Plutarch, De E apud Delphos, Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator), 10

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[10] But these remarks have been extended somewhat beyond what the occasion requires. However, it is clear that men make Five an attribute of the god, which at one time of itself creates itself, like fire, and at another time out of itself creates ten, like the universe. And in music, which is especially pleasing to him, do we imagine that this number plays no part? For the main application of harmony, so far as it can be put into words, is concerned with chords. That these are five, and no more, reason convinces anyone who wishes, by perception alone without employing reason, to pursue these matters on the strings and stops¹; for they all have their origin in numerical ratios. The ratio of the fourth is four to three,² that of the fifth is three to two, and that of the octave two to one; that of the octave plus the fifth is three to one,³ and that of the double octave four to one. The extra chord which the writers on harmony introduce, naming it the octave and the fourth extra metrum, does not deserve acceptance, since we should be favouring the unreasoning element in our sense of hearing contrary to reason, which is as much as to say, contrary to law. Now if I may omit any discussion of the five stops of the tetrachord,⁴ and the first five tones or tropes or harmonies, whatever be their right name, from the changes in which, through a greater or a less tension, the remaining lower and higher notes are derived, I must ask whether, although the intervals are numerous, or rather of infinite number, yet the elements of melody are not five only,⁵ quarter tone, half tone, tone, a tone plus a half tone, and double tone; and there is, in the range of notes, no additional space, either smaller or greater within the limits set by the high and the low, which can yield melody.

De E apud Delphos. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1936.

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Current edition Perseus

The Ε at Delphi (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. 5. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1936 (printing).)

Editions (1)

Περὶ τοῦ Ε τοῦ ἐν Δελφοῖς Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol 3. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1891.) — 10 focus

[10] ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἱκανοῦ καιροῦ μᾶλλον ἀπομεμήκυνται· δῆλον δʼ ὅτι συνοικειοῦσιν αὐτῷ¹ τὴν πεμπάδα,² νῦν μὲν αὐτὴν³ ἑαυτὴν ὡς τὸ πῦρ αὖθις 25 389d δὲ τὴν δεκάδα ποιοῦσαν ἐξ ἑαυτῆς ὡς τὸν κόσμον. τῆς δὲ δὴ μάλιστα κεχαρισμένης τῷ θεῷ μουσικῆς οὐκ οἰόμεθα τούτῳ τῷ ἀριθμῷ· μετεῖναι; τὸ γὰρ πλεῖστον ὡς ἔνι⁴ εἰπεῖν ἔργον ἁρμονικῆς περὶ τὰς συμφωνίας ἐστίν. αὗται δʼ ὅτι πέντε καὶ οὐ 5 πλείους,⁵ ὁ λόγος ἐξελέγχει τὸν ἐν χορδαῖς καὶ τρυπήμασι ταῦτα θηρᾶν ἀλόγως τῇ αἰσθήσει βουλόμενον. πᾶσαι γὰρ ἐν λόγοις τὴν γένεσιν ἀριθμῶν λαμβάνουσιν· καὶ λόγος ἐστὶ τῆς μὲν διὰ τεσσάρων ἐπίτριτος, τῆς δὲ διὰ πέντε ἡμιόλιος, διπλάσιος δὲ 10 τῆς διὰ πασῶν, τῆς δὲ διὰ πασῶν καὶ διὰ πέντε τριπλάσιος, τῆς δὲ δὶς διὰ πασῶν τετραπλάσιος. ἣν 389e δὲ ταύταις ἐπεισάγουσιν οἱ ἁρμονικοὶ διὰ πασῶν καὶ διὰ τεσσάρων ὀνομάζοντες, ἔξω μέτρου βαίνουσαν, οὐκ ἄξιόν ἐστι δέχεσθαι, τῆς ἀκοῆς τῷ ἀλόγῳ 15 παρὰ τὸν λόγον ὥσπερ νόμον χαριζομένους. ἵνα τοίνυν ἀφῶ πέντε τετραχόρδων θέσεις, καὶ πέντε τοὺς πρώτους, εἴτε τόνους ἢ τρόπους; εἴθʼ ἁρμονίας χρὴ καλεῖν, ὧν⁶ ἐπιτάσει καὶ ὑφέσει τρεπομένων κατὰ τὸ μᾶλλον καὶ ἧττον αἱ λοιπαὶ βαρύτητές εἰσι καὶ ὀξύτητες 20 ἆρʼ οὐχὶ πολλῶν, μᾶλλον δʼ ἀπείρων διαστημάτων ὄντων, τὰ μελῳδούμενα μόνα πέντʼ ἐστί, 389f δίεσις καὶ ἡμιτόνιον καὶ τόνος καὶ τριημιτόνιον καὶ δίτονον, ἄλλο δʼ οὐδὲν οὔτε μικρότερον οὔτε μεῖζον ἐν φωναῖς χωρίον ὀξύτητι καὶ βαρύτητι περατούμενον 25 μελῳδητόν ἐστι;

Translations (1)

Of the word ΕΙ engraven over the gate of Apollo's temple at Delphi Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. 4. Goodwin, William W., editor; Kippax, R, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 10 focus

[10] But these things have perhaps had more than sufficient time spent on them. This, however, is evident, that they properly attribute to this God the number of five, saying that it sometimes of itself produces itself like fire, and other whiles the number of ten, like the world. But do we think that this number is not also concerned with music, which is of all things most acceptable to this God For the chiefest operation of harmony is, as one may say, about symphonies. Now that these are five and no more, reason convinces even him who will by his senses without reasoning make trial either on strings or pipe-holes. For all these accords take their original in proportions of number; and the proportion of the symphony diatessaron is sesquitertial, of diapente sesquialter, of diapason duple, of diapason with diapente triple, and of disdiapason quadruple. But as for that which, transcending all measures, the musicians add to these, naming it diapason with diatessaron, it is not fit we should receive it, gratifying the unreasonable pleasure of the ear against proportion, which is as the law. I may therefore let pass the five positions of the tetrachords, and also the five first,—whether they are to be called tones, tropes, or harmonies,—according to the changes of which by rising or falling, either to more or less, the rest are bases or trebles. And, whereas there are many or rather infinite intervals, are not five of them only used in music, to wit, diesis, hemitonion, tons, triemitonion, and ditonon? Nor is there in the voice any other space, either greater or less, that, being distinguished by base or treble, comes into melody.

Notes on the current edition

The

1. Cf. Plato, Republic, 530 d - 531 c.

2. Cf. Moralia, 1018 e.

3. Cf. 429 e, infra.

4. Cf. 430 a, infra, and Moralia, 1021 e and 1029 a.

5. Cf. 430 a, infra.

Plutarch De E apud Delphos 10

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

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