Sic priscae--arti
tibicen, &c.
sic fidibus, &c.
"This is the application of what hath been said, in general, concerning
the refinement of theatrical music to the case of _tragedy_. Some
commentators say, and to _comedy._ But in this they mistake, as will
appear presently. M. _Dacier_ hath I know not what conceit about a
comparison betwixt the _Roman_ and _Greek_ stage. His reason is, _that
the lyre was used in the Greek chorus, as appears, he says, from
Sophocles himself playing upon this instrument himself in one of his
tragedies._ And was it not used too in the Roman chorus, as appears from
Nero's playing upon it in several tragedies? But the learned critic
did not apprehend this matter. Indeed from the caution, with which his
guides, the dealers in antiquities, always touch this point, it should
seem, that they too had no very clear conceptions of it. The case I take
to have been this: The _tibia_, as being most proper to accompany the
declamation of the acts, _cantanti fuccinere_, was constantly employed,
as well in the Roman tragedy as comedy. This appears from many
authorities. I mention only two from Cicero. _Quam multa_ [Acad. 1. ii.
7.] _quae nos fugiunt in cantu, exaudiunt in eo genere exercitati: Qui,
primo inflatu Tibicinis, Antiopam esse aiunt aut Andromacham, cum nos
ne suspicemur quidem_. The other is still more express. In his piece
entitled _Orator_, speaking of the negligence of the Roman writers, in
respect of _numbers_, he observes, _that there were even many passages
in their tragedies, which, unless the_ TIBIA _played to them, could not
be distinguished from mere prose: quae, nisi cum Tibicen accesserit,
orationi sint solutae simillima._ One of these passages is expressly
quoted from _Thyestes_, a tragedy of _Ennius_; and, as appears from
the measure, taken out of one of the acts. It is clear then, that the
_tibia_ was certainly used in the _declamation_ of tragedy. But now the
song of the tragic chorus, being of the nature of the ode, of course
required _fides_, the lyre, the peculiar and appropriated instrument
of the lyric muse. And this is clearly collected, if not from express
testimonies; yet from some occasional hints dropt by the antients. For,
1. the lyre, we are told, [Cic. De Leg. ii. 9. & 15.] and is agreed
on all hands, was an instrument of the Romon theatre; but it was not
employed in comedy, This we certainly know from the short accounts of
the music prefixed to Terence's plays. 2. Further, the _tibicen_, as
we saw, accompanied the declamation of the acts in tragedy. It remains
then, that the proper place of the lyre was, where one should naturally
look for it, in the songs of the chorus; but we need not go further than
this very passage for a proof. It is unquestionable, that the poet is
here speaking of the chorus only; the following lines not admitting
any other possible interpretation. By _fidibus_ then is necessarily
understood the instrument peculiarly used in it. Not that it need be
said that the _tibia_ was never used in the chorus. The contrary seems
expressed in a passage of Seneca, [Ep. ixxxiv.] and in Julius Pollux
[1. iv. 15. § 107.] It is sufficient, if the _lyre_ was used solely, or
principally, in it at this time. In this view, the whole digression is
more pertinent, and connects better. The poet had before been speaking
of tragedy. All his directions, from 1. 100, respect this species of the
drama only. The application of what he had said concerning music, is
then most naturally made, I. to the _tibia_, the music of the acts; and,
2. to _fides_, that of the choir: thus confining himself, as the tenor
of this part required, to tragedy only. Hence is seen the mistake, not
only of M. Dacier, whose comment is in every view insupportable; but, as
was hinted, of Heinsius, Lambin, and others, who, with more probability,
explained this of the Roman comedy and tragedy. For, though _tibia_
might be allowed to stand for comedy, as opposed to _tragoedia_, [as in
fact, we find it in 1. ii. Ep. I. 98,] that being the only instrument
employed in it; yet, in speaking expressly of the music of the stage,
_fides_ could not determinately enough, and in contradistinction to
_tibia_, denote that of tragedy, it being an instrument used solely,
or principally, in the chorus; of which, the context shews, he alone
speaks. It is further to be observed, that, in the application here
made, besides the music, the poet takes in the other improvements of the
tragic chorus, these happening, as from the nature of the thing they
would do, at the same tine. _Notes on the Art of Poetry._