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Athens therefore never bred up any true artist in
epic or lyric verse. For Cinesias was a troublesome writer
of dithyrambics, a person of mean parentage and of no
repute; and being jeered and derided by the comedians,
proved very unfortunate in the pursuit of fame.
[p. 405]
Now for the dramatic poets, the Athenians looked upon
comedy to be so ignoble and troublesome, that they published a law that no Areopagite should make any comedies.
But tragedy flourished and was cried up, and with wonder
and admiration heard and beheld by all people in those
days, deceiving them with fables and the display of various
passions; whereby, as Gorgias says, he that deceived was
more just than he that deceived not, and he that was deceived was wiser than he who was not deceived. He that
deceived was more just, because it was no more than what
he pretended to do; and he that was deceived was wiser,
for that he must be a man of no sense that is not taken
with the sweetness of words. And yet what benefit did
those fine tragedies procure the Athenians? But the
shrewdness and cunning of Themistocles walled the city,
the industry of Pericles adorned their citadel, and Cimon
advanced them to command their neighbors. But as for
the wisdom of Euripides, the eloquence of Sophocles, the
lofty style of Aeschylus, what calamity did they avert from
the city; or what renown or fame did they bring to the
Athenians? Is it fitting then that dramatic poems should
be compared with trophies, the stage with the generals'
office, or lists of dramas with noble achievements?
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