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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 opprestBy 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 verseMade the unharmonious stage rehearse,That I, tormented with the painsOf cruel dithyrambic strains,Distorted lay, that you would swearThe 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 wiresWith harmonies twice six he tires.Yet might not he so much be blamed,From all his errors soon reclaimed;But then Timotheus with his freaksFurrowed 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 moreThan 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.
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 κλύεινἐμοί τε λέξαι θυμὸς ἡδονὴν ἔχει.ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἦρξε τῶν κακῶν Μελανιππίδης,ἐν τοῖσι πρῶτος ὃς λαβὼν ἀνῆκέ μεχαλαρωτέραν τʼ ἐποίησε χορδαῖς δώδεκα.ἀλλʼ οὖν ὅμως οὗτος μὲν ἦν ἀποχρῶν ἀνὴρἔμοιγε … πρὸς τὰ νῦν κακά.Κινησίας δὲ μʼ ὁ κατάρατος Ἀττικός,ἐξαρμονίους καμπὰς ποιῶν ἐν ταῖς στροφαῖςἀπολώλεχʼ οὕτως, ὥστε τῆς ποιήσεωςτῶν διθυράμβων, καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς ἀσπίσιν,ἀριστέρʼ αὐτοῦ φαίνεται τὰ δεξιά.ἀλλʼ οὖν ἀνεκτὸς οὗτος ἦν ὅμως ἐμοί.Φρῦνις δʼ ἴδιον στρόβιλον ἐμβαλών τινακάμπτων 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, κατορώρυχεκαὶ διακέκναικʼ αἴσχιστα.ΔΙΚ. ποῖος οὑτοσὶὁ Τιμόθεος;ΜΟΥΣ. Μιλήσιός τις πυρρίαςκακά μοι παρέσχεν οὗτος, ἅπαντας οὓς λέγωπαρελήλυθʼ 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 ἀνοσίουςκαὶ νιγλάρους, ὥσπερ τε τὰς ῥαφάνους ὅληνκαμπῶν με κατεμέστωσε.καὶ ἄλλοι δὲ κωμῳδοποιοὶ ἔδειξαν τὴν ἀτοπίαν τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν μουσικὴν κατακεκερματικότων.