登陆注册
15427600000013

第13章 BOOK II(2)

Cle.Far otherwise.

Ath.What,then,leads us astray?Are beautiful things not the same to us all,or are they the same in themselves,but not in our opinion of them?For no one will admit that forms of vice in the dance are more beautiful than forms of virtue,or that he himself delights in the forms of vice,and others in a muse of another character.And yet most persons say,that the excellence of music is to give pleasure to 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.Choric movements are imitations of manners occurring in various actions,fortunes,dispositions-each particular is imitated,and those to whom the words,or songs,or dances are suited,either by nature or habit or both,cannot help feeling pleasure in them and applauding them,and calling them beautiful.But those whose natures,or ways,or habits are unsuited to them,cannot delight in them or applaud them,and they call them base.There are others,again,whose natures are right and their habits wrong,or whose habits are right and their natures wrong,and they praise one thing,but are pleased at another.For they say that all these imitations are pleasant,but not good.And in the presence of those whom they think wise,they are ashamed of dancing and singing in the baser manner,or of deliberately 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 am certain."For must they not have the same effect as when a man associates with bad characters,whom he likes and approves rather than dislikes,and only censures playfully because he has a suspicion of his own badness?In that case,he who takes pleasure in them will surely become like those in whom he takes pleasure,even though he be ashamed to praise them.And what greater good or evil can any destiny ever make us undergo?

Cle.I know of none.

Ath.Then in a city which has good laws,or in future ages is to have them,bearing in mind the instruction and amusement which are given by music,can we suppose that the poets are to be allowed to teach in the dance anything which they themselves like,in the way of rhythm,or melody,or words,to the young children of any well-conditioned parents?Is the poet to train his choruses as he pleases,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 exception of 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 have recognized the very principle of which we are now speaking-that their young citizens must be habituated to forms and strains of virtue.These they fixed,and exhibited the patterns of them in their temples;and no painter or artist is allowed to innovate upon them,or to leave the traditional forms and invent new ones.To this day,no alteration is allowed either in these arts,or in music at all.And you will find that their works of art are painted or moulded in the same forms which they had ten thousand years ago;-this is literally true and no exaggeration-their ancient paintings and sculptures are not a whit better or worse than the work of to-day,but are made with just the same skill.

Cle.How extraordinary!

Ath.I should rather say,How statesmanlike,how worthy of a legislator!I know that other things in Egypt are nat so well.But what I am telling you about music is true and deserving of consideration,because showing that a lawgiver may institute melodies which have a natural truth and correctness without any fear of failure.To do this,however,must be the work of God,or of a divine person;in Egypt they have a tradition that their ancient chants which have been preserved for so many ages are the composition of the Goddess Isis.And therefore,as I was saying,if a person can only find in any way the natural melodies,he may confidently embody them in a fixed and legal form.For the love of novelty which arises out of pleasure in the new and weariness of the old,has not strength enough to corrupt the consecrated song and dance,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 of choral festivities is as follows:We rejoice when we think that we prosper,and again we think that we prosper when we rejoice?

Cle.Exactly.

Ath.And when rejoicing in our good fortune,we are unable to be still?

Cle.True.

Ath.Our young men break forth into dancing and singing,and we who are their elders deem that we are fulfilling our part in life when we look on at them.Having lost our agility,we delight in their sports and merry-making,because we love to think of our former selves;and gladly institute contests for those who are able to awaken in us the memory of our youth.

Cle.Very true.

Ath.Is it altogether unmeaning to say,as the common people do about festivals,that he should be adjudged the wisest of men,and the winner of the palm,who gives us the greatest amount of pleasure and mirth?For on such occasions,and when mirth is the order of the day,ought not he to be honoured most,and,as I was saying,bear the palm,who gives most mirth to the greatest number?Now is this a true way of speaking or of acting?

同类推荐
  • 玄灵转经晚朝行道仪

    玄灵转经晚朝行道仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • What Diantha Did

    What Diantha Did

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 谢短篇

    谢短篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 琴斋宜备八则

    琴斋宜备八则

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛般泥洹经

    佛般泥洹经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 勿忘熙夏

    勿忘熙夏

    ——给那些青涩年华里来不及诉说的告白与恋爱。——给那些青涩年华里经历过轰轰烈烈恋爱的朋友们。不是在闪烁的霓虹灯下,也不是在璀璨的烟花下,只是在那鸟语花香的小树林里,只是在这时光美妙的夏季里,我遇见了你。幽静的树林里,我轻轻地踩过翠绿的草坪,来到了你所在的地方,你坐在柔软的草坪上,背靠着岁数已老的槐树,阳光透过茂盛的树叶照在了少年白皙的脸庞上,你那琥珀色的瞳孔注视着你手中那本微微泛黄的旧书,微风轻轻地掠过你那棕黑色的刘海。而我静静的看着你,不知为何我的心在剧烈的跳动着,难道这就是心动的反应么?我轻轻地拿出摄影机对着你按下了快键,那时你便留在了我的心里。那年青涩年华,我就这样遇见了你。
  • 绝世星图

    绝世星图

    半步诗仙动京城,临川一梦不尽情。星图洒洒方年少,烈火焚天大功成。穿越苍茫星际,踏破无尽虚空,来到异世界的大陆。落笔惊风,诗成泣鬼;星图洒落,五行焚天。面对一轮又一轮的风起云涌,且看他、步步崛起、证道封神!
  • 火澜

    火澜

    当一个现代杀手之王穿越到这个世界。是隐匿,还是崛起。一场血雨腥风的传奇被她改写。一条无上的强者之路被她踏破。修斗气,炼元丹,收兽宠,化神器,大闹皇宫,炸毁学院,打死院长,秒杀狗男女,震惊大陆。无止尽的契约能力,上古神兽,千年魔兽,纷纷前来抱大腿,惊傻世人。她说:在我眼里没有好坏之分,只有强弱之分,只要你能打败我,这世间所有都是你的,打不败我,就从这世间永远消失。她狂,她傲,她的目标只有一个,就是凌驾这世间一切之上。三国皇帝,魔界妖王,冥界之主,仙界至尊。到底谁才是陪着她走到最后的那个?他说:上天入地,我会陪着你,你活着,有我,你死,也一定有我。本文一对一,男强女强,强强联手,不喜勿入。
  • 如果我可以挽留你

    如果我可以挽留你

    一段心酸的初恋爱情故事;一份纯真的心灵;
  • 连锁门店促销技巧

    连锁门店促销技巧

    本书侧重从零售终端——连锁门店的角度去介绍如何应用促销技巧,以门店销售促进的几种常用方式和工具作为内容,以促销策划作为开展各种促销的基本能力,培训门店经营管理者从事促销活动的能力。
  • 王俊凯之穿越还爱

    王俊凯之穿越还爱

    写的是关于一系列小说,女主和男主期间的情感,有虐文大家请慎重看。
  • 回到古代选老公

    回到古代选老公

    丁叶最终敌不过七年之痒和那柔弱无骨的小三,轰轰烈烈地和男友分了手。也许是老天爷垂怜,让她穿越到了帅哥无数的古代。在那里,她得到了众星拱月般的待遇。当然她回来可不只想找个夫君这么简单,被抛弃过的她深知男人的不靠谱。于是自己单枪匹马,在男人的世界里赚到盆满钵满,成就了她的辉煌时代!
  • 一代商后

    一代商后

    十二岁时与那男子相遇,十六岁知道他是当今天子。她是天下首富薄家的嫡长女,用家产的三分之二换了个小小的从四品明妤,为的就是入宫问一句:你,到底是为了那些银子还是为了我?入宫后才知道,要站在他面前问出这句话何其难?!贤惠大度几乎完美的皇后,万千宠爱集一身的宠妃,性情爽朗的红颜知己,而她只是一介商人之女。他一步步的逼迫,她一步步的向上爬。剥开重重的交易,抛去各方的利益,湮灭所有的爱恨情仇,她与他的距离是否会近些?直到她问出了那句话,他才笑道:只想看你奋不顾身的站在我身旁。她潸然泪下。
  • 青冢行

    青冢行

    风云变幻,步步皆殇,一代风华尽过;山河如酒,谁主沉浮,一生不负家国;逆风卷尘,孤影江山,一世功名归土;相思焚尽,清冷素衣,一夕华发黄昏。
  • 剑网三之不要买别人的ID

    剑网三之不要买别人的ID

    三个重合的世界究竟那一边才是真实?“希望你这一次不要失败!!”“没有谁是可以被取代的——包括你!"