Page:A History of Ancient Greek Literature.djvu/103

 MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENTS 79 disciple Heraclides says it is 'austere and proud.' The Socratic tradition especially finds a moral meaning in the difference between string and wind instruments. The harp allows you to remain master of yourself, a free and thinking man ; the flute, pipe, or clarionette, or whatever corresponds to the various kinds of ' aulos,' puts you beside yourself, obscures reason, and is more fit for barbarians. As a matter of fact, the ' aulos ' was the favourite instrument in Sparta, Boeotia, and Delphi. Too stimulating for the sensitive Athenian, it fairly suited the Dorian palate. It would probably be milk- and-water to us. The local styles of music had generally corresponding styles of metre. Those of Lesbos and Teos, for instance, remained simple ; their music appeals even to an un- trained ear. The ordinary Ionic rhythms need only be once felt to be full of magic, the Dorian are a little harder, while many of the ^olian remain unintelligible except to the most sympathetic students. The definite rules, the accompaniment of rhythmic motion and con- stant though subordinate music, enabled the Greeks to produce metrical effects which the boldest and most melo- dious of English poets could never dream of approaching. There is perhaps no department of ancient achievement which distances us so completely as the higher lyric poem. We have developed music separately, and far surpassed the Greeks in that great isolated domain, but at what a gigantic sacrifice ! The origin of the word Elegy is obscure. It may have been originally a dirge metre accompanied, when sung, by the 'aulos.' But we meet it first in war-songs, and it became in course of time the special verse for love.