8. And Pratinas the Phliasian says, that when some hired flute-players and chorus-dancers were occupying the orchestra, some people were indignant because the flute-players did not play in tune to the choruses, as was the national custom, but the choruses instead sang, keeping time to the flutes. And what his opinion and feelings were towards those who did this, Pratinas declares in the following hyporchema:— What noise is this? What mean these songs of dancers now? What new unseemly fashion Has seized upon this stage to Bacchus sacred, Now echoing with various noise? Bromius is mine! is mine! I am the man who ought to sing, I am the man who ought to raise the strain, Hastening o'er the hills, In swift inspired dance among the Naiades; Blending a song of varied strain, Like the sweet dying swan. You, O Pierian Muse, the sceptre sway Of holy song: And after you let the shrill flute resound; For that is but the handmaid Of revels, where men combat at the doors, And fight with heavy fists.[65] * * * * * And is the leader fierce of bloody quarrel. Descend, O Bacchus, on the son of Phrynæus, The leader of the changing choir,— Chattering, untimely, leading on The rhythm of the changing song. * * * * * King of the loud triumphal dithyrambic, Whose brow the ivy crowns, Hear this my Doric song. 9. And of the union of flutes with the lyre (for that concert has often been a great delight to us ourselves), Ephippus, in his Traffic, speaks as follows:— Clearly, O youth, the music of the flute, And that which from the lyre comes, does suit Well with our pastimes; for when each resound In unison with the feelings of those present, Then is the greatest pleasure felt by all. And the exact meaning of the word συναυλία is shown by Semus the Delian, in the fifth book of his Delias, where he writes—"But as the term 'concert' (συναυλία) is not understood by many people, we must speak of it. It is when there is a union of the flute and of rhythm in alternation, without any words accompanying the melody." And Antiphanes explains it very neatly in his Flute-player, where he says— Tell me, I pray you, what this concert (ἡ συναυλία αὕτη) was Which he did give you. For you know; but they Having well learnt, still played[66].... * * * * * A concert of sweet sounds, apart from words, Is pleasant, and not destitute of meaning.