Fifth-century Athenian musical and political theorist Damon was the first to study music's psychological, behavioural, and political effects, profoundly influencing debates on music theory throughout antiquity. Considered by Isokrates to be the most intelligent Athenian of his age, Damon worked alongside Perikles during the most vibrant decades of Athens' democracy. Probably using fourth-century BC sources, Olympiodoros records that 'Damon taught Perikles the songs
through which Perikles harmonized the city'. However, musical and political entanglements caused this teacher-theorist to be ostracized from Athens for ten years, at the height of Perikles'
power. Reconstructing Damon is the first comprehensive study of the most important theorist of music and poetic meter in ancient Athens, detailing his extensive influence, and providing the first systematic collection, translation, and critical examination of all ancient testimonia for him. In doing so, this volume makes an important contribution to a number of key fields, including classical Greek music and music theory, fifth-century philosophy (particularly
the sophists), political history including the growth of democracy, and the life and career of Perikles.
Fifth-century Athenian musical and political theorist Damon was the first to study music's psychological, behavioural, and political effects, profoundly influencing debates on music theory throughout antiquity. Considered by Isokrates to be the most intelligent Athenian of his age, Damon worked alongside Perikles during the most vibrant decades of Athens' democracy. Probably using fourth-century BC sources, Olympiodoros records that 'Damon taught Perikles the songs
through which Perikles harmonized the city'. However, musical and political entanglements caused this teacher-theorist to be ostracized from Athens for ten years, at the height of Perikles'
power. Reconstructing Damon is the first comprehensive study of the most important theorist of music and poetic meter in ancient Athens, detailing his extensive influence, and providing the first systematic collection, translation, and critical examination of all ancient testimonia for him. In doing so, this volume makes an important contribution to a number of key fields, including classical Greek music and music theory, fifth-century philosophy (particularly
the sophists), political history including the growth of democracy, and the life and career of Perikles.
Preface: Plato on Damon
Abbreviations and References
Introduction
Part I
1: Teaching and Wisdom Counsel
2: Damon's Êthos Theories of Music and Poetic Meter
3: Music and Politics
4: Damon after Plato
Conclusion
Part II
Testimonia and Commentary
Appendix 1: Did Damon Publish?
Appendix 2: Damon's Chronology
Appendix 3: The Êthos Theory
Appendix 4: Four Questions
Conspectus of Testimonia
Select Bibliography
Index Locorum
General Index
Robert W. Wallace is Professor of Classics at Northwestern University. A graduate of Columbia, Oxford, and Harvard, he has written or edited seven books and some 85 articles in the fields of Greek history, literature, law, music theory, and coinage. He has been a visiting professor at the Universities of Siena, Pisa, Urbino, Trento, Halle, and the American School of Classical Studies, Athens. He has lectured widely in Europe and North America.
Wallace's Reconstructing Damon serves as an excellent incitement to
re-investigate the intellectual and political milieu of
mid-fifth-century Athens, as well as to basic (and timely)questions
about expertise and political manipulation.
*Christopher Moore, Polis: The Journal for Ancient Greek Political
Thought*
In conclusion, Wallace has done the scholarly community a good
service in sharing the results of his 30 years' work on Damon and
his book will shape the image of this important Athenian
intellectual for many generations. ... Wallace's book certainly
represents the best tool currently available to make further
progress in understanding the legacy of this wondrous 'sophist in
disguise'.
*Tosca Lynch, Greek and Roman Musical Studies*
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