There are, however, nearly four things which it is usual to teach youth, viz. letters, gymnastic, and music; and some, in the fourth place, add painting. Reading, indeed, and painting are very useful for the purposes of life; and gymnastic exercises contribute to fortitude. But as to music, the utility of it may be considered as dubious. For at present, indeed, most persons learn it for the sake of pleasure; but those who originally made it a part of education, did it because, as we have frequently said, nature herself requires that we should not only be employed rightly, but that we should also be able to be at leisure properly. For this is the most important of all things, that we may again speak concerning it. For if, indeed, both are necessary, yet leisure is more eligible than business, and, in short, it is requisite to enquire what we ought to do when at leisure. For we ought not then to pass our time in play; since then play would necessarily be to us the end of life. But if this is impossible, play is more to be used when we are busily employed, than when we are at leisure. For labour requires relaxation; and play is for the sake of relaxation; but business is attended with labour and strenuous exertion. Hence, it is necessary that play should be seasonably introduced as a medicine; for such a motion of the soul as this is a remission, and rest through pleasure. But leisure seems itself to possess pleasure, and felicity, and a blessed life. This, however, is not present with those who are busily employed, but with those who are at leisure. For he who is busy, is busy for the sake of a certain end, which he has not; but felicity is an end which all men are of opinion is not attended with pain, but with pleasure. All, however, do not admit that this pleasure consists in the same thing, but each person defines it conformably to his own habits. But the best man conceives it to be attended with the best pleasure, and with the pleasure which arises from the most beautiful deeds. Hence, it is evidently necessary that certain things should be learnt, and a certain erudition acquired, in order to lead a life of leisure; and that this learning and these disciplines subsist for the sake of themselves, [or are valuable for their own sake]; but that the learning and disciplines which are acquired for the purpose of being busily employed, exist as things necessary, and for the sake of other things. Hence, the ancients made music a part of education, not as a thing necessary; for it has not any thing of this kind; nor as useful, in the same manner as letters, for the purposes of gain, the management of a family, discipline, and many political actions. It appears, also, that painting is useful, for the purpose of forming a better judgment of the works of artists; but music does not, like the gymnastic exercises, contribute to health and strength; for we do not see that either of these is effected by it. It remains therefore that it is subservient to a life of leisure; which they appear to have had in view who introduced it. For they arranged it among the employments of that kind of life which they thought belonged to freemen. Hence, also, Homer sings, “How right to call Thalia to the feast.” And of some others he says, “The bard was called to ravish every ear.” And, (in the ninth book of the Odyssey,) Ulysses says, that the life is most excellent which is spent by men in rejoicing, and “When at the festal board in order placed, They hear the song.”¹ It is evident, therefore, that there is a certain discipline in which children may be instructed, not as useful, nor as necessary, but as liberal and beautiful. But whether this is one in number, or more than one, and, [if more than one], what they are, and how they are to be taught, will be considered by us hereafter. We have, however, at present proceeded so far as to show that we have the testimony of the ancients in favour of the disciplines we have mentioned; for music renders this evident. Again, it is necessary to instruct children in what is useful, not only on account of its being useful; such as is, for instance, their learning to read, but also as the means of acquiring many other disciplines. And, in a similar manner, they should be instructed in painting, not in order that they may not err in purchasing pictures, or in buying and selling vases; but rather because it enables them to survey [accurately] the beauty of bodies. But to be everywhere searching after what is useful, in the smallest degree accords with magnanimous and free-born men. Since, however, it is evident whether children should be first instructed in morals or in reasoning, and whether the body or the reasoning power should be first cultivated, it is from these things manifest, that boys should be committed to the care of the different masters of the gymnastic arts, in order that their bodies may be formed, and that they may be taught their exercises.
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