I think that our only safety will be in first framing certain modelsfor composers. One of these models shall be as follows:-If when asacrifice is going on, and the victims are being burnt according tolaw-if, I say, any one who may be a son or brother, standing byanother at the altar and over the victims, horribly blasphemes, willnot his words inspire despondency and evil omens and forebodings inthe mind of his father and of his other kinsmen?
Cle. Of course.
Ath. And this is just what takes place in almost all our cities. Amagistrate offers a public sacrifice, and there come in not one butmany choruses, who take up a position a little way from the altar, andfrom time to time pour forth all sorts of horrible blasphemies onthe sacred rites, exciting the souls of the audience with words andrhythms and melodies most sorrowful to hear; and he who at themoment when the city is offering sacrifice makes the citizens weepmost, carries away the palm of victory. Now, ought we not to forbidsuch strains as these? And if ever our citizens must hear suchlamentations, then on some unblest and inauspicious day let there bechoruses of foreign and hired minstrels, like those hirelings whoaccompany the departed at funerals with barbarous Carian chants.
That is the sort of thing which will be appropriate if we have suchstrains at all; and let the apparel of the singers be, not circletsand ornaments of gold, but the reverse. Enough of all this. I willsimply ask once more whether we shall lay down as one of ourprinciples of song-Cle. What?
Ath. That we should avoid every word of evil omen; let that kindof song which is of good omen be heard everywhere and always in ourstate. I need hardly ask again, but shall assume that you agree withme.
Cle. By all means; that law is approved by the suffrages of us all.
Ath. But what shall be our next musical law or type? Ought notprayers to be offered up to the Gods when we sacrifice?
Cle. Certainly.
Ath. And our third law, if I am not mistaken, will be to theeffect that our poets, understanding prayers to be requests which wemake to the Gods, will take especial heed that they do not bymistake ask for evil instead of good. To make such a prayer wouldsurely be too ridiculous.
Cle. Very true.
Ath. Were we not a little while ago quite convinced that no silveror golden Plutus should dwell in our state?
Cle. To be sure.
Ath. And what has it been the object of our argument to show? Did wenot imply that the poets are not always quite capable of knowingwhat is good or evil? And if one of them utters a mistaken prayer insong or words, he will make our citizens pray for the opposite of whatis good in matters of the highest import; than which, as I was saying,there can be few greater mistakes. Shall we then propose as one of ourlaws and models relating to the Muses-Cle. What?-will you explain the law more precisely?
Ath. Shall we make a law that the poet shall compose nothingcontrary to the ideas of the lawful, or just, or beautiful, or good,which are allowed in the state? nor shall he be permitted tocommunicate his compositions to any private individuals, until heshall have shown them to the appointed judges and the guardians of thelaw, and they are satisfied with them. As to the persons whom weappoint to be our legislators about music and as to the director ofeducation, these have been already indicated. Once more then, as Ihave asked more than once, shall this be our third law, and type,and model-What do you say?
Cle. Let it be so, by all means.
Ath. Then it will be proper to have hymns and praises of the Gods,intermingled with prayers; and after the Gods prayers and praisesshould be offered in like manner to demigods and heroes, suitable totheir several characters.
Cle. Certainly.
Ath. In the next place there will be no objection to a law, thatcitizens who are departed and have done good and energetic deeds,either with their souls or with their bodies, and have been obedientto the laws, should receive eulogies; this will be very fitting.
Cle. Quite true.
Ath. But to honour with hymns and panegyrics those who are stillalive is not safe; a man should run his course, and make a fairending, and then we will praise him; and let praise be given equallyto women as well as men who have been distinguished in virtue. Theorder of songs and dances shall be as follows:-There are manyancient musical compositions and dances which are excellent, andfrom these the newly-founded city may freely select what is proper andsuitable; and they shall choose judges of not less than fifty years ofage, who shall make the selection, and any of the old poems which theydeem sufficient they shall include; any that are deficient oraltogether unsuitable, they shall either utterly throw aside, orexamine and amend, taking into their counsel poets and musicians,and making use of their poetical genius; but explaining to them thewishes of the legislator in order that they may regulate dancing,music, and all choral strains, according to the mind of the judges;and not allowing them to indulge, except in some few matters, theirindividual pleasures and fancies. Now the irregular strain of music isalways made ten thousand times better by attaining to law and order,and rejecting the honeyed Muse-not however that we mean wholly toexclude pleasure, which is the characteristic of all music. And if aman be brought up from childhood to the age of discretion and maturityin the use of the orderly and severe music, when he hears the oppositehe detests it, and calls it illiberal; but if trained in the sweet andvulgar music, he deems the severer kind cold and displeasing. So that,as I was saying before, while he who hears them gains no more pleasurefrom the one than from the other, the one has the advantage ofmaking those who are trained in it better men, whereas the other makesthem worse.
Cle. Very true.