With respect to music, we have already mentioned some things which appeared to us to be dubious; and it will be well to resume them at present, as an inducement to some other person to enter on the discussion of this subject. For neither is it easy to show distinctly what power it possesses, nor on what account it is necessary to partake of it; whether for the sake of amusement and relaxation, in the same manner as we partake of sleep and wine; for these in themselves are not things of a serious, but pleasing nature, and, at the same time, as Euripides says, give respite to care. Hence all these are arranged in the same order, and used for similar purposes, viz. sleep, wine, and music; and dancing is also ranked among these. Or ought we not rather to think that music has a certain tendency to virtue, as having the power to form the manners, just as gymnastic has to form the body, accustoming those who are skilled in it to rejoice rightly? Or shall we say, that it contributes something to the conduct of life, and to prudence? For this is a third property which may be ascribed to it. That youth, therefore, should not be instructed in it for the sake of amusement, is not immanifest. For in learning anything they do not play; since discipline is accompanied with pain. But neither is it proper to permit boys of such an age as this to enjoy perfect leisure; for the end is not adapted to anything imperfect. Perhaps, however, it may seem that the study of music by boys is for the sake of amusement when they become men, and have acquired the perfection of their nature. But if this be the case, why is it necessary that they should learn it themselves? And why may they not, like the kings of the Persians and Medes, be partakers of the pleasure and discipline of music through others, who procure for them each of these? For it necessarily follows, that those must be better skilled therein who make this science their particular study and business, than those who have only spent so much time as was sufficient to learn it. If, however, it is necessary that boys should labour in things of this kind, it will also be requisite that they should learn the art of cookery. But this is absurd.
The same doubt also occurs if music has the power of improving the manners. For why is it necessary that boys should learn it for this purpose themselves? And why may they not be able to be properly delighted, and to form a right judgment on hearing the musical performances of others, in the same manner as the Lacedaemonians do? For they, without having learnt music, are at the same time able to judge rightly what melodies are good, and what are not good. There will, likewise, be the same reasoning if music is supposed to be the amusement of those who live an elegant and easy life; for why is it necessary they should learn it themselves, and not enjoy the benefit of others’ skill? Let us here, however, consider the opinion which we have concerning the gods. For Jupiter himself is not represented by the poets as either singing or playing on the harp; but we call those who do things of this kind (βαναυσοι) sordid and illiberal persons, and we consider the performance of them as not the province of a sober man, or of one who is not a buffoon. Perhaps, however, we may consider these things hereafter. But the first thing to be investigated is, whether music must be admitted to be a part of education or not? And what it is capable of effecting in the three things which have been proposed by us as subjects of doubt, viz. in education, in amusement, and in a life of leisure? It may, however, be reasonably distributed among all these, and it appears that it partakes of all the three. For play or amusement is for the sake of relaxation; and relaxation is necessarily pleasant. For it is a certain remedy of the pain produced by labour. And it is acknowledged that a life of leisure ought not only to be attended with the beautiful in conduct, but also with pleasure. For felicity consists in both these. But we all say that music ranks among the most delectable things, as well the naked and simple kind, as that which is accompanied with melody. Musaeus, therefore, also says,
“The song to mortals is the sweetest joy.”
Hence, music is very properly admitted into every company, and to a life of leisure, as having the power of producing delight; so that from this anyone may suppose that young persons ought to be instructed in it. For such pleasures as are innocuous, are not only adapted to the end of life, but also to relaxation. Since, however, it happens that men seldom attain the end of life, but frequently rest from labour, and apply to amusement, it will be useful to rest in the pleasures arising from music, not indeed excessively, but so far as is necessary to the enjoyment of pleasure through it. But it happens that men make amusement the end of life; for perhaps the end of life also has a certain pleasure, but not such a pleasure as is casual. Mankind, however, while they explore the one, accept the other for it, because it has a certain similitude to the end of actions. For the end is not eligible for the sake of anything future, and such-like pleasures are not for the sake of anything that will be hereafter, but for the sake of things that are past, such as labour and pain. This, therefore, may reasonably be considered as the cause why men endeavour to obtain felicity through these pleasures.
Since music, however, is studied not for this purpose only, but likewise because it is useful, as it seems, to relaxation, it may be inquired whether this is accidental to it. For the nature of it is more honourable than to exist for the sake of the above-mentioned use; and it is necessary to partake not only of the common pleasure arising from it, of which all men have a sensation; (for music possesses a natural pleasure, on which account the use of it is agreeable to all ages and manners); but we should also consider whether it tends in any respect to the improvement of the manners and the soul. But this will be evident if it appears that our manners are influenced by it. And that they are so is manifest through many other particulars, and particularly through the melodies of the musician Olympus. For these confessedly render the soul enthusiastic. But enthusiasm is a passion pertaining to the manners of the soul. Again, on hearing imitations, all men become sympathetic, and this even when the imitations are without rhythms and melodies. Since, however, it happens that music ranks among things that are delectable, and virtue is conversant with rejoicing, loving and hating rightly, it is evident that we ought not to learn or accustom ourselves to anything so much as to judge rightly, and rejoice in worthy manners and beautiful actions. But in rhythms and melodies there are the most genuine and natural imitations of anger and mildness, and besides these, of fortitude and temperance, and of all the contraries to these, and of all the other moral virtues, and their opposites. This, however, is evident from their effects. For on hearing things of this kind, we experience an alteration in the soul. But the custom of being pained and delighted by the similitudes of things is very near to the being affected after the same manner by the things themselves. Thus if a man is delighted on beholding the image of a certain person, not through any other cause, but on account of the form itself, the survey of the original, of which he beheld the image, must necessarily be likewise delightful to him. It happens, however, that there is no similitude of manners in other sensible objects; as, for instance, in things tangible and gustable; but in the objects of sight there is a little; for things of this kind are figures, but their imitation of manners is trifling; and all men participate of a sense of this kind. Besides, these are not imitations of manners, but rather indications of manners, through figures and colours; and these are produced in the body by the passions. Nevertheless, so far as pertains to the survey of these things, young men ought not to view the paintings of Pauson, but of Polygnotus, or those of any other painter or statuary who expresses manners. But in melodies themselves, there are imitations of manners; and this is evident. For there is an immediate difference in the nature of harmonies, so that those who hear them are differently affected, and are not disposed after the same manner towards every harmony, but by some they are excited to lamentation, and to a greater contraction of soul, as by the harmony which is called the mixed Lydian. By others the reasoning power is rendered more soft, as by harmonies that have remission; and by others it is affected in a middle way, and is especially rendered fixed and firm, which the Dorian only, of all the harmonies, appears to effect. But the Phrygian harmony causes those who hear it to become enthusiastic. For these things are well said by those who have written philosophically on this part of education; since they receive testimonies of what they assert from effects themselves. The same thing is also true with respect to rhythms. For some of them produce more stable manners, but others are of an exciting nature. And of these some are attended with rash, but others with more liberal motions. From these things, therefore, it is evident that music is capable of influencing the manners of the soul. But if it is able to effect this, it is manifest that youth ought to be instructed in it. And, indeed, the discipline of music is adapted to the nature of youth. For, on account of their age, they do not willingly endure anything which is not pleasing; but music ranks among things which are delectable. And it appears that there is a certain alliance between harmonies and rhythms. Hence, many of the wise say, some indeed that the soul is harmony, but others that it possesses harmony.
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