Andnarrationmaybeeithersimplenarration,orimitation,oraunionofthetwo?
Thatagain,hesaid,Idonotquiteunderstand。
IfearthatImustbearidiculousteacherwhenIhavesomuchdifficultyinmakingmyselfapprehended。Likeabadspeaker,therefore,Iwillnottakethewholeofthesubject,butwillbreakapieceoffinillustrationofmymeaning。YouknowthefirstlinesoftheIliad,inwhichthepoetsaysthatChrysesprayedAgamemnontoreleasehisdaughter,andthatAgamemnonflewintoapassionwithhim;
whereuponChryses,failingofhisobject,invokedtheangeroftheGodagainsttheAchaeans。Nowasfarastheselines,AndheprayedalltheGreeks,butespeciallythetwosonsofAtreus,thechiefsofthepeople,thepoetisspeakinginhisownperson;heneverleadsustosupposethatheisanyoneelse。ButinwhatfollowshetakesthepersonofChryses,andthenhedoesallthathecantomakeusbelievethatthespeakerisnotHomer,buttheagedpriesthimself。AndinthisdoubleformhehascasttheentirenarrativeoftheeventswhichoccurredatTroyandinIthacaandthroughouttheOdyssey。
Yes。
Andanarrativeitremainsbothinthespeecheswhichthepoetrecitesfromtimetotimeandintheintermediatepassages?
Quitetrue。
Butwhenthepoetspeaksinthepersonofanother,maywenotsaythatheassimilateshisstyletothatofthepersonwho,asheinformsyou,isgoingtospeak?
Certainly。
Andthisassimilationofhimselftoanother,eitherbytheuseofvoiceorgesture,istheimitationofthepersonwhosecharacterheassumes?
Ofcourse。
Theninthiscasethenarrativeofthepoetmaybesaidtoproceedbywayofimitation?
Verytrue。
Or,ifthepoeteverywhereappearsandneverconcealshimself,thenagaintheimitationisdropped,andhispoetrybecomessimplenarration。However,inorderthatImaymakemymeaningquiteclear,andthatyoumaynomoresay,Idon’tunderstand,’Iwillshowhowthechangemightbeeffected。IfHomerhadsaid,’Thepriestcame,havinghisdaughter’sransominhishands,supplicatingtheAchaeans,andaboveallthekings;’andthenif,insteadofspeakinginthepersonofChryses,hehadcontinuedinhisownperson,thewordswouldhavebeen,notimitation,butsimplenarration。Thepassagewouldhaverunasfollows(Iamnopoet,andthereforeI
dropthemetre),’ThepriestcameandprayedthegodsonbehalfoftheGreeksthattheymightcaptureTroyandreturnsafelyhome,butbeggedthattheywouldgivehimbackhisdaughter,andtaketheransomwhichhebrought,andrespecttheGod。Thushespoke,andtheotherGreeksreveredthepriestandassented。ButAgamemnonwaswroth,andbadehimdepartandnotcomeagain,lestthestaffandchapletsoftheGodshouldbeofnoavailtohim——thedaughterofChrysesshouldnotbereleased,hesaid——sheshouldgrowoldwithhiminArgos。
Andthenhetoldhimtogoawayandnottoprovokehim,ifheintendedtogethomeunscathed。Andtheoldmanwentawayinfearandsilence,and,whenhehadleftthecamp,hecalleduponApollobyhismanynames,remindinghimofeverythingwhichhehaddonepleasingtohim,whetherinbuildinghistemples,orinofferingsacrifice,andprayingthathisgooddeedsmightbereturnedtohim,andthattheAchaeansmightexpiatehistearsbythearrowsofthegod,’——andsoon。Inthiswaythewholebecomessimplenarrative。
Iunderstand,hesaid。
Oryoumaysupposetheoppositecase——thattheintermediatepassagesareomitted,andthedialogueonlyleft。
Thatalso,hesaid,Iunderstand;youmean,forexample,asintragedy。
Youhaveconceivedmymeaningperfectly;andifImistakenot,whatyoufailedtoapprehendbeforeisnowmadecleartoyou,thatpoetryandmythologyare,insomecases,whollyimitative——instancesofthisaresuppliedbytragedyandcomedy;thereislikewisetheoppositestyle,inwhichthemypoetistheonlyspeaker——ofthisthedithyrambaffordsthebestexample;andthecombinationofbothisfoundinepic,andinseveralotherstylesofpoetry。DoItakeyouwithme?
Yes,hesaid;Iseenowwhatyoumeant。
IwillaskyoutorememberalsowhatIbeganbysaying,thatwehaddonewiththesubjectandmightproceedtothestyle。
Yes,Iremember。
Insayingthis,Iintendedtoimplythatwemustcometoanunderstandingaboutthemimeticart,——whetherthepoets,innarratingtheirstories,aretobeallowedbyustoimitate,andifso,whetherinwholeorinpart,andifthelatter,inwhatparts;orshouldallimitationbeprohibited?
Youmean,Isuspect,toaskwhethertragedyandcomedyshallbeadmittedintoourState?
Yes,Isaid;buttheremaybemorethanthisinquestion:Ireallydonotknowasyet,butwhithertheargumentmayblow,thitherwego。
Andgowewill,hesaid。
Then,Adeimantus,letmeaskyouwhetherourguardiansoughttobeimitators;orrather,hasnotthisquestionbeendecidedbytherulealreadylaiddownthatonemancanonlydoonethingwell,andnotmany;andthatifheattemptmany,hewillaltogetherfallofgainingmuchreputationinany?
Certainly。
Andthisisequallytrueofimitation;noonemancanimitatemanythingsaswellashewouldimitateasingleone?
Hecannot。
Thenthesamepersonwillhardlybeabletoplayaseriouspartinlife,andatthesametimetobeanimitatorandimitatemanyotherpartsaswell;forevenwhentwospeciesofimitationarenearlyallied,thesamepersonscannotsucceedinboth,as,forexample,thewritersoftragedyandcomedy——didyounotjustnowcallthemimitations?
Yes,Idid;andyouarerightinthinkingthatthesamepersonscannotsucceedinboth。
Anymorethantheycanberhapsodistsandactorsatonce?
True。
Neitherarecomicandtragicactorsthesame;yetallthesethingsarebutimitations。
Theyareso。
Andhumannature,Adeimantus,appearstohavebeencoinedintoyetsmallerpieces,andtobeasincapableofimitatingmanythingswell,asofperformingwelltheactionsofwhichtheimitationsarecopies。
Quitetrue,hereplied。
Ifthenweadheretoouroriginalnotionandbearinmindthatourguardians,settingasideeveryotherbusiness,aretodedicatethemselveswhollytothemaintenanceoffreedomintheState,makingthistheircraft,andengaginginnoworkwhichdoesnotbearonthisend,theyoughtnottopractiseorimitateanythingelse;iftheyimitateatall,theyshouldimitatefromyouthupwardonlythosecharacterswhicharesuitabletotheirprofession——thecourageous,temperate,holy,free,andthelike;buttheyshouldnotdepictorbeskilfulatimitatinganykindofilliberalityorbaseness,lestfromimitationtheyshouldcometobewhattheyimitate。Didyouneverobservehowimitations,beginninginearlyyouthandcontinuingfarintolife,atlengthgrowintohabitsandbecomeasecondnature,affectingbody,voice,andmind?
Yes,certainly,hesaid。
Then,Isaid,wewillnotallowthoseforwhomweprofessacareandofwhomwesaythattheyoughttobegoodmen,toimitateawoman,whetheryoungorold,quarrellingwithherhusband,orstrivingandvauntingagainstthegodsinconceitofherhappiness,orwhensheisinaffliction,orsorrow,orweeping;andcertainlynotonewhoisinsickness,love,orlabour。
Veryright,hesaid。
Neithermusttheyrepresentslaves,maleorfemale,performingtheofficesofslaves?
Theymustnot。
Andsurelynotbadmen,whethercowardsoranyothers,whodothereverseofwhatwehavejustbeenprescribing,whoscoldormockorrevileoneanotherindrinkoroutofindrinkor,orwhoinanyothermannersinagainstthemselvesandtheirneighboursinwordordeed,asthemannerofsuchis。Neithershouldtheybetrainedtoimitatetheactionorspeechofmenorwomenwhoaremadorbad;formadness,likevice,istobeknownbutnottobepractisedorimitated。
Verytrue,hereplied。
Neithermaytheyimitatesmithsorotherartificers,oroarsmen,orboatswains,orthelike?
Howcanthey,hesaid,whentheyarenotallowedtoapplytheirmindstothecallingsofanyofthese?
Normaytheyimitatetheneighingofhorses,thebellowingofbulls,themurmurofriversandrolloftheocean,thunder,andallthatsortofthing?
Nay,hesaid,ifmadnessbeforbidden,neithermaytheycopythebehaviourofmadmen。
Youmean,Isaid,ifIunderstandyouaright,thatthereisonesortofnarrativestylewhichmaybeemployedbyatrulygoodmanwhenhehasanythingtosay,andthatanothersortwillbeusedbyamanofanoppositecharacterandeducation。
Andwhicharethesetwosorts?heasked。
Suppose,Ianswered,thatajustandgoodmaninthecourseofanarrationcomesonsomesayingoractionofanothergoodman,——I
shouldimaginethathewillliketopersonatehim,andwillnotbeashamedofthissortofimitation:hewillbemostreadytoplaythepartofthegoodmanwhenheisactingfirmlyandwisely;inalessdegreewhenheisovertakenbyillnessorloveordrink,orhasmetwithanyotherdisaster。Butwhenhecomestoacharacterwhichisunworthyofhim,hewillnotmakeastudyofthat;hewilldisdainsuchaperson,andwillassumehislikeness,ifatall,foramomentonlywhenheisperformingsomegoodaction;atothertimeshewillbeashamedtoplayapartwhichhehasneverpractised,norwillheliketofashionandframehimselfafterthebasermodels;hefeelstheemploymentofsuchanart,unlessinjest,tobebeneathhim,andhismindrevoltsatit。
SoIshouldexpect,hereplied。
ThenhewilladoptamodeofnarrationsuchaswehaveillustratedoutofHomer,thatistosay,hisstylewillbebothimitativeandnarrative;buttherewillbeverylittleoftheformer,andagreatdealofthelatter。Doyouagree?
Certainly,hesaid;thatisthemodelwhichsuchaspeakermustnecessarilytake。
Butthereisanothersortofcharacterwhowillnarrateanything,and,theworselieis,themoreunscrupuloushewillbe;nothingwillbetoobadforhim:andhewillbereadytoimitateanything,notasajoke,butinrightgoodearnest,andbeforealargecompany。AsI
wasjustnowsaying,hewillattempttorepresenttherollofthunder,thenoiseofwindandhall,orthecreakingofwheels,andpulleys,andthevarioussoundsofflutes;pipes,trumpets,andallsortsofinstruments:hewillbarklikeadog,bleatlikeasheep,orcrowlikeacock;hisentireartwillconsistinimitationofvoiceandgesture,andtherewillbeverylittlenarration。
That,hesaid,willbehismodeofspeaking。
These,then,arethetwokindsofstyle?
Yes。
Andyouwouldagreewithmeinsayingthatoneofthemissimpleandhasbutslightchanges;andiftheharmonyandrhythmarealsochosenfortheirsimplicity,theresultisthatthespeaker,ifhcspeakscorrectly,isalwaysprettymuchthesameinstyle,andhewillkeepwithinthelimitsofasingleharmony(forthechangesarenotgreat),andinlikemannerhewillmakeuseofnearlythesamerhythm?
Thatisquitetrue,hesaid。
Whereastheotherrequiresallsortsofharmoniesandallsortsofrhythms,ifthemusicandthestylearetocorrespond,becausethestylehasallsortsofchanges。
Thatisalsoperfectlytrue,hereplied。
Anddonotthetwostyles,orthemixtureofthetwo,comprehendallpoetry,andeveryformofexpressioninwords?Noonecansayanythingexceptinoneorotherofthemorinbothtogether。
Theyincludeall,hesaid。
AndshallwereceiveintoourStateallthethreestyles,oroneonlyofthetwounmixedstyles?orwouldyouincludethemixed?
Ishouldpreferonlytoadmitthepureimitatorofvirtue。
Yes,Isaid,Adeimantus,butthemixedstyleisalsoverycharming:andindeedthepantomimic,whichistheoppositeoftheonechosenbyyou,isthemostpopularstylewithchildrenandtheirattendants,andwiththeworldingeneral。
Idonotdenyit。
ButIsupposeyouwouldarguethatsuchastyleisunsuitabletoourState,inwhichhumannatureisnottwofoldormanifold,foronemanplaysonepartonly?
Yes;quiteunsuitable。
AndthisisthereasonwhyinourState,andinourStateonly,weshallfindashoemakertobeashoemakerandnotapilotalso,andahusbandmantobeahusbandmanandnotadicastalso,andasoldierasoldierandnotatraderalso,andthesamethroughout?
True,hesaid。
Andthereforewhenanyoneofthesepantomimicgentlemen,whoaresocleverthattheycanimitateanything,comestous,andmakesaproposaltoexhibithimselfandhispoetry,wewillfalldownandworshiphimasasweetandholyandwonderfulbeing;butwemustalsoinformhimthatinourStatesuchashearenotpermittedtoexist;thelawwillnotallowthem。Andsowhenwehaveanointedhimwithmyrrh,andsetagarlandofwooluponhishead,weshallsendhimawaytoanothercity。Forwemeantoemployforoursouls’healththerougherandsevererpoetorstory—teller,whowillimitatethestyleofthevirtuousonly,andwillfollowthosemodelswhichweprescribedatfirstwhenwebegantheeducationofoursoldiers。
Wecertainlywill,hesaid,ifwehavethepower。
Thennow,myfriend,Isaid,thatpartofmusicorliteraryeducationwhichrelatestothestoryormythmaybeconsideredtobefinished;forthematterandmannerhavebothbeendiscussed。
Ithinksotoo,hesaid。
Nextinorderwillfollowmelodyandsong。
Thatisobvious。
Everyonecanseealreadywhatweoughttosayaboutthem,ifwearetobeconsistentwithourselves。
SOCRATES—GLAUCON
Ifear,saidGlaucon,laughing,thatthewords’everyone’hardlyincludesme,forIcannotatthemomentsaywhattheyshouldbe;
thoughImayguess。
Atanyrateyoucantellthatasongorodehasthreeparts——thewords,themelody,andtherhythm;thatdegreeofknowledgeImaypresuppose?
Yes,hesaid;somuchasthatyoumay。
Andasforthewords,theresurelybenodifferencewordsbetweenwordswhichareandwhicharenotsettomusic;bothwillconformtothesamelaws,andthesehavebeenalreadydeterminedbyus?
Yes。
Andthemelodyandrhythmwilldependuponthewords?
Certainly。
Weweresaying,whenwespokeofthesubject—matter,thatwehadnoneedoflamentationsandstrainsofsorrow?
True。
Andwhicharetheharmoniesexpressiveofsorrow?Youaremusical,andcantellme。
TheharmonieswhichyoumeanarethemixedortenorLydian,andthefull—tonedorbassLydian,andsuchlike。
Thesethen,Isaid,mustbebanished;eventowomenwhohaveacharactertomaintaintheyareofnouse,andmuchlesstomen。
Certainly。
Inthenextplace,drunkennessandsoftnessandindolenceareutterlyunbecomingthecharacterofourguardians。
Utterlyunbecoming。
Andwhicharethesoftordrinkingharmonies?
TheIonian,hereplied,andtheLydian;theyaretermed’relaxed。’
Well,andaretheseofanymilitaryuse?
Quitethereverse,hereplied;andifsotheDorianandthePhrygianaretheonlyoneswhichyouhaveleft。
Ianswered:OftheharmoniesIknownothing,butIwanttohaveonewarlike,tosoundthenoteoraccentwhichabravemanuttersinthehourofdangerandsternresolve,orwhenhiscauseisfailing,andheisgoingtowoundsordeathorisovertakenbysomeotherevil,andateverysuchcrisismeetstheblowsoffortunewithfirmstepandadeterminationtoendure;andanothertobeusedbyhimintimesofpeaceandfreedomofaction,whenthereisnopressureofnecessity,andheisseekingtopersuadeGodbyprayer,ormanbyinstructionandadmonition,orontheotherhand,whenheisexpressinghiswillingnesstoyieldtopersuasionorentreatyoradmonition,andwhichrepresentshimwhenbyprudentconducthehasattainedhisend,notcarriedawaybyhissuccess,butactingmoderatelyandwiselyunderthecircumstances,andacquiescingintheevent。ThesetwoharmoniesIaskyoutoleave;thestrainofnecessityandthestrainoffreedom,thestrainoftheunfortunateandthestrainofthefortunate,thestrainofcourage,andthestrainoftemperance;these,Isay,leave。
Andthese,hereplied,aretheDorianandPhrygianharmoniesofwhichIwasjustnowspeaking。
Then,Isaid,iftheseandtheseonlyaretobeusedinoursongsandmelodies,weshallnotwantmultiplicityofnotesorapanharmonicscale?
Isupposenot。
Thenweshallnotmaintaintheartificersoflyreswiththreecornersandcomplexscales,orthemakersofanyothermany—stringedcuriously—harmonisedinstruments?
Certainlynot。
Butwhatdoyousaytoflute—makersandflute—players?WouldyouadmitthemintoourStatewhenyoureflectthatinthiscompositeuseofharmonythefluteisworsethanallthestringedinstrumentsputtogether;eventhepanharmonicmusicisonlyanimitationoftheflute?
Clearlynot。
Thereremainthenonlythelyreandtheharpforuseinthecity,andtheshepherdsmayhaveapipeinthecountry。
Thatissurelytheconclusiontobedrawnfromtheargument。
ThepreferringofApolloandhisinstrumentstoMarsyasandhisinstrumentsisnotatallstrange,Isaid。
Notatall,hereplied。
Andso,bythedogofEgypt,wehavebeenunconsciouslypurgingtheState,whichnotlongagowetermedluxurious。
Andwehavedonewisely,hereplied。
Thenletusnowfinishthepurgation,Isaid。Nextinordertoharmonies,rhythmswillnaturallyfollow,andtheyshouldbesubjecttothesamerules,forweoughtnottoseekoutcomplexsystemsofmetre,ormetresofeverykind,butrathertodiscoverwhatrhythmsaretheexpressionsofacourageousandharmoniouslife;andwhenwehavefoundthem,weshalladaptthefootandthemelodytowordshavingalikespirit,notthewordstothefootandmelody。Tosaywhattheserhythmsarewillbeyourduty——youmustteachmethem,asyouhavealreadytaughtmetheharmonies。
But,indeed,hereplied,Icannottellyou。Ionlyknowthattherearesomethreeprinciplesofrhythmoutofwhichmetricalsystemsareframed,justasinsoundstherearefournotesoutofwhichalltheharmoniesarecomposed;thatisanobservationwhichIhavemade。ButofwhatsortoflivestheyareseverallytheimitationsIamunabletosay。
Then,Isaid,wemusttakeDamonintoourcounsels;andhewilltelluswhatrhythmsareexpressiveofmeanness,orinsolence,orfury,orotherunworthiness,andwhataretobereservedfortheexpressionofoppositefeelings。AndIthinkthatIhaveanindistinctrecollectionofhismentioningacomplexCreticrhythm;alsoadactylicorheroic,andhearrangedtheminsomemannerwhichIdonotquiteunderstand,makingtherhythmsequalintheriseandfallofthefoot,longandshortalternating;and,unlessIammistaken,hespokeofaniambicaswellasofatrochaicrhythm,andassignedtothemshortandlongquantities。Alsoinsomecasesheappearedtopraiseorcensurethemovementofthefootquiteasmuchastherhythm;orperhapsacombinationofthetwo;forIamnotcertainwhathemeant。Thesematters,however,asIwassaying,hadbetterbereferredtoDamonhimself,fortheanalysisofthesubjectwouldbedifficult,youknow。
Ratherso,Ishouldsay。
Butthereisnodifficultyinseeingthatgraceortheabsenceofgraceisaneffectofgoodorbadrhythm。
Noneatall。
Andalsothatgoodandbadrhythmnaturallyassimilatetoagoodandbadstyle;andthatharmonyanddiscordinlikemannerfollowstyle;
forourprincipleisthatrhythmandharmonyareregulatedbythewords,andnotthewordsbythem。
Justso,hesaid,theyshouldfollowthewords。
Andwillnotthewordsandthecharacterofthestyledependonthetemperofthesoul?
Yes。
Andeverythingelseonthestyle?
Yes。
Thenbeautyofstyleandharmonyandgraceandgoodrhythmdependonsimplicity,——Imeanthetruesimplicityofarightlyandnoblyorderedmindandcharacter,notthatothersimplicitywhichisonlyaneuphemismforfolly?
Verytrue,hereplied。
Andifouryoutharetodotheirworkinlife,musttheynotmakethesegracesandharmoniestheirperpetualaim?
Theymust。
Andsurelytheartofthepainterandeveryothercreativeandconstructiveartarefullofthem,——weaving,embroidery,architecture,andeverykindofmanufacture;alsonature,animalandvegetable,——inallofthemthereisgraceortheabsenceofgrace。
Anduglinessanddiscordandinharmoniousmotionarenearlyalliedtoillwordsandillnature,asgraceandharmonyarethetwinsistersofgoodnessandvirtueandbeartheirlikeness。
Thatisquitetrue,hesaid。
Butshalloursuperintendencegonofurther,andarethepoetsonlytoberequiredbyustoexpresstheimageofthegoodintheirworks,onpain,iftheydoanythingelse,ofexpulsionfromourState?
Oristhesamecontroltobeextendedtootherartists,andaretheyalsotobeprohibitedfromexhibitingtheoppositeformsofviceandintemperanceandmeannessandindecencyinsculptureandbuildingandtheothercreativearts;andishewhocannotconformtothisruleofourstobepreventedfrompractisinghisartinourState,lestthetasteofourcitizensbecorruptedbyhim?Wewouldnothaveourguardiansgrowupamidimagesofmoraldeformity,asinsomenoxiouspasture,andtherebrowseandfeeduponmanyabanefulherbandflowerdaybyday,littlebylittle,untiltheysilentlygatherafesteringmassofcorruptionintheirownsoul。Letourartistsratherbethosewhoaregiftedtodiscernthetruenatureofthebeautifulandgraceful;thenwillouryouthdwellinalandofhealth,amidfairsightsandsounds,andreceivethegoodineverything;andbeauty,theeffluenceoffairworks,shallflowintotheeyeandear,likeahealth—givingbreezefromapurerregion,andinsensiblydrawthesoulfromearliestyearsintolikenessandsympathywiththebeautyofreason。
Therecanbenonoblertrainingthanthat,hereplied。
Andtherefore,Isaid,Glaucon,musicaltrainingisamorepotentinstrumentthananyother,becauserhythmandharmonyfindtheirwayintotheinwardplacesofthesoul,onwhichtheymightilyfasten,impartinggrace,andmakingthesoulofhimwhoisrightlyeducatedgraceful,orofhimwhoisill—educatedungraceful;andalsobecausehewhohasreceivedthistrueeducationoftheinnerbeingwillmostshrewdlyperceiveomissionsorfaultsinartandnature,andwithatruetaste,whilehepraisesandrejoicesoverandreceivesintohissoulthegood,andbecomesnobleandgood,hewilljustlyblameandhatethebad,nowinthedaysofhisyouth,evenbeforeheisabletoknowthereasonwhy;andwhenreasoncomeshewillrecogniseandsalutethefriendwithwhomhiseducationhasmadehimlongfamiliar。
Yes,hesaid,Iquiteagreewithyouinthinkingthatouryouthshouldbetrainedinmusicandonthegroundswhichyoumention。
Justasinlearningtoread,Isaid,weweresatisfiedwhenweknewthelettersofthealphabet,whichareveryfew,inalltheirrecurringsizesandcombinations;notslightingthemasunimportantwhethertheyoccupyaspacelargeorsmall,buteverywhereeagertomakethemout;andnotthinkingourselvesperfectintheartofreadinguntilwerecognisethemwherevertheyarefound:
True——
Or,aswerecognisethereflectionoflettersinthewater,orinamirror,onlywhenweknowthelettersthemselves;thesameartandstudygivingustheknowledgeofboth:
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