CHAPTER III
GREEK AND ROMAN MUSIC
17. In General.—The Greek mind was both analytic and
constructive. In all the fine arts it seized upon styles already in
existence and speedily developed them with a scope and ideality
unknown before. In the case of music, this expansion was
notably scientific and philosophical as well as technical. Though
the conclusions reached were limited by various causes, they
were yet acute for their time and have since been highly influential.
In Greek music we find the immediate source of early
mediæval music and thus indirectly of modern music.
Our knowledge of Greek music is, however, one-sided, being drawn
almost wholly from works about music rather than from examples. Of
the practical working of the system we know little, except that music was
joined more intimately with poetry and with general culture than is now
common.
It is not easy to mark off the historic stages in musical development,
except in a very rough and general way. The following
periods, however, are to be borne in mind:—
The Mythical or Heroic Age—the time of the itinerant minstrel or
bard—prior to about 675 B.C., when popular contests in music and poetry
began in Sparta.
The Classical Period, culminating in the 5th century B.C., but continuing till the downfall of Greek independence in 338, during which the practice of music-poetry was developed, chiefly at Athens or near by.
The Alexandrian Period, from about 325 B.C. to the Christian Era and after, in which the older versatile originality gave place to scientific criticism or mere imitation, chiefly at Alexandria.
The Roman Period, from the time of Augustus until the Roman Empire was dissolved, during which all the arts of Greece were extensively adopted, often in degenerate forms, by the dominant peoples to the west.
From all these periods we find mention of musical performers, teachers and theorists, some of whom are named below.
18. Union of Music with Poetry.—In Greek thought what we
call poetry and music were intimately blended, both being held
