The same may be said of Tyrtaeus the Mantinean,
Andreas the Corinthian, Thrasyllus the Phliasian, and
several others, who, as we well know, abstained by choice
from the chromatic, from transition, from the increased
number of strings, and many other common forms of
rhythms, tunes, diction, composition, and expression. Telephanes of Megara was so great an enemy to the pipe made
of reed (called syrinx), that he would not suffer the instrument maker to join it to the flute (pipe made of wood or
horn), and chiefly for that reason forbore to go to the Pythian games. In short, if a man should be thought to be
ignorant of that which he makes no use of, there would
be found a great number of ignorant persons in this age.
For we see that the admirers of the Dorian composition
make no use of the Antiginedian; the followers of the Antiginedian reject the Dorian; and other musicians refuse
to imitate Timotheus, being almost all bewitched with the
trifles and the idle poems of Polyidus. On the other
side, if we dive into the business of variety and compare
antiquity with the present times, we shall find there
was great variety then, and that frequently made use of.
For then the variation of rhythm was more highly esteemed,
and the change of their manner of play more frequent. We
are now lovers of fables, they were then lovers of rhythm.
Plain it is therefore, that the ancients did not refrain from
[p. 118]
broken measures out of ignorance, but out of judgment.
And yet what wonder is this, when there are so many other
things necessary to human life which are not unknown,
though not made use of by those who have no occasion to
use them? But they are refused, and the use of them is
altogether neglected, as not being found proper on many
occasions.
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