγκλημα δήπου θείη, εἴ τις αὐταῖς μὴ κατὰ τρόπον χρῷτο, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν χρωμένων κακίας ἴδιον εἶναι τοῦτο νομίσειεν. εἴτʼ οὖν τις τὸν παιδευτικὸν τῆς μουσικῆς τρόπον ἐκπονήσας τύχοι ἐπιμελείας τῆς προσηκούσης ἐν τῇ τοῦ παιδὸς ἡλικίᾳ, τὸ μὲν καλὸν ἐπαινέσει τε καὶ ἀποδέξεται, ψέξει δὲ τὸ ἐναντίον ἔν τε τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ μουσικήν, καὶ ἔσται ὁ τοιοῦτος καθαρὸς πάσης ἀγεννοῦς πράξεως διὰ μουσικῆς τε τὴν μεγίστην ὠφέλειαν καρπωσάμενος ὄφελος ἂν μέγα γένοιτο αὑτῷ τε καὶ πόλει, μηθενὶ μήτʼ ἔργῳ μήτε λόγῳ χρώμενος ἀναρμόστῳ, σῴζων ἀεὶ καὶ πανταχοῦ τὸ πρέπον καὶ σῶφρον καὶ κόσμιον.

[¶11] 42. Now that those cities which were governed by the best laws took care always of a generous education in music, many testimonies may be produced. But for us it shall suffice to have instanced Terpander, who appeased a sedition among the Lacedaemonians, and Thaletas the Cretan, of whom Pratinas writes that, being sent for by the Lacedaemonians by advice of the oracle, he freed the city from a raging pestilence. Homer tells that the Grecians stopped the fury of another noisome pestilence by the power and charms of the same noble science:—
With sacred hymns and songs that sweetly please,
The Grecian youth all day the Gods appease.
Their lofty paeans bright Apollo hears,
And still the charming sounds delight his ears.
These verses, most excellent master, I thought requisite to add as the finishing stone to my musical discourse, which were by you cited before to show the force of harmony. For indeed the chiefest and sublimest end of music is the graceful return of our thanks to the Gods, and the next is to purify and bring our minds to a sober and harmonious temper. Thus, said Soterichus, most excellent master, I have given you what may be called an encyclic discourse of music.

> Greek: 42. ὅτι δὲ καὶ ταῖς εὐνομωτάταις τῶν πόλεων ἐπιμελὲς γεγένηται φροντίδα ποιεῖσθαι τῆς γενναίας μουσικῆς, πολλὰ μὲν καὶ ἄλλα μαρτύρια παραθέσθαι ἔστι· Τέρπανδρον δʼ ἄν τις παραλάβοι τὸν τὴν γενομένην ποτὲ παρὰ Λακεδαιμονίοις στάσιν καταλύσαντα· καὶ Θαλήταν τὸν Κρῆτα, ὅν φασι κατά τι πυθόχρηστον Λακεδαιμονίους παραγενόμενον διὰ μουσικῆς ἰάσασθαι ἀπαλλάξαι τε τοῦ κατασχόντος λοιμοῦ τὴν Σπάρτην, καθάπερ φησὶ Πρατίνας. ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Ὅμηρος τὸν κατασχόντα λοιμὸν τοὺς Ἕλληνας παύσασθαι λέγει διὰ μουσικῆς· ἔφη γοῦν
οἱ δὲ πανημέριοι μολπῇ θεὸν ἱλάσκοντο,
καλὸν ἀείδοντες παιήονα, κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν,
μέλποντες ἑκάεργον· ὁ δὲ φρένα τέρπετʼ ἀκούων.
τούτους τοὺς στίχους, ἀγαθὲ διδάσκαλε, κολοφῶνα τῶν περὶ τῆς· μουσικῆς λόγων πεποίημαι, ἐπεὶ φθάσας σὺ τὴν μουσικὴν δύναμιν διὰ τούτων προαπέφηνας ἡμῖν τῷ γὰρ ὄντι τὸ πρῶτον αὐτῆς καὶ κάλλιστον ἔργον ἡ εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς εὐχάριστός ἐστιν ἀμοιβή· ἑπόμενον δὲ τούτῳ καὶ δεύτερον τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς καθάρσιον καὶ ἐμμελὲς καὶ ἐναρμόνιον σύστημα. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν ὁ Σωτήριχος ἔχεις ἔφη τοὺς ἐγκυκλίους περὶ μουσικῆς λόγους, ἀγαθὲ διδάσκαλε.

[¶12] 43. Nor was Soterichus a little admired for what he had spoken, as one that both by his countenance and speech had shown his zeal and affection for that noble science. After all, said Onesicrates, I must needs applaud this in both of you, that you have kept within your own spheres and observed your proper limits. For Lysias, not insisting any further, undertook only to show us what was necessary to the making a good hand, as being an excellent performer himself. But Soterichus has feasted us with a discovery of the benefit, the theory, the force, and right end of music. But one thing I think they have willingly left for me to say; for I cannot think them guilty of so much bashfulness that they should be ashamed to bring music into banquets, where certainly, if anywhere, it cannot but be very useful, which Homer also confirms to be true:—
Song and the merry dance, the joy of feasts.
Not that I would have any one believe from these words, that Homer thought music useful only for pleasure and delight, there being a profounder meaning concealed in the verse. For he brought in music to be present at the banquets and revels of the ancients, as believing it then to be of greatest use and advantage to repel and mitigate the inflaming power of the wine. To which our Aristoxenus agrees, who alleges that music was introduced at banquets for this reason, that as wine intemperately drunk weakens both the body and mind, so music by its harmonious order and symmetry assuages and reduces them to their former constitution. And therefore it was that Homer reports that the ancients made use of music at their solemn festivals.

> Greek: 43. ἐθαυμάσθη μὲν οὖν ὁ Σωτήριχος ἐπὶ τοῖς λεχθεῖσι, καὶ γὰρ ἐνέφαινε διὰ τοῦ προσώπου καὶ τῆς φωνῆς τὴν περὶ μουσικὴν σπουδήν. ὁ δʼ ἐμὸς διδάσκαλος μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἔφη καὶ τοῦτʼ ἀποδέχομαι ἑκατέρου ὑμῶν, ὅτι τὴν τάξιν ἑκάτερος τὴν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ ἐφύλαξεν ὁ μὲν γὰρ Λυσίας, ὅσα μόνον χειρουργοῦντι κιθαρῳδῷ προσῆκεν εἰδέναι, τούτοις ἡμᾶς εἱστίασεν ὁ δὲ Σωτήριχος, ὅσα καὶ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν καὶ πρὸς θεωρίαν, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ δύναμιν καὶ χρῆσιν μουσικῆς συντείνει, διδάσκων ἡμᾶς ἐπεδαψιλεύσατο. ἐκεῖνο δʼ οἶμαι ἑκόντας αὐτοὺς ἐμοὶ καταλελοιπέναι· οὐ γὰρ καταγνώσομαι αὐτῶν δειλίαν, ὡς αἰσχυνθέντων κατασπᾶν μουσικὴν εἰς τὰ συσσίτια· εἰ γάρ που καὶ χρησίμη καὶ παρὰ πότον, ὼ ὁ καλὸς Ὅμηρος ἀπέφηνε μολπή γάρ πού φησιν ὀρχηστύς τε, τὰ γάρ τʼ ἀναθήματα δαιτός. καί μοι μηδεὶς ὑπολαβέτω, ὅτι πρός τέρψιν μόνον χρησίμην ᾠήθη μουσικὴν Ὅμηρος διὰ τούτων. ἀλλὰ γὰρ βαθύτερός ἐστι νοῦς ἐγκεκρυμμένος τοῖς ἔπεσιν εἰς γὰρ ὠφέλειαν καὶ βοήθειαν τὴν μεγίστην αὐτοῖς καιροῖς παρέβαλε μουσικήν, λέγω δʼ εἰς τὰ δεῖπνα καὶ τὰς συνουσίας τῶν ἀρχαίων συνέβαινε γὰρ εἰσάγεσθαι μουσικήν, ὡς ἱκανὴν ἀντισπᾶν καὶ πραΰνειν τὴν τοῦ οἴνου ὑπόθερμον δύναμιν, καθάπερ πού φησι καὶ ὁ ὑμέτερος Ἀριστόξενος ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἔλεγεν εἰσάγεσθαι μουσικήν, παρʼ ὅσον ὁ μὲν οἶνος σφάλλειν πέφυκε τῶν ἅδην αὐτῷ χρησαμένων τὰ τε σώματα καὶ τὰς διανοίας· ἡ δὲ μουσικὴ τῇ περὶ αὑτὴν τάξει τε καὶ συμμετρίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν κατάστασιν ἄγει τε καὶ πραΰνει. παρὰ τοῦτον οὖν τὸν καιρὸν ὡς βοηθήματι τῇ μουσικῇ τοὺς ἀρχαίους φησὶ κεχρῆσθαι Ὅμηρος.

[¶13] 44. But for all this, my most honored friends, methinks you have forgot the chiefest thing of all, and that which renders music most majestic. For Pythagoras, Archytas, Plato, and many others of the ancient philosophers, were of opinion, that there could be no motion of the world or rolling of the spheres without the assistance of music, since the Supreme Deity created all things harmoniously. But it would be unseasonable now to enter upon such a discourse, especially at this time, when it would be absurd for Music to transgress her highest and most musical office, which is to give the laws and limits of time and measure to all things. Therefore after he had sung a paean, and offered to Saturn and his offspring, with all the other Gods and the Muses, he dismissed the company.

> Greek: 44. ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τὸ μέγιστον ὑμῖν, ὦ ἑταῖροι, καὶ μάλιστα σεμνοτάτην ἀποφαῖνον μουσικὴν παραλέλειπται. τὴν γὰρ τῶν ὄντων φορὰν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀστέρων κίνησιν οἱ περὶ Πυθαγόραν καὶ Ἀρχύταν καὶ Πλάτωνα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων φιλοσόφων οὐκ ἄνευ μουσικῆς γίγνεσθαι καὶ συνεστάναι ἔφασκον πάντα γὰρ καθʼ ἁρμονίαν ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κατεσκευάσθαι φασίν. ἄκαιρον δʼ ἂν εἴη νῦν ἐπεκτείνειν τοὺς περὶ τούτου λόγους· ἀνώτατον δὲ καὶ μουσικώτατον τὸ παντὶ τὸ προσῆκον μέτρον ἐπιτιθέναι. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν ἐπαιώνισε, καὶ σπείσας τῷ Κρόνῳ καὶ τοῖς τούτου παισὶ σὺν θεοῖς πᾶσι καὶ Μούσαις ἀπέλυσε τοὺς ἑστιωμένους.