The Supreme Musician

Plato / Socrates

The True Musician and Harmonist

And as there are two principles of human nature, one the spirited and the other the philosophical, some God, as I should say, has given mankind two arts answering to them (and only indirectly to the soul and the body), in order that these two principles (like the strings of an instrument) may be relaxed or drawn tighter until they are duly harmonized.

That appears to be the intention.

And he who mingles music with gymnastic in the fairest proportions, and best attempers them to the soul, may be rightly called the true musician and harmonist in a far higher sense than the tuner of the strings.

You are quite right, Socrates.

- Plato

For more on "The Republic" visit www.litrix.com/republic/repub001.htm

From "The Republic"

Extracts from "Phaedo"

From Timaeus