ἐν Πυθίοις Καλλίστρατος, τῶν Ἀμφικτυόνων ὢν ἐπιμελητής, αὐλῳδόν τινα πολίτην καὶ φίλον ὑστερήσαντα τῆς ἀπογραφῆς τοῦ μὲν ἀγῶνος εἶρξε κατὰ τὸν νόμον· ἑστιῶν δʼ ἡμᾶς παρήγαγεν εἰς τὸ συμπόσιον ἐσθῆτι καὶ στεφάνοις, ὥσπερ ἐν ἀγῶνι, μετὰ τοῦ χοροῦ κεκοσμημένον ἐκπρεπῶς. καὶ νὴ Δία κομψὸν ἦν ἀκρόαμα τὸ πρῶτον· ἔπειτα διασείσας καὶ διακωδωνίσας τὸ συμπόσιον, ὡς ᾐσθάνετο τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐγκεκλικότας καὶ παρέχοντας ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς ὅ τι βούλοιτο χρῆσθαι, καὶ καταυλεῖν καὶ ἀκολασταίνειν, ἀποκαλυψάμενος παντάπασιν, ἐπεδείξατο τὴν μουσικὴν παντὸς οἴνου μᾶλλον μεθύσκουσαν τοὺς ὅπως ἔτυχε καὶ ἀνέδην αὐτῆς ἐμφορουμένους οὐδὲ γὰρ κατακειμένοις ἔτι βοᾶν ἐξήρκει καὶ κροτεῖν, ἀλλὰ τελευτῶντες ἀνεπήδων οἱ πολλοί, καὶ συνεκινοῦντο κινήσεις ἀνελευθέρους, πρεπούσας δὲ τοῖς κρούμασιν ἐκείνοις καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν. ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐπαύσαντο καὶ κατάστασιν αὖθις ὥσπερ ἐκ μανίας ὁ πότος ἐλάμβανεν, ἐβούλετο μὲν ὁ Λαμπρίας εἰπεῖν τι καὶ παρρησιάσασθαι πρὸς τοὺς νέους ὀρρωδοῦντι δʼ ὅμως αὐτῷ μὴ λίαν ἀηδὴς γένηται καὶ λυπηρός, οὔτως ὁ Καλλίστρατος ὥσπερ ἐνδόσιμον παρέσχε τοιαῦτά τινα διαλεχθείς·
AT the Pythian games Callistratus, procurator of the Amphictyons, forbade a piper, his citizen and friend, who did not give in his name in due time, to appear in the solemnity, which he did according to the law. But afterwards entertaining us, he brought him into the room with the chorus, finely dressed in his robes and with chaplets on his head, as if he was to contend for the prize. And at first indeed he played a very fine tune; but afterwards, having tickled and sounded the humor of the whole company, and found that most were inclined to pleasure and would suffer him to play what effeminate and lascivious tunes he pleased, throwing aside all modesty, he showed that music was more intoxicating than wine to those that wantonly and unskilfully use it. For they were not content to sit still and applaud and clap, but many at last leaped from their seats, danced lasciviously, and made such gentle steps as became such effeminate and mollifying tunes. But after they had done, and the company, as it were recovered of its madness, began to come to itself again, Lamprias would have spoken to and severely chid the young men; but as he feared he should be too harsh and give offence, Callistratus gave him a hint, and drew him on by this discourse:—
ἀκρασίας μέν ἔφη καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπολύω τὸ φιλήκοον καὶ φιλοθέαμον οὐ μὴν Ἀριστοξένῳ γε συμφέρομαι παντάπασι, ταύταις μόναις φάσκοντι ταῖς ἡδοναῖς τὸ καλῶς ἐπιλέγεσθαι. καὶ γὰρ ὄψα καλὰ καὶ μύρα καλοῦσι καὶ καλῶς γεγονέναι λέγουσι δειπνήσαντες ἡδέως καὶ πολυτελῶς. δοκεῖ δέ μοι μηδʼ Ἀριστοτέλης αἰτίᾳ δικαίᾳ τὰς περὶ θέαν καὶ ἀκρόασιν εὐπαθείας ἀπολύειν ἀκρασίας, ὡς μόνας ἀνθρωπικὰς οὔσας· ταῖς δʼ ἄλλαις καὶ τὰ θηρία φύσιν ἔχοντα χρῆσθαι καὶ κοινωνεῖν. ὁρῶμεν γὰρ ὅτι καὶ μουσικῇ πολλὰ, κηλεῖται τῶν ἀλόγων, ὥσπερ ἔλαφοι σύριγξιν, ἵπποις δὲ μιγνυμέναις ἐπαυλεῖται νόμος, ὃν ἱππόθορον ὀνομάζουσιν ὁ δὲ Πίνδαρός φησι κεκινῆσθαι πρὸς ᾠδήν ἁλίου δελφῖνος ὑπόκρισιν· / τὸν μὲν ἀκύμονος ἐν πόντου πελάγει / αὐλῶν ἐκίνησʼ ἐρατὸν μέλος. / ὀρχούμενοι δὲ τοὺς σκῶπας αἱροῦσι, χαίροντας τῇ ὄψει καὶ μιμητικῶς ἅμα δεῦρο κἀκεῖσε τοὺς ὤμους συνδιαφέροντας. οὐδὲν οὖν ὁρῶ τὰς τοιαύτας ἡδονὰς ἴδιον ἐχούσας, ἢ ὅτι μόναι τῆς ψυχῆς εἰσιν, αἱ δʼ ἄλλαι τοῦ σώματος καὶ περὶ τὸ σῶμα καταλήγουσι· μέλος δὲ καὶ ῥυθμὸς καὶ ὄρχησις καὶ ᾠδὴ παραμειψάμεναι τὴν αἴσθησιν, ἐν τῷ χαίροντι τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπερείδονται τὸ ἐπιτερπὲς καὶ γαργαλίζον. ὅθεν οὐδεμία τῶν τοιούτων ἡδονῶν ἀπόκρυφός ἐστιν οὐδὲ σκότους δεομένη καὶ τῶν τοίχων περιθεόντων, ὡς οἱ Κυρηναϊκοὶ λέγουσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ στάδια ταύταις καὶ θέατρα ποιεῖται· καὶ τὸ μετὰ πολλῶν θεάσασθαί τι καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἐπιτερπέστερόν ἐστι καὶ σεμνότερον, οὐκ ἀκρασίας δήπου καὶ ἡδυπαθείας ἀλλʼ ἐλευθερίου διατριβῆς καὶ ἀστείας μάρτυρας ἡμῶν ὅτι πλείστους λαμβανόντων.
For my part, I absolve all lovers of shows and music from intemperance; yet I cannot altogether agree with Aristoxenus, who says that those pleasures alone deserve the approbation fine. For we call viands and ointments fine; and we say we have finely dined, when we have been splendidly entertained. Nor, in my opinion, doth Aristotle upon good reason free those complacencies we take in shows and songs from the charge of intemperance, saying, that those belong peculiarly to man, and of other pleasures beasts have a share. For I am certain that a great many irrational creatures are delighted with music, as deer with pipes; and to mares, whilst they are horsing, they play a tune called ἱππόθορος. And Pindar says, that his songs make him move, As brisk as Dolphins, whom a charming tune / Hath raised from th’ bottom of the quiet flood. / And certain fish are caught by means of dancing; for during the dance they lift up their heads above water, being much pleased and delighted with the sight, and twisting their backs this way and that way, in imitation of the dancers. Therefore I see nothing peculiar in those pleasures, that they should be accounted proper to the mind, and all others to belong to the body, so far as to end there. But music, rhythm, dancing, song, passing through the sense, fix a pleasure and titilation in the sportive part of the soul; and therefore none of these pleasures is enjoyed in secret, nor wants darkness nor walls about it, according to the women’s phrase; but circuses and theatres are built for them. And to frequent shows and music-meetings with company is both more delightful and more genteel; because we take a great many witnesses, not of a loose and intemperate, but of a pleasant and genteel, manner of passing away our time.
ταῦτα τοῦ Καλλιστράτου εἰπόντος, ὁ Λαμπρίας ὁρῶν ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐκείνους τοὺς τῶν· ἀκροαμάτων χορηγοὺς θρασυνομένους οὐ τοῦτʼ ἔφη τὸ αἴτιον, ὦ παῖ Λέοντος, ἀλλά μοι δοκοῦσιν οὐκ ὀρθῶς οἱ παλαιοὶ παῖδα Λήθης τὸν Διόνυσον ἔδει γὰρ πατέρα προσαγορεύειν ὑφʼ οὗ καὶ σὺ νῦν ἀμνημονεῖν ἔοικας, ὅτι τῶν περὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς ἁμαρτανομένων τὰ μὲν ἀκρασία τὰ δʼ ἄγνοια ποιεῖ καὶ παρόρασις. ὅπου μὲν γὰρ ἡ βλάβη πρόδηλός ἐστι, ταῦτʼ ἀκρασίᾳ καταβιαζόμενοι τὸν λογισμὸν ἐξαμαρτάνουσιν· ὅσα δʼ οὐκ εὐθὺς οὐδὲ παραχρῆμα τῆς ἀκολασίας τὸν μισθὸν ἐπιτίθησι, ταῦθʼ ὑπʼ ἀγνοίας τοῦ βλάπτοντος αἱροῦνται καὶ πράττουσι. διὸ τοὺς μὲν περὶ ἐδωδὰς καὶ ἀφροδίσια καὶ πότους ἀστοχοῦντας, οἷς νόσοι τε πολλαὶ καὶ χρημάτων ὄλεθροι συνακολουθοῦσι καὶ τὸ κακῶς ἀκούειν, ἀκρατεῖς προσαγορεύομεν ὡς Θεοδέκτην ἐκεῖνον εἰπόντα χαῖρε φίλον φῶς ὀφθαλμιῶντα, τῆς ἐρωμένης ἐπιφανείσης· ἢ τὸν Ἀβδηρίτην Ἀνάξαρχον, ὅς ῥα καὶ εἰδώς, / ὡς φάσαν, ἄθλιος ἔσκε· φύσις δέ μιν ἔμπαλιν ἦγεν / ἡδονοπλήξ, τῇ πλεῖστοι ὑποτρείουσι σοφιστῶν. / ὅσαι δὲ τῶν ἡδονῶν τοὺς περὶ γαστέρα καὶ αἰδοῖα καὶ γεῦσιν καὶ ὄσφρησιν ἀντιτεταγμένους αὐταῖς καὶ ὅπως οὐχ ἁλώσονται προσέχοντας, ἐκπεριοδεύουσαι περὶ τὰ ὄμματα καὶ τὰ ὦτα λανθάνουσιν ἐνῳκισμέναι καὶ λοχῶσαι, τούτους ἐκείνων οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐμπαθεῖς ὄντας καὶ ἀκολάστους ἀκρατεῖς ὁμοίως οὐ καλοῦμεν· οὐ γὰρ εἰδότες ἀλλὰ διʼ ἀπειρίαν ὑποφέρονται, καὶ νομίζουσι τῶν ἡδονῶν εἶναι κρείττονες, ἂν ἐν θεάτροις ἄσιτοι καὶ ἄποτοι διημερεύσωσιν ὥσπερ εἰ τῶν κεραμίων μέγα φρονοίη τὸ μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς γαστρὸς αἰρόμενον ἢ τοῦ πυθμένος, ἐκ δὲ τῶν ὤτων ῥᾳδίως μεταφερόμενον. ὅθεν Ἀρκεσίλαος οὐδὲν ἔφη διαφέρειν τοῖς ὄπισθεν εἶναι κίναιδον ἢ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν. δεῖ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐν ὄμμασι καὶ τὴν ἐν ὠσὶ γαργαλίζουσαν μαλακίαν καὶ ἡδυπάθειαν φοβεῖσθαι, καὶ μήτε πόλιν ἀνάλωτον νομίζειν τὴν τὰς ἄλλας πύλας βαλανάγραις καὶ μοχλοῖς καὶ καταρράκταις ὀχυρὰς ἔχουσαν, ἂν διὰ μιᾶς οἱ πολέμιοι παρελθόντες ἔνδον εἰσίν· μήθʼ ἑαυτὸν ἀήττητον ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς, εἰ μὴ κατὰ τὸ Ἀφροδίσιον ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ Μουσεῖον ἑάλωκεν ἢ τὸ θέατρον· ὁμοίως γὰρ ἐγκέκλικε καὶ παρέδωκε ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ἄγειν καὶ φέρειν τὴν ψυχήν· αἱ δὲ παντὸς ὀψοποιοῦ καὶ μυρεψοῦ καὶ δριμύτερα καὶ ποικιλώτερα φάρμακα τῶν μελῶν καὶ τῶν ῥυθμῶν καταχεόμεναι τούτοις ἄγουσιν ἡμᾶς καὶ διαφθείρουσιν, αὑτῶν τρόπον τινὰ καταμαρτυροῦντας τῶνδε γὰρ οὔτε τι μεμπτὸν / οὔτʼ ὦν μεταλλάττον ὡς Πίνδαρος ἔφη / τῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς τραπέζαις, ὅσσʼ ἀγλαὰ χθὼν / πόντου τε ῥιπαὶ φέρουσιν / ἄρτι παρακειμένων. ἀλλʼ οὔτʼ ὄψον οὐδὲν οὔτε σιτίον οὔθʼ ὁ βέλτιστος οὑτοσὶ πινόμενος οἶνος ἐξήγαγεν ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς φωνήν, οἵων ἄρτι τὰ αὐλήματα καὶ τὰ κρούματα τὴν οἰκίαν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἅπασαν, ἐμπέπληκε θορύβων καὶ κρότων καὶ ἀλαλαγμῶν. διὸ δεῖ μάλιστα ταύτας εὐλαβεῖσθαι τὰς ἡδονάς· ἰσχυρόταται γάρ εἰσιν, ἅτε δὴ μή, καθάπερ αἱ περὶ γεῦσιν καὶ ἁφὴν καὶ ὄσφρησιν, εἰς τὸ ἄλογον καὶ φυσικὸν ἀποτελευτῶσαι τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ κρίνοντος ἁπτόμεναι καὶ τοῦ φρονοῦντος· ἔπειτα ταῖς μὲν ἄλλαις ἡδυπαθείαις κἂν ὁ λογισμὸς ἐλλίπῃ διαμαχόμενος, ἀλλὰ τῶν παθῶν ἔνια πολλάκις ἐμποδών ἐστι· καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἰχθύων ἀγορᾷ μικρολογία καθαιρεῖ δάκτυλον ὀψοφάγου καὶ πολυτελοῦς ἑταίρας ἀπέστρεψε φιλαργυρία φιλογυνίαν· ὥσπερ ἀμέλει παρὰ τῷ Μενάνδρῳ τῶν συμποτῶν ἕκαστος ἐπιβουλευόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ πορνοβοσκοῦ σοβαράν τινα παιδίσκην ἐπάγοντος αὐτοῖς κύψας καθʼ ἑαυτὸν τῶν τραγημάτων ἔφλα· χαλεπὸν γὰρ ὁ δανεισμὸς τῆς ἀκρασίας κόλασμα καὶ τὸ λῦσαι βαλλάντιον οὐ πάνυ ῥᾴδιον· ταύταις δὲ ταῖς ἐλευθερίαις λεγομέναις περὶ ὦτα καὶ ὄμματα φιλομούσοις καὶ φιλαύλοις μουσομανίαις προῖκα καὶ ἀμισθὶ τῶν ἡδονῶν πάρεστι πολλαχόθεν ἀρύτεσθαι καὶ ἀπολαύειν, ἐν ἀγῶσιν, ἐν θεάτροις, ἐν συμποσίοις, ἑτέρων χορηγούντων· ὅθεν ἕτοιμον τὸ διαφθαρῆναι τοῖς μὴ βοηθοῦντα καὶ παιδαγωγοῦντα τὸν λογισμὸν ἔχουσι.
Upon this discourse of Callistratus, my father Lamprias, seeing the musicians grow bolder, said: That is not the reason, sir, and, in my opinion, the ancients were much out when they named Bacchus the son of Forgetfulness. They ought to have called him his father; for it seems he hath made you forget that some of those faults which are committed about pleasures proceed from a loose intemperate inclination, and others from heedlessness or ignorance. Where the ill effect is very plain, there intemperate inclination captivates reason, and forces men to sin; but where the just reward of intemperance is not directly and presently inflicted, there ignorance of the danger and heedlessness make men easily wrought on and secure. Therefore those that are vicious, either in eating, drinking, or venery, which diseases, wasting of estates, and evil reports usually attend, we call intemperate. For instance, Theodectes, who having sore eyes, when his mistress came to see him, said, All hail, delightful light; or Anaxarchus the Abderite, A wretch who knew what mischiefs wait on sin, / Yet love of pleasure forced him back again; / Once almost free, he sank again to vice, / That terror and disturber of the wise. / Now those that take all care possible to secure themselves from all those pleasures that assault them either at the smelling, touch, or taste, are often surprised by those that make their treacherous approaches either at the eye or ear. But such, though as much led away as the others, we do not in like manner call loose and intemperate, since they are debauched through ignorance and want of experience. For they imagine they are far from being slaves to pleasures, if they can stay all day in the theatre without meat or drink; as if a pot forsooth should be mighty proud that a man cannot take it up by the bottom or the belly and carry it away, though he can easily do it by the ears. Therefore Agesilaus said, it was all one whether a man were a cinaedus before or behind. We ought principally to dread those softening delights that please and tickle through the eyes and ears, and not think that city not taken which hath all its other gates secured by bars, portcullises, and chains, if the enemies are already entered through one and have taken possession; or fancy ourselves invincible against the assaults of pleasure, because stews will not provoke us, when the music-meeting or theatre prevails. For in one case as much as the other we resign up our souls to the impetuousness of pleasures, which pouring in those potions of songs, cadences, and tunes, more powerful and bewitching than the best mixtures of the skilful cook or perfumer, conquer and corrupt us; and in the mean time, by our own confession, as it were, the fault is chiefly ours. Now, as Pindar saith, nothing that the earth and sea hath provided for our tables can be justly blamed, nor doth it change; but neither our meat nor broth, nor this excellent wine which we drink, hath raised such a noisy tumultuous pleasure as those songs and tunes did, which not only filled the house with clapping and shouting, but perhaps the whole town. Therefore we ought principally to secure ourselves against such delights, because they are more powerful than others; as not being terminated in the body, like those which allure the touch, taste, or smelling, but affecting the very intellectual and judging faculties. Besides, from most other delights, though reason doth not free us, yet other passions very commonly divert us. Sparing niggardliness will keep a glutton from dainty fish, and covetousness will confine a lecher from a costly whore. As in one of Menander’s plays, where every one of the company was to be enticed by the bawd who brought out a surprising whore, each of them, though all boon companions, Sat sullenly, and fed upon his cates. For to pay interest for money is a severe punishment that follows intemperance, and to open our purses is no easy matter. But these pleasures that are called genteel, and solicit the ears or eyes of those that are frantic after shows and music, may be had without any charge at all, in every place almost, and upon every occasion; they may be enjoyed at the prizes, in the theatre, or at entertainments, at others’ cost. And therefore those that have not their reason to assist and guide them may be easily spoiled.
γενομένης οὖν σιωπῆς τί οὖν ἔφηποιοῦντα τὸν λογισμὸν ἢ τί λέγοντα βοηθεῖν ἀξιοῦμεν; οὐ γὰρ ἀμφωτίδας γε περιθήσει τὰς Ξενοκράτους ἡμῖν οὐδʼ ἀναστήσει μεταξὺ δειπνοῦντας, ἐὰν αἰσθώμεθα λύραν ἁρμοζομένην ἢ κινούμενον αὐλόν.οὐ γὰρ οὖν εἶπεν ὁ Λαμπρίας ἀλλʼ ὁσάκις ἂν εἰς τὰς Σειρῆνας ἐμπέσωμεν, ἐπικαλεῖσθαι δεῖ τὰς Μούσας καὶ καταφεύγειν εἰς τὸν Ἑλικῶνα τὸν τῶν παλαιῶν. ἐρῶντι μὲν γὰρ πολυτελοῦς οὐκ ἔστι τὴν Πηνελόπην προσαγαγεῖν οὐδὲ συνοικίσαι τὴν Πάνθειαν· ἡδόμενον δὲ μίμοις καὶ μέλεσι καὶ ᾠδαῖς κακοτέχνοις καὶ κακοζήλοις ἔξεστι μετάγειν ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐριπίδην καὶ τὸν Πίνδαρον καὶ τὸν Μένανδρον, ποτίμῳ λόγῳ ἁλμυρὰν ἀκοήν ὥς φησιν ὁ Πλάτων ἀποκλυζόμενον. ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ μάγοι τοὺς δαιμονιζομένους κελεύουσι τὰ Ἐφέσια γράμματα πρὸς αὑτοὺς καταλέγειν καὶ ὀνομάζειν, οὕτως ἡμεῖς ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις τερετίσμασι καὶ σκιρτήμασι μανίαις τʼ ἀλαλαῖς τʼ ὀρινόμενοι / ῥιψαύχενι σὺν κλόνῳ / τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ σεμνῶν ἐκείνων γραμμάτων ἀναμιμνησκόμενοι καὶ παραβάλλοντες ᾠδὰς καὶ ποιήματα καὶ λόγους κοινοὺς οὐκ ἐκπλαγησόμεθα παντάπασιν ὑπὸ τούτου, οὐδὲ πλαγίους παραδώσομεν ἑαυτοὺς ὥσπερ ὑπὸ ῥεύματος λείου φέρεσθαι.
Silence following upon this, What application, said I, shall reason make, or how shall it assist? For I do not think it will apply those ear-covers of Xenocrates, or force us to rise from the table as soon as we hear a harp struck or a pipe blown. No indeed, replied Lamprias, but as soon as we meet with the foresaid intoxications, we ought to make our application to the Muses, and fly to the Helicon of the ancients. To him that loves a costly strumpet, we cannot bring a Panthea or Penelope for cure; but one that delights in mimics and buffoons, loose odes, or debauched songs, we can bring to Euripides, Pindar, and Menander, that he might wash (as Plato phraseth it) his salt hearing with fresh reason. As the exorcists command the possessed to read over and pronounce Ephesian letters, so we in those possessions, amid all the madness of music and dancing, when We toss our hands with noise, and madly shout, remembering those venerable and sacred writings, and comparing with them those odes, poems, and vain empty compositions, shall not be altogether cheated by them, or permit ourselves to be carried away sidelong, as by a smooth and undisturbed stream.
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