On the Institution of Music (De institutione musica)

to the strong and the simple. And here, one must especially hold fast to the principle that if, by some means, even the slightest changes were made to alter anything here, the sensation would at first be minimal; but afterward, it would create a great difference and glide through the ears into the very soul. For Plato, Republic IV Plato believed that the greatest safeguard of the state was Music that was well-ordered and modestly composed. It should be moderate, simple, and masculine; neither effeminate, nor wild, nor vain. This is what the Lacedaemonians The Spartans preserved with the greatest effort. For among them, Thaletas of Crete was summoned from Gortyn at a great price so that he might imbue the youth with the discipline of the art of Music; this was done according to ancient custom and persisted for a long time.

Timothy But it was Timothy of Miletus A famous and controversial Greek musician (c. 446–357 BC) known for innovating the lyre who, beyond the strings he had found, added one more. By this complexity, he made Music multifaceted; for this, they expelled him from Laconia, and a decree was made concerning him. Because the language of the Spartans is distinguished by the turning of the letter m into p, I have set down the Greek text of that decree in those very words.

Since Timothy the Milesian coming
ΕΠΕΙΔΗ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΣ Ο ΜΙΛΗΣΙΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΓΙΝΟΜΕΝΟΣ
into our city the ancient cithara A professional version of the lyre
ΕΣΤΑΝ ΜΕΤΕΡΑΝ ΠΟΛΙΝ ΤΑΜ ΠΑΛΑΙΑΝ ΚΙΘΑΡΑ
despising and the variety of playing fleeing
ΧΟΡΔΑΝ ΜΟΔΟΝ ΜΙΣΑΝ ΑΤΙΜΑΣΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΑΝ
multiple variety of singing introduced
ΠΟΛΥΦΩΝΙΑΝ ΕΙΣΑΓΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΑΝ ΧΡΩΜΑΤΙΚΑΝ
modulating multi-sounding excessively softened
ΤΑΛΙ-ΓΑΡΜΟΔΕ-ΤΩΝ ΝΕΩΝ ΔΙΑ-ΤΕΤΑΡΤΟΝ
of the same pitch for new modulating
ΧΟΡΔΑΡ. ΚΑΙ ΤΑΡ ΚΕΝΟΤΑΤΟΡ. ΤΩ ΜΕΛΕΟS
in kind and variety of singing effeminate
ΑΓΕΝΝΕΙ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΤΗΤΙ ΠΛΟΑΡ ΚΑΙ
adorned softness through singing
ΤΕΤΑΓΜΕΝΑΝ ΑΜΦΙΕΝΝΥΤΑΙ ΤΑΝ ΜΟΛΑΝ ΕΠΙ
much showing that which is softer
ΧΡΩΜΑΤΟΡ-ΓΕΝΕΣΙΣ-ΤΑ ΜΕΝ ΟΡ-ΠΑΝ ΤΟ ΜΕΛΟΣ
distinction instead of enharmonic making
ΔΙΑΣΚΕΙΝ ΑΝΤΙ ΤΑΝ ΕΝΑΡΜΟΝΙΟΝ ΠΟΙΤΑΝ
invoked in turn calling with voices
ΑΝΤΙΣΤΡΟΦΟΝ ΑΜΟΙΒΑΝ ΠΑΡΑΚΛEΣΕΙΣ
is and in the contest of Eleusis especially
ΔΕ ΚΑΙ ΕΝ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΟΝΑ ΓΑΡ ΕΛΕΥΣΙΝΙΑΡ ΔΙΑ
thrice hence singing published fables
ΜΑΤΡΟΣ ΑΠΡΕΠΗ ΔΙΑ ΣΚΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΜΥΘΟ
discourse for of a woman birth-pangs not
ΔΙΑΣΚΕΙΑΝ ΤΑΝ ΤΑΡ ΣΕΜΕΛΑΡ ΩΔΙΝΑΡ ΟΥΚ
rightly well to the boys he taught
ΕΝΑΙΚΑΤΩΡ ΝΕΟΡ ΔΙΑΔΑΣΚΕ ΑΠΑΙΔΥΤΑΙ ΦΑ
concerning these things therefore the kings and
ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΚΟΡΒΑΣΙΛΕΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΡΕ
ephors Spartan magistrates censured Timothy he added
ΦΟΡΑΡ ΜΕΜΨΑΤΤΑΙ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟΝ ΕΠΑΝΑΓ
moreover and the eleventh string seven
ΚΑΖΑΙ ΔΕ ΚΑΙ ΤΑΝ ΕΝΔΕΚΑ ΧΟΡΔΑΝ ΕΚΤΑ
seven plucking as if
ΜΟΝ ΤΑΡ ΤΑ ΠΕΡΙΤΤΑ ΩΠΟΡΕ ΚΑCTOR ΤΟ
of the ancients survives of one pitch
ΤΑΡ ΠΟΛΙΟΡ ΤΑΡ ΠΕΡΙΤΤΑΡ ΥΠΟ ΔΥΝΟΜΕΝΟ
seven redundant having struck this as singular of which
ΤΑ ΠΕΝΤΑ ΩΠΟΡΕ ΚΑΕΤΟΡ ΤΟ ΤΑΡ ΠΟΛΙΟΡ
making of one kind let it be kept in Sparta
ΒΑΡΟΡ ΟΡΟΝ ΕΥΛΑΒΕΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΤΑΝ ΣΠΑΡΤΑΝ
unworthy anyone inventions practicing against the man
ΕΠΙΦΕΡΕΝ ΤΙ ΤΩΝ ΜΗ ΚΑΛΩΝ ΝΕΤΩΝ
lest perhaps be disturbed the glory of the contest
ΜΗ ΠΟΤΕ ΤΑΡ ΑΡΕΤΑΡ ΚΑΙ ΟΡ ΑΓΟΝΤΩΝ.

That decree certainly contains the fact that the Spartans were angry with Timothy of Miletus because, by rendering Music complex, he hindered the minds of the boys he had received to be educated, and blocked them from the modesty of beautiful virtue. And because he had turned the harmony, which he had received as modest, into the chromatic chromatic: a style of music using half-steps, often considered "colorful" or "soft" and decadent by ancients genus, which is softer. Such, therefore, was the diligence regarding Music among them, that they believed it also took hold of souls. Indeed, it is common knowledge how often a song has repressed fits of anger, and how many wondrous things music has done for the affections of either the body or the soul. Who is unaware of the story that Pythagoras restored a drunken young man of Tauromenium—who had been incited by the sound of the Phrygian mode A musical scale associated with excitement and passion—to a milder state and to self-control by having a Spondee A slow, solemn musical rhythm played? For when a prostitute was locked in the house of a rival, and the youth in his madness wanted to burn the house down, Pythagoras was observing the courses of the stars (as was his nightly custom). When he realized the youth was incited by the sound of the Phrygian mode and would not cease from his fury despite many warnings from friends, he ordered the mode to be changed; and thus he tempered the mind of the raging youth to a state of most peaceful mental calm. Marcus Tullius [Cicero] records this in the book he composed On Counsels—in a different way, but to this effect: "But to compare the smallest things with the greatest, led by some similarity: as when a piper, by his song, incited a hot-headed youth (as happens) to break down the doors of a modest woman, he [Pythagoras] advised..."