672–673
Athenian
Ath. Moreover, as to wine, the account given by other people apparently is that it was bestowed on us men as a punishment, to make us mad; but our own account, on the contrary, declares that it is a medicine given for the purpose of securing modesty of soul and health and strength of body.
Clinias
Clin. You have recalled our account admirably, Stranger.
10
Athenian
Ath. We may say, then, that the one half of the subject of choristry has now been disposed of. Shall we proceed at once to deal with the other half in whatever way seems best, or shall we leave it alone?
Clinias
Clin. What halves do you mean? How are you dividing the subject?
Athenian
Ath. In our view, choristry as a whole is identical with education as a whole; and the part of this concerned with the voice consists of rhythms and harmonies.
Athenian
Ath. And the part concerned with bodily motion possesses, in common with vocal motion, rhythm; besides which it possesses gesture as its own peculiar attribute, just as tune is the peculiar attribute of vocal motion.
Athenian
Ath. Now the vocal actions which pertain to the training of the soul in excellence we ventured somehow to name music.
Clinias
Clin. And rightly so.
Athenian
Ath. As regards the bodily actions which we called playful dancing,—if such action attains to bodily excellence, we may term the technical guidance of the body to this end gymnastic.
5
Clinias
Clin. Quite rightly.