It appears, said I, friend, that we have now thoroughly
discussed that part of music respecting oratory and fable ; for we
have already told what is to be spoken, and in what manner. It
appears so to me likewise, said he. Does it not yet remain, said
I, that we speak of the manner of song, and of melodies ? It is
plain. May not any one discover what we must say of these
things ; and of what kind these ought to be, if we are to be
consistent with what is above mentioned ? Here Glauco laughing
said : But I appear, Socrates, to be a stranger to all these matters,
for I am not able at present to guess at what we ought to say.
I suspect, however. You are certainly, said I, fully able to say
this in the first place, that melody is composed of three things :
of sentiment, harmony, and rhythm. Yes, replied he, this I can
say. And that the part which consists in the sentiment differs in
nothing from that sentiment which is not sung, in this respect,
that it ought to be performed upon the same models, as we just
now said, and in the same manner. True, said he. And surely,
then, the harmony and rhythm ought to correspond to the
sentiment. Certainly. But we observed there was no occasion
for waitings and lamentations in compositions. No occasion, truly.
