第7章

Ath。Iamgladtohearthatyouagreewithme；for，indeed，thedisciplineofpleasureandpainwhich，whenrightlyordered，isaprincipleofeducation，hasbeenoftenrelaxedandcorruptedinhumanlife。AndtheGods，pityingthetoilswhichourraceisborntoundergo，haveappointedholyfestivals，whereinmenalternaterestwithlabour；andhavegiventhemtheMusesandApollo，theleaderoftheMuses，andDionysus，tobecompanionsintheirrevels，thattheymayimprovetheireducationbytakingpartinthefestivalsoftheGods，andwiththeirhelp。Ishouldliketoknowwhetheracommonsayingisinouropiniontruetonatureornot。Formensaythattheyoungofallcreaturescannotbequietintheirbodiesorintheirvoices；theyarealwayswantingtomoveandcryout；someleapingandskipping，andoverflowingwithsportivenessanddelightatsomething，othersutteringallsortsofcries。But，whereastheanimalshavenoperceptionoforderordisorderintheirmovements，thatis，ofrhythmorharmony，astheyarecalled，tous，theGods，who，aswesay，havebeenappointedtobeourcompanionsinthedance，havegiventhepleasurablesenseofharmonyandrhythm；andsotheystirusintolife，andwefollowthem，joininghandstogetherindancesandsongs；andthesetheycallchoruses，whichisatermnaturallyexpressiveofcheerfulness。Shallwebegin，then，withtheacknowledgmentthateducationisfirstgiventhroughApolloandtheMuses？Whatdoyousay？

Cle。Iassent。

Ath。Andtheuneducatedishewhohasnotbeentrainedinthechorus，andtheeducatedishewhohasbeenwelltrained？

Cle。Certainly。

Ath。Andthechorusismadeupoftwoparts，danceandsong？

Cle。True。

Ath。Thenhewhoiswelleducatedwillbeabletosinganddancewell？

Cle。Isupposethathewill。

Ath。Letussee；whatarewesaying？

Cle。What？

Ath。Hesingswellanddanceswell；nowmustweaddthathesingswhatisgoodanddanceswhatisgood？

Cle。Letusmaketheaddition。

Ath。Wewillsupposethatheknowsthegoodtobegood，andthebadtobebad，andmakesuseofthemaccordingly：whichnowisthebettertrainedindancingandmusic-hewhoisabletomovehisbodyandtousehisvoiceinwhatisunderstoodtobetherightmanner，buthasnodelightingoodorhatredofevil；orhewhoisincorrectingestureandvoice，butisrightinhissenseofpleasureandpain，andwelcomeswhatisgood，andisoffendedatwhatisevil？

Cle。Thereisagreatdifference，Stranger，inthetwokindsofeducation。

Ath。Ifwethreeknowwhatisgoodinsonganddance，thenwetrulyknowalsowhoiseducatedandwhoisuneducated；butifnot，thenwecertainlyshallnotknowwhereinliesthesafeguardofeducation，andwhetherthereisanyornot。

Cle。True。

Ath。Letusfollowthescentlikehounds，andgoinpursuitofbeautyoffigure，andmelody，andsong，anddance；iftheseescapeus，therewillbenouseintalkingabouttrueeducation，whetherHellenicorbarbarian。

Cle。Yes。

Ath。Andwhatisbeautyoffigure，orbeautifulmelody？Whenamanlysoulisintrouble，andwhenacowardlysoulisinsimilarcase，aretheylikelytousethesamefiguresandgestures，ortogiveutterancetothesamesounds？

Cle。Howcanthey，whentheverycoloursoftheirfacesdiffer？

Ath。Good，myfriend；Imayobserve，however，inpassing，thatinmusictherecertainlyarefiguresandtherearemelodies：andmusicisconcernedwithharmonyandrhythm，sothatyoumayspeakofamelodyorfigurehavinggoodrhythmorgoodharmony-thetermiscorrectenough；buttospeakmetaphoricallyofamelodyorfigurehavinga“goodcolour，“asthemastersofchorusesdo，isnotallowable，althoughyoucanspeakofthemelodiesorfiguresofthebraveandthecoward，praisingtheoneandcensuringtheother。Andnottobetedious，letussaythatthefiguresandmelodieswhichareexpressiveofvirtueofsoulorbody，orofimagesofvirtue，arewithoutexceptiongood，andthosewhichareexpressiveofvicearethereverseofgood。

Cle。Yoursuggestionisexcellent；andletusanswerthatthesethingsareso。

Ath。Oncemore，areallofusequallydelightedwitheverysortofdance？

Cle。Farotherwise。

Ath。What，then，leadsusastray？Arebeautifulthingsnotthesametousall，oraretheythesameinthemselves，butnotinouropinionofthem？Fornoonewilladmitthatformsofviceinthedancearemorebeautifulthanformsofvirtue，orthathehimselfdelightsintheformsofvice，andothersinamuseofanothercharacter。Andyetmostpersonssay，thattheexcellenceofmusicistogivepleasuretooursouls。Butthisisintolerableandblasphemous；thereis，however，amuchmoreplausibleaccountofthedelusion。

Cle。What？

Ath。Theadaptationofarttothecharactersofmen。Choricmovementsareimitationsofmannersoccurringinvariousactions，fortunes，dispositions-eachparticularisimitated，andthosetowhomthewords，orsongs，ordancesaresuited，eitherbynatureorhabitorboth，cannothelpfeelingpleasureinthemandapplaudingthem，andcallingthembeautiful。Butthosewhosenatures，orways，orhabitsareunsuitedtothem，cannotdelightinthemorapplaudthem，andtheycallthembase。Thereareothers，again，whosenaturesarerightandtheirhabitswrong，orwhosehabitsarerightandtheirnatureswrong，andtheypraiseonething，butarepleasedatanother。Fortheysaythatalltheseimitationsarepleasant，butnotgood。Andinthepresenceofthosewhomtheythinkwise，theyareashamedofdancingandsinginginthebasermanner，orofdeliberatelylendinganycountenancetosuchproceedings；andyet，theyhaveasecretpleasureinthem。

Cle。Verytrue。

Ath。Andisanyharmdonetotheloverofviciousdancesorsongs，oranygooddonetotheapproveroftheoppositesortofpleasure？

Cle。Ithinkthatthereis。

Ath。“Ithink“isnottheword，butIwouldsay，rather，“Iamcertain。“Formusttheynothavethesameeffectaswhenamanassociateswithbadcharacters，whomhelikesandapprovesratherthandislikes，andonlycensuresplayfullybecausehehasasuspicionofhisownbadness？Inthatcase，hewhotakespleasureinthemwillsurelybecomelikethoseinwhomhetakespleasure，eventhoughhebeashamedtopraisethem。Andwhatgreatergoodorevilcananydestinyevermakeusundergo？

Cle。Iknowofnone。

Ath。Theninacitywhichhasgoodlaws，orinfutureagesistohavethem，bearinginmindtheinstructionandamusementwhicharegivenbymusic，canwesupposethatthepoetsaretobeallowedtoteachinthedanceanythingwhichtheythemselveslike，inthewayofrhythm，ormelody，orwords，totheyoungchildrenofanywell-conditionedparents？Isthepoettotrainhischorusesashepleases，withoutreferencetovirtueorvice？

Cle。Thatissurelyquiteunreasonable，andisnottobethoughtof。

Ath。AndyethemaydothisinalmostanystatewiththeexceptionofEgypt。

Cle。AndwhatarethelawsaboutmusicanddancinginEgypt？

Ath。YouwillwonderwhenItellyou：Longagotheyappeartohaverecognizedtheveryprincipleofwhichwearenowspeaking-thattheiryoungcitizensmustbehabituatedtoformsandstrainsofvirtue。Thesetheyfixed，andexhibitedthepatternsofthemintheirtemples；andnopainterorartistisallowedtoinnovateuponthem，ortoleavethetraditionalformsandinventnewones。Tothisday，noalterationisallowedeitherinthesearts，orinmusicatall。Andyouwillfindthattheirworksofartarepaintedormouldedinthesameformswhichtheyhadtenthousandyearsago；-thisisliterallytrueandnoexaggeration-theirancientpaintingsandsculpturesarenotawhitbetterorworsethantheworkofto-day，butaremadewithjustthesameskill。

Cle。Howextraordinary!

Ath。Ishouldrathersay，Howstatesmanlike，howworthyofalegislator!IknowthatotherthingsinEgyptarenatsowell。ButwhatIamtellingyouaboutmusicistrueanddeservingofconsideration，becauseshowingthatalawgivermayinstitutemelodieswhichhaveanaturaltruthandcorrectnesswithoutanyfearoffailure。Todothis，however，mustbetheworkofGod，orofadivineperson；inEgypttheyhaveatraditionthattheirancientchantswhichhavebeenpreservedforsomanyagesarethecompositionoftheGoddessIsis。Andtherefore，asIwassaying，ifapersoncanonlyfindinanywaythenaturalmelodies，hemayconfidentlyembodytheminafixedandlegalform。Fortheloveofnoveltywhicharisesoutofpleasureinthenewandwearinessoftheold，hasnotstrengthenoughtocorrupttheconsecratedsonganddance，underthepleathattheyhavebecomeantiquated。Atanyrate，theyarefarfrombeingcorruptedinEgypt。

Cle。Yourargumentsseemtoproveyourpoint。

Ath。Maywenotconfidentlysaythatthetrueuseofmusicandofchoralfestivitiesisasfollows：Werejoicewhenwethinkthatweprosper，andagainwethinkthatweprosperwhenwerejoice？

Cle。Exactly。

Ath。Andwhenrejoicinginourgoodfortune，weareunabletobestill？

Cle。True。

Ath。Ouryoungmenbreakforthintodancingandsinging，andwewhoaretheireldersdeemthatwearefulfillingourpartinlifewhenwelookonatthem。Havinglostouragility，wedelightintheirsportsandmerry-making，becausewelovetothinkofourformerselves；andgladlyinstitutecontestsforthosewhoareabletoawakeninusthememoryofouryouth。

Cle。Verytrue。

Ath。Isitaltogetherunmeaningtosay，asthecommonpeopledoaboutfestivals，thatheshouldbeadjudgedthewisestofmen，andthewinnerofthepalm，whogivesusthegreatestamountofpleasureandmirth？Foronsuchoccasions，andwhenmirthistheorderoftheday，oughtnothetobehonouredmost，and，asIwassaying，bearthepalm，whogivesmostmirthtothegreatestnumber？Nowisthisatruewayofspeakingorofacting？

Cle。Possibly。