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: