Ath. What, then, leads us astray? Are beautiful things not thesame to us all, or are they the same in themselves, but not in ouropinion of them? For no one will admit that forms of vice in the danceare more beautiful than forms of virtue, or that he himself delightsin the forms of vice, and others in a muse of another character. Andyet most persons say, that the excellence of music is to give pleasureto our souls. But this is intolerable and blasphemous; there is,however, a much more plausible account of the delusion.
Cle. What?
Ath. The adaptation of art to the characters of men. Choricmovements are imitations of manners occurring in various actions,fortunes, dispositions-each particular is imitated, and those towhom the words, or songs, or dances are suited, either by nature orhabit or both, cannot help feeling pleasure in them and applaudingthem, and calling them beautiful. But those whose natures, or ways, orhabits are unsuited to them, cannot delight in them or applaud them,and they call them base. There are others, again, whose natures areright and their habits wrong, or whose habits are right and theirnatures wrong, and they praise one thing, but are pleased atanother. For they say that all these imitations are pleasant, butnot good. And in the presence of those whom they think wise, theyare ashamed of dancing and singing in the baser manner, or ofdeliberately lending any countenance to such proceedings; and yet,they have a secret pleasure in them.
Cle. Very true.
Ath. And is any harm done to the lover of vicious dances or songs,or any good done to the approver of the opposite sort of pleasure?
Cle. I think that there is.
Ath. "I think" is not the word, but I would say, rather, "I amcertain." For must they not have the same effect as when a manassociates with bad characters, whom he likes and approves rather thandislikes, and only censures playfully because he has a suspicion ofhis own badness? In that case, he who takes pleasure in them willsurely become like those in whom he takes pleasure, even though hebe ashamed to praise them. And what greater good or evil can anydestiny ever make us undergo?
Cle. I know of none.
Ath. Then in a city which has good laws, or in future ages is tohave them, bearing in mind the instruction and amusement which aregiven by music, can we suppose that the poets are to be allowed toteach in the dance anything which they themselves like, in the wayof rhythm, or melody, or words, to the young children of anywell-conditioned parents? Is the poet to train his choruses as hepleases, without reference to virtue or vice?
Cle. That is surely quite unreasonable, and is not to be thought of.
Ath. And yet he may do this in almost any state with the exceptionof Egypt.
Cle. And what are the laws about music and dancing in Egypt?
Ath. You will wonder when I tell you: Long ago they appear to haverecognized the very principle of which we are now speaking-thattheir young citizens must be habituated to forms and strains ofvirtue. These they fixed, and exhibited the patterns of them intheir temples; and no painter or artist is allowed to innovate uponthem, or to leave the traditional forms and invent new ones. To thisday, no alteration is allowed either in these arts, or in music atall. And you will find that their works of art are painted ormoulded in the same forms which they had ten thousand yearsago;-this is literally true and no exaggeration-their ancientpaintings and sculptures are not a whit better or worse than thework of to-day, but are made with just the same skill.
Cle. How extraordinary!
Ath. I should rather say, How statesmanlike, how worthy of alegislator! I know that other things in Egypt are nat so well. Butwhat I am telling you about music is true and deserving ofconsideration, because showing that a lawgiver may institutemelodies which have a natural truth and correctness without any fearof failure. To do this, however, must be the work of God, or of adivine person; in Egypt they have a tradition that their ancientchants which have been preserved for so many ages are thecomposition of the Goddess Isis. And therefore, as I was saying, ifa person can only find in any way the natural melodies, he mayconfidently embody them in a fixed and legal form. For the love ofnovelty which arises out of pleasure in the new and weariness of theold, has not strength enough to corrupt the consecrated song anddance, under the plea that they have become antiquated. At any rate,they are far from being corrupted in Egypt.
Cle. Your arguments seem to prove your point.
Ath. May we not confidently say that the true use of music and ofchoral festivities is as follows: We rejoice when we think that weprosper, and again we think that we prosper when we rejoice?
Cle. Exactly.
Ath. And when rejoicing in our good fortune, we are unable to bestill?
Cle. True.
Ath. Our young men break forth into dancing and singing, and wewho are their elders deem that we are fulfilling our part in life whenwe look on at them. Having lost our agility, we delight in theirsports and merry-making, because we love to think of our formerselves; and gladly institute contests for those who are able to awakenin us the memory of our youth.
Cle. Very true.
Ath. Is it altogether unmeaning to say, as the common people doabout festivals, that he should be adjudged the wisest of men, and thewinner of the palm, who gives us the greatest amount of pleasure andmirth? For on such occasions, and when mirth is the order of theday, ought not he to be honoured most, and, as I was saying, bearthe palm, who gives most mirth to the greatest number? Now is this atrue way of speaking or of acting?
Cle. Possibly.