§19.44Διὰ τί τῶν μὲν ὀκτὼ μέση καλεῖται, τῶν δὲ ὀκτὼ οὐκ ἔστι μέσον;
Why is it that, among the eight notes, one is called mese (middle), but among eight notes there is no middle?
ἢ ὅτι ἑπτάχορδοι ἦσαν αἱ ἁρμονίαι τὸ παλαιόν, τὰ δὲ ἑπτὰ ἔχει μέσον;
Or is it because tunings (harmoniai) were seven-stringed in ancient times, and seven has a middle?
ἔτι ἐπειδὴ τῶν μεταξὺ τῶν ἄκρων τὸ μέσον μόνον ἀρχή τίς ἐστιν (ἔστιν τῶν 〈εἰς〉 θάτερον τῶν ἄκρων νευόντων ἔν τινι συστήματι ἀνὰ μέσον ὂν ἀρχή), τοῦτ’ ἔσται μέσον.
Furthermore, since of those between the extremes only the middle is a kind of beginning (for that which is in the middle, in any system of those inclining towards either of the extremes, is a beginning), this will be the middle.
ἐπεὶ δ’ ἔσχατα μέσον ἐστὶν ἁρμονίας νεάτη καὶ ὑπάτη, τούτων δὲ ἀνὰ μέσον οἱ λοιποὶ φθόγγοι ὧν ἡ μέση καλουμένη μόνη ἀρχή ἐστι θατέρου τετραχόρδου, δικαίως μέση καλεῖται.
And since the extremes of a tuning are nete and hypate, and the remaining notes are between these, among which the so-called mese alone is the beginning of the other tetrachord, it is justly called mese.
τῶν γὰρ μεταξύ τινων ἄκρων τὸ μέσον ἦν ἀρχὴ μόνον. §19.45Διὰ τί οἱ πολλοὶ ιιιᾄδοντες σώζουσι μᾶλλον τὸν ῥυθμὸν ἢ οἱ ὀλίγοι;
For of those between certain extremes, only the middle was the beginning. is it that the many who sing preserve the rhythm better than the few?
ἢ ὅτι μᾶλλον πρὸς ἕνα τε καὶ ἡγεμόνα βλέπουσι, καὶ βραδύτερον ἄρχονται, ὥστε ῥᾷον τοῦ αὐτοῦ τυγχάνουσιν;
Or is it because they look more towards one leader, and start more slowly, so that they more easily hit upon the same?
ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ τάχει πλείων γίνεται ἡ ἁμαρτία.
For in speed there is greater error.
συμβαίνει δὲ τῷ ἡγεμόνι προσέχειν τοὺς πολλούς· ἰδιαζόμενος δὲ οὐδεὶς ἂν αὐτῶν διαλάμψειεν ὑπεράρας τὸ πλῆθος.
And it happens that the many pay attention to the leader; and no one among them, singing individually, would stand out by exceeding the multitude.
ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὀλίγοις μᾶλλον διαλάμπουσιν· διὸ καθ’ αὑτοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον ἀγωνίζονται ἢ πρὸς τὸν ἡγεμόνα. §19.46Διὰ τί ἐπὶ τὸ ὀξὺ ἀπᾴδουσν οἱ πλεῖστοι;
But among the few they stand out more; wherefore they compete more among themselves rather than looking to the leader. is it that most people sing out of tune towards the high pitch?
ἢ ὅτι ῥᾷον ὀξὺ ἆσαι ἢ βαρύ;
Or is it because it is easier to sing high than low?
ιᾄδουσι γοῦν ὀξὺ μᾶλλον, καὶ ἐν ᾧ ιιᾄδουσιν, ἁμαρτάνουσιν. §19.47Διὰ τί οἱ ἀρχαῖοι ἑπταχόρδους ποιοῦντες τὰς ἁρμονίας τὴν ὑπάτην, ἀλλ’ οὐ τὴν νήτην κατέλιπον;
At any rate, they sing high rather, and in that which they sing, they make mistakes. did the ancients, when making tunings seven-stringed, leave (retain) the hypate, but not the nete?
ἢ οὐ τὴν νήτην, ἀλλὰ τὴν νῦν παραμέσην καλουμένην ἀφῄρουν καὶ τὸ τονιαῖον διάστημα;
Or was it not the nete, but what is now called paramese and the interval of a tone that they removed?
ἐχρῶντο δὲ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ μέσῃ τοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ ὀξὺ πυκνοῦ· διὸ καὶ μέσην αὐτὴν προσηγόρευσαν.
And they used the mese as the extreme of the pyknon towards the high pitch; wherefore they also named it mese.
ἢ ὅτι ἦν τοῦ μὲν ἄνω τετραχόρδου τελευτή, τοῦ δὲ κάτω ἀρχή, καὶ μέσον εἶχε λόγον τόνῳ τῶν ἄκρων; §19.48Διὰ τί οἱ ἐν τραγῳδίᾳ χοροὶ οὔθ’ ὑποδωριστὶ οὔθ’ ὑποφρυγιστὶ ᾄδουσιν;
Or because it was the end of the upper tetrachord and the beginning of the lower, and had a middle ratio to the extremes in respect of tone? do the choruses in tragedy sing neither in the Hypodorian nor in the Hypophrygian mode?
ἢ ὅτι μέλος ἥκιστα ἔχουσιν αὗται αἱ ἁρμονίαι, οὗ δεῖ μάλιστα τῷ χορῷ;
Or is it because these modes have the least melody, which the chorus needs most?
ἦθος δὲ ἔχει ἡ μὲν ὑποφρυγιστὶ πρακτικόν, διὸ καὶ ἐν [τε] τῷ Γηρυόνῃ ἡ ἔξοδος καὶ ἡ ἐξόπλισις ἐν ταύτῃ πεποίηται, ἡ δὲ ὑποδωριστὶ μεγαλοπρεπὲς καὶ στάσιμον, διὸ καὶ κιθαρῳδικωτάτη ἐστὶ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν.
But the Hypophrygian mode has an active character, wherefore in the "Geryon" the exit and the arming are composed in this; while the Hypodorian has a magnificent and stately character, wherefore it is the most suitable of the modes for citharodes.
ταῦτα δ’ ἄμφω χορῷ μὲν ἀνάρμοστα, τοῖς δὲ ἀπὸ σκηνῆς οἰκειότερα.
Both of these are unsuitable for a chorus, but more appropriate for those on stage.
ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ἡρώων μιμηταί· οἱ δὲ ἡγεμόνες τῶν ἀρχαίων μόνοι ἦσαν ἥρωες, οἱ δὲ λαοὶ ἄνθρωποι, ὧν ἐστὶν ὁ χορός.
For the latter are imitators of heroes; and of the ancients, only the leaders were heroes, while the common people, of whom the chorus consists, were men.
διὸ καὶ ἁρμόζει αὐτῷ τὸ γοερὸν καὶ ἡσύχιον ἦθος καὶ μέλος· ἀνθρωπικὰ γάρ ταῦτα μὲν ἔχουσιν αἱ ἄλλαι ἁρμονίαι, ἥκιστα δὲ αὐτῶν ἡ φρυγιστί·
Therefore, the mournful and quiet character and melody suit it; for these are human.
ἐνθουσιαστικὴ γὰρ καὶ βακχική.
The other modes have these, but the Phrygian has them least of all; for it is enthusiastic and Bacchic.
κατὰ μὲν οὖν ταύτην πάσχομέν τι· παθητικοὶ δὲ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς μᾶλλον τῶν δυνατῶν εἰσί, διὸ καὶ αὕτη ἁρμόττει τοῖς χοροῖς·
Under this latter, then, we are affected in some way; and the weak are more passive than the powerful, wherefore this also suits the choruses.
κατὰ δὲ τὴν ὑποδωριστὶ καὶ ὑποφρυγιστὶ πράττομεν, ὅ οὐκ οἰκεῖόν ἐστι χορῶ.
But under the Hypodorian and Hypophrygian we act, which is not appropriate for a chorus.
ἔστι γὰρ ὁ χορὸς κηδευτὴς ἄπρακτος· εὔνοιαν γὰρ μόνον παρέχεται οἷς πάρεστιν. §19.49Διὰ τί τῶν τὴν συμφωνίαν ποιούντων φθόγγων ἐν τῷ βαρυτέρῳ τὸ μαλακώτερον;
For the chorus is an inactive attendant; for it offers only goodwill to those present. is there more softness in the lower of the notes that produce concord?
ἢ ὅτι τὸ μέλος τῇ μὲν αὑτοῦ φύσει μαλακόν ἐστι καὶ ἠρεμαῖον, τῇ δὲ τοῦ ῥυθμοῦ μίξει τραχὺ καὶ κινητικόν;
Or is it because melody is by its own nature soft and calm, but by the mixture of rhythm becomes rough and active?
ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ μὲν βαρὺς φθόγγος μαλακὸς καὶ ἠρεμαῖός ἐστιν, ὁ δὲ ὀξὺς κινητικός, καὶ τῶν ταὐτὸ μέλος ἐχόντων εἴη ἂν μαλακώτερος ὁ βαρύτερος ἐν ταὐτῷ μέλει μᾶλλον· ἦν γὰρ τὸ μέλος αὐτῷ μαλακόν. §19.50Διὰ τί ἴσων πίθων καὶ ὁμοίων, ἐὰν μὲν ὁ ἕτερος κενὸς ᾖ, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος εἰς τὸ ἥμισυ διάμεστος, διὰ πασῶν συμφωνεῖ ἡ ἠχώ;
And since the low note is soft and calm, while the high is active, among those that have the same melody, the lower would be softer in the same melody; for the melody was soft to it. is it that, of equal and similar jars, if one is empty and the other half full, the echo concordant in an octave?
ἢ ὅτι διπλασία γίνεται καὶ ἡ ἐκ τοῦ ἡμίσεος τῆς ἐκ τοῦ κενοῦ;
Or is it because the echo from the half-full jar also becomes double that of the empty one?
τί γὰρ διαφέρει τοῦτο ἢ ἐπὶ τῶν συρίγγων;
For how does this differ from the case of panpipes?
δοκεῖ γὰρ ἡ θάττων κίνησις ὀξυτέρα εἶναι, ἐν δὲ τοῖς μείζοσι βραδύτερον ὁ ἀὴρ ἀπαντᾷ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς διπλασίοις τοσούτῳ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνάλογον.
For the faster movement seems to be higher, and in larger vessels the air meets the opposite side more slowly, and in those of double size by so much, and in the others proportionally.
συμφωνεῖ δὲ διὰ πασῶν καὶ ὁ διπλασίων ἀσκὸς πρὸς τὸν ἥμισυν.
And the double-sized leather bag also concords in an octave with the half-sized one.