Book 2
667
Ath. The following passage (down to 669 B) deals with the considerations of which a competent judge must take account in the sphere of music and art. He must have regard to three things—correctness (the truth of the copy to the original), moral effect or utility, and charm or pleasure. Though this last, by itself, is no criterion of artistic excellence, it is a natural concomitant (in the mind of the competent judge) when the work of art in question possesses a high degree of both utility and correctness. Now, in the first place, must it not be true of everything which possesses charm as its concomitant, that its most important element is either this charm in itself, or some form of correctness, or, thirdly, utility? For instance, meat and drink and nutriment in general have, as I say, for concomitant that charm which we should term pleasure; but as regards their correctness and utility, what we call the wholesomeness of each article administered is precisely the most perfect element they contain.
667
Clin. Certainly.
667
Ath. Learning, too, is accompanied by the element of charm, which is pleasure; but that which produces its correctness and utility, its goodness and nobleness, is truth.
667
Clin. Quite so.
667
Ath. Then how about the imitative arts which produce likenesses? If they succeed in their productions, should not any concomitant pleasure which results therefrom be most properly called charm?
667
Clin. Yes.
667
Ath. But, speaking generally, the correctness of these things would be the result not, primarily, of pleasure, but of equality in respect of both quality and quantity. i.e. a likeness must be equal to its original both in character and size.
667
Clin. Excellent.
