Letter 2040: When the king of the Franks, drawn by the fame of our table, requested a lyre player from us with great urgency, we...

From: Theoderic (through Cassiodorus), King of the Ostrogoths To: Boethius, Patrician Date: ~522 AD Context: An extraordinary letter on the power of music, asking the philosopher Boethius to select a skilled lyre player to send to the Frankish king. Contains one of the finest ancient discussions of music theory and its effects. When the king of the Franks, drawn by the fame of our table, requested a lyre player from us with great urgency, we promised to fulfill the request for one reason alone: we knew that you are an expert in the art of music. It falls to you to make a learned choice, since you have been able to reach the heights of this discipline. What could be more splendid than music, which governs the machinery of heaven with its harmonious sweetness and comprehends the unity of nature everywhere through the power of its art? Whatever exists in some form of ordered measure does not depart from the rule of harmony. Through it we think clearly, speak beautifully, move gracefully. When it reaches our ears by the law of its discipline, it commands song, transforms our moods -- hearing itself becomes an artist. This elaborate delight, when it emerges from nature's inner sanctum like a queen of the senses, adorned with its modes, drives out all other thoughts and makes us wish to hear nothing else. It soothes harmful sadness, calms swollen rage, makes bloodthirsty cruelty gentle, rouses sluggish torpor, gives the healthiest rest to the wakeful, recalls chastity corrupted by base love to honest pursuit, heals the weariness of a mind always hostile to good thoughts, and converts destructive hatred into helpful goodwill. What a blessed kind of cure -- to expel the mind's afflictions through the sweetest pleasures! It soothes the incorporeal soul through bodily means, and by hearing alone leads where it wishes a soul it cannot grasp by words. Silent, it cries out with its hands; without a mouth, it speaks; and through the obedience of insensible strings, it exercises dominion over the senses. All this is accomplished among men through five modes [scales], each named for the region where it was discovered. The Dorian bestows wisdom and creates chastity. The Phrygian excites battle and inflames the desire for fury. The Aeolian calms the storms of the soul and brings sleep to those already at peace. The Iastian sharpens the understanding of the dull and, for those weighed down by earthly desire, grants an appetite for heavenly goods. The Lydian, discovered as a remedy for excessive cares and weariness of the soul, restores through relaxation and strengthens through delight. Consider also the lyre -- placed among the stars by astronomers who believed heavenly music to be real, since they could recognize the form of a lyre set among the constellations. And the famous David composed his psalter so perfectly modulated for the health of the soul that his hymns heal the wounds of the mind and win the grace of the singular divinity. David's lyre drove out the devil; sound commanded spirits; and as the king played his cithara, a man was restored to freedom whom an inner enemy had shamefully possessed. Though many instruments of delight have been devised, nothing has been found more effective at moving the soul than the sweet resonance of the hollow cithara. We believe the word "chord" [chorda] was named because it easily moves hearts [corda]. Such a concert of voices is gathered in its diversity that when one string is struck, a neighboring one trembles of its own accord without being touched. So great is the power of affinity that it makes an insensible thing move spontaneously because its companion has been set in motion. Therefore, let your wisdom select the finest lyre player of our time. He will accomplish something of Orpheus when his sweet sound tames the fierce hearts of barbarians. As much gratitude as the Franks show us, so much will be returned to you in equal measure -- you who both obey our command and achieve what brings you glory.

XL. BOETHIO PATRICIO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Cum rex Francorum convivii nostri fama pellectus a nobis citharoedum magnis precibus expetisset, sola ratione complendum esse promisimus, quod te eruditionis musicae peritum esse noveramus. adiacet enim vobis doctum eligere, qui disciplinam ipsam in arduo collocatam potuistis attingere. [2] Quid enim illa praestantius, quae caeli machinam sonora dulcedine modulatur et naturae convenientiam ubique dispersam virtutis suae gratia comprehendit? quicquid enim in conceptum alicuius modificationis existit, ab harmoniae continentia non recedit. per hanc competenter cogitamus, pulchre loquimur, convenienter movemur: quae quotiens ad aures nostras disciplinae suae lege pervenerit, imperat cantum, mutat animos artifex auditus, [3] et operosa delectatio haec cum de secreto naturae tamquam sensuum regina tropis suis ornata processerit, reliquae cogitationes exiliunt omniaque facit eici, ut ipsam solummodo delectet audiri. tristitiam noxiam iucundat, tumidos furores attenuat, cruentam saevitiam efficit blandam, excitat ignaviam soporantem languore, vigilantibus reddit saluberrimam quietem, vitiatam turpi amore ad honestum studium revocat castitatem, sanat mentis taedium bonis cogitationibus semper adversum, perniciosa odia convertit ad auxiliatricem gratiam et quod beatum genus curationis est, per dulcissimas voluptates expellit animi passiones. [4] Incorpoream animam corporaliter mulcet et solo auditu ad quod vult deducit, quam tenere non praevalet verbo: tacitus manibus clamat, sine ore loquitur et per insensibilium obsequium praevalet sensuum exercere dominatum. hoc totum inter homines quinque tonis agitur, qui singuli provinciarum ubi reperti sunt nominibus vocitantur. miseratio quippe divina localiter sparsit gratiam, dum omnia sua valde fecit esse laudanda. Dorius prudentiae largitor et castitatis effector est. Phrygius pugnas excitat, votum furoris inflammat. Aeolius animi tempestates tranquillat somnumque iam placatis attribuit. Iastius intellectum obtusis acuit et terreno desiderio gravatis caelestium appetentiam bonorum operator indulget. Lydius contra nimias curas animae taediaque repertus remissione reparat et oblectatione corroborat. [5] Hoc ad saltationes corruptibile saeculum flectens honestum remedium turpe fecit esse commentum. hic vero numerus quinarius trina divisione consistit. omnis enim tonus habet summum et imum: haec autem dicuntur ad medium. et quoniam sine se esse non possunt quae alterna sibi vicissitudine referuntur, utiliter inventum est artificialem musicam, id est auctorum operationibus diversis organis exquisitam, modis quindecim contineri. [6] His rebus aliquid maius adiciens humana sollertia terris quandam harmoniam doctissima inquisitione collegit, quae diapason nominatur, ex omnibus scilicet congregata, ut virtutes, quas universum melos habere potuisset, haec adunatio mirabilis contineret. hinc Orpheus mutis animalibus efficaciter imperavit vagosque greges contemptis pascuis ad audiendi epulas potius invitavit. illo cantante amaverunt siccas Tritones terras: Galatea lusit in solidis: deseruerunt ursi amabiles silvas: leones domestica tandem canneta reliquerunt: iuxta praedonem suum praeda gaudebat. in unum conventum contraria vota collecta sunt et fide dicente lyra omnia sibi adversa crediderunt. [7] Amphion quoque Dircaeus canendo chordis Thebanos muros dicitur condidisse, ut, cum homines labore marcidos ad studium perfectionis erigeret, saxa ipsa crederentur relictis rupibus advenisse. Musaeum etiam, et artis Orphei filium et naturae, Maronis praepotens lingua concelebrat, dicens apud inferos in summa beatitudine constitutum, quod per Elysios campos felices animas septem chordarum pulsibus amoenabat, significans summo praemio perfrui, cui disciplinae huius contigerit suavitatibus epulari. [8] Sed haec omnia humano studio per manualem musicam videntur effecta. naturalis autem rhythmus animatae voci cognoscitur attributus: qui tunc melos pulchre custodit, si apte taceat, congruenter loquatur et per accentus viam musicis pedibus composita voce gradiatur. inventa est quoque ad permovendos animos oratorum fortis ac suavis oratio, ut criminosis irascantur iudices, misereantur errantibus: et quicquid potest eloquens efficere, ad huius disciplinae non est dubium gloriam pertinere. [9] Poetis etiam, Terentiano testante, duo primum metra principalia sunt tributa, id est heroicum et iambicum, unum quod erigeret, alterum quod placaret. ex quibus ad oblectandos animos audientum diversa progenita sunt et ut in organis toni, ita in humana voce varias animi affectiones gravida metra pepererunt. [10] Sirenas in miraculum cantasse curiosa prodit antiquitas et quamvis navigantes fluctus abduceret, carbasa ventus inflaret, eligebant suaviter decepti scopulos incurrere, ne tantam paterentur dulcedinem praeterire. quibus solus Ithacus evasit, qui nautis sollicitatorem protinus obstruxit auditum. contra noxiam dulcedinem cogitavit vir prudentissimus felicissimam surditatem et quam vincere intellegendo non poterant, melius non advertendo superabant. se vero soliditati arboris constrictis nexibus illigavit, ut et famosos cantus liberis auribus probare potuisset et pericula dulcisonae vocis unda rapiente vinctus evaderet. [11] Verum ut et nos talia exemplo sapientis Ithaci transeamus, loquamur de illo lapso caelo psalterio, quod vir toto orbe cantabilis ita modulatum pro animae sospitate composuit, ut his hymnis et mentis vulnera sanentur et divinitatis singularis gratia conquiratur. en quod saeculum miretur et credat: pepulit Davitica lyra diabolum: sonus spiritibus imperavit: et canente cithara rex in libertatem rediit, quem internus inimicus turpiter possidebat. [12] Nam licet huius delectationis organa multa fuerint exquisita, nihil tamen efficacius inventum est ad permovendos animos quam concavae citharae blanda resultatio. hinc etiam appellatam aestimamus chordam, quod facile corda moveat: ubi tanta vocum collecta est sub diversitate concordia, ut vicina chorda pulsata alteram faciat sponte contremiscere, quam nullum contigit attigisse. tanta enim vis est convenientiae, ut rem insensualem sponte se movere faciat, quia eius sociam constat agitatam. [13] Hinc diversae veniunt sine lingua voces: hinc variis sonis efficitur quidam suavissimus chorus, illa acuta nimia tensione, ista gravis aliqua laxitate, haec media tergo blandissime temperato, ut homines se ad tantam perducere non praevaleant unitatem, in quantam ad socialem convenientiam ratione carentia pervenerunt. ibi enim quicquid excellenter, quicquid ponderatim, quicquid rauce, quicquid purissime aliasque distantias sonat, quasi in unum ornatum constat esse collectum, et ut diadema oculis varia luce gemmarum, sic cithara diversitate soni blanditur auditui. [14] Musarum tela loquax, stamina verbosa, fila canentia, in quibus arguto plectro tegitur quod dulciter audiatur. hanc igitur ad imitationem variae testudinis Mercurius dicitur invenisse, quam tanta utillima procurantem astronomi inter stellas requirendam esse putaverunt, persuadentes caelestem esse musicam, quando lyrae formam comprehendere potuerunt inter sidera collocatam. [15] Harmonia vero caeli humano sermone idonee non potest explicari, quam ratio tantum animo dedit, sed auribus natura non prodidit. dicunt enim debere credi, ut beatitudo caelestis illis oblectationibus perfruatur, quae nec fine deficit nec aliqua intermissione marcescit. in ipso quippe intellectu habitare referunt superna, ipsis deliciis caelestia perfrui et talibus contemplationibus inhaerentia beatis iugiter delectationibus contineri. [16] Bene quidem arbitrati, si causam caelestis beatitudinis non in sonis, sed in creatore posuissent, ubi veraciter sine fine gaudium est, sine aliquo taedio manens semper aeternitas, et inspectio sola divinitatis efficit, ut beatius esse nil possit. haec veraciter perennitatem praestat, haec iucunditates accumulat: et sicut praeter ipsam creatura non extat, ita sine ipsa incommutabilem laetitiam habere non praevalet. [17] Sed quoniam nobis facta est voluptuosa digressio, quia semper gratum est de doctrina colloqui cum peritis, citharoedum, quem a nobis diximus postulatum, sapientia vestra eligat praesenti tempore meliorem, facturus aliquid Orphei, cum dulci sono gentilium fera corda domuerit. et quantae nobis gratiae fuerint actae, tantae vobis et nostrae aequabili compensatione referuntur, qui et imperio nostro paretis et quod vos clarificare possit, efficitis.