From themistocles to philomathes:Amousos andamousia in antiquity and the early modern period
Roger Harmon
Greek myth and history are peppered with musician heroes, Orpheus, Amphion, Arion being only the most prominent examples. Their antithesis was music'santi-hero, theamousos of fame marked by a deficit culture. To be worthy note, person'samousia had to imply paradox, as is case Zethus, Amphion's twin brother, and, above all, Themistocles, on one hand held his contemporaries “wisest Hellenes” (Herodotus), other notorious for non-achievement in field music. Plutarch preserves reference Ion Chios Themistocles' abstention from playing lyre resulting disgrace, an episode emblematic mores and—seen polarized viewpoint of, e.g., Aristotle'sAthenaion politeia—politics 5th-c.-BC Athens (§1). Cicero redacted story exemplifye negativo music's high status Greece, Augustine used it legitimize disdain classical learning (§2). Cicero's redaction figured protrepticlaus musices Early Modern Period (§3) inspired beginning Thomas Morley'sIntroduction Practicall Musicke (§4). The notions that immunity charm sign innate evil statecraft kind music converged perennial debate character works John Case, foremost Elizabethan apologist (§5), Aelius Aristides, second-century orator (§6) respectively. Thus ancient authors related Themistocles'amousia variety issues, emancipating its original context instrumentalizing according their own agendas.
International Journal of the Classical Tradition|reroDoc Digital Library