As well as the development of philosophic and scientific thought, and the rise of new political systems in some poleis, the presence of pythagorean communities in Magna Graecia seems to have had influence also on religion –for instance, as far as Apollo’s cult is concerned- and on music. I propose a reflection on music-therapy among the Early Pythagoreans, in particular for what concerns their use of paeans for healing, as it is clear for instance from Iamblichus’ De Vita Pythagorica (§ 110: the “group katharsis” in spring) and from Porphyry’s Vita Pythagorae (§ 32). The paean, which stands out in tradition also as the musical genre intended to soothe wrath -in particular divine wrath, as we can see for instance in the verses of the Iliad (I, 472-474) where the word is first attested-, proves to be an efficacious cure as far as mental excitement and unbecoming behaviours are concerned. A passage from Apollonius the Paradoxographer’s Historia mirabilis (§ 40 = Aristox. fr. 117 Wehrli) is very interesting as for the therapeutic use of paeans. This evidence concerns Aristoxenus and his account -in a biography of the dityrambic poet Telestes- of a very strange behaviour of women in Locri and Rhegium, who rushed outside the city walls as they heard somebody calling them while they were eating. An oracle consulted for this odd kind of ekstasis prescribed that “twelve “spring paeans” a day for sixty days” should have been sung, so that this event would be the αἴτιον of the paeanographic tradition in Magna Graecia. A study of the social and religious context of this evidence -together with the evidence concerning the Pythagoreans-, might offer interesting elements both as far as the paean is concerned (the relationship of this musical genre with Apollo’s cult and the ritual katharsis, as well as its spread–in particular within the doric regions- and its contexts), and as for the relationship between madness and music.

Accanto allo sviluppo del pensiero filosofico-scientifico e al sorgere di nuovi ordinamenti politici in diverse poleis, la presenza delle comunità pitagoriche in Magna Grecia sembra aver dato impulso anche a livello religioso -ad esempio, con l’affermarsi del culto di Apollo- e musicale. A tale riguardo, si propone una riflessione sulla musicoterapia presso i Pitagorici antichi, e in particolare sull’uso da parte loro del peana, come emerge ad esempio nella Vita Pythagorica di Giamblico (§ 110: la catarsi “primaverile” di gruppo) e nella Vita Pythagorae di Porfirio (§ 32). Il peana, che nella tradizione appare rivolto soprattutto a calmare l’ira (in particolare quella divina, come emerge dalla prima attestazione letteraria del termine in Il. I, 473, παιήονα), sembra rivelarsi in generale efficace in casi di agitazione psichica e scompostezza del comportamento. Importanti spunti a questo riguardo sono offerti da una testimonianza della Historia mirabilis di Apollonio il paradossografo (§ 40 = Aristox. fr. 117 Wehrli), in cui si riferisce che Aristosseno avrebbe narrato in un bios del ditirambografo Teleste di una strana forma di ekstasis delle donne di Locri e di Reggio, che, quando udivano qualcuno chiamarle mentre pranzavano, si precipitavano correndo fuori dalle mura della città. L’oracolo consigliò allora di “intonare dodici peani primaverili al giorno per sessanta giorni”, così che questo episodio costituirebbe l’αἴτιον dell’esistenza di una importante tradizione peanografica in Magna Grecia. L’analisi del contesto sociale e religioso di questa testimonianza, unitamente alle altre sui Pitagorici, può offrire elementi interessanti sia riguardo al peana (per quanto concerne la sua connessione col culto di Apollo e con la catarsi rituale, la sua diffusione geografica -in particolare in ambito dorico- ed ai suoi contesti d’uso), sia riguardo ad una riflessione su follia e musica.

Provenza, A. (2011). Musica, catarsi ed eunomía. I Pitagorici in Magna Grecia e l'uso terapeutico del peana.. In I. Pozzoni (a cura di), La fortuna della Schola Pythagorica. Leggenda e contaminazioni. (pp. 259-288). Villasanta (MB) : Limina Mentis.

Musica, catarsi ed eunomía. I Pitagorici in Magna Grecia e l'uso terapeutico del peana.

PROVENZA, Antonietta
2011-01-01

Abstract

As well as the development of philosophic and scientific thought, and the rise of new political systems in some poleis, the presence of pythagorean communities in Magna Graecia seems to have had influence also on religion –for instance, as far as Apollo’s cult is concerned- and on music. I propose a reflection on music-therapy among the Early Pythagoreans, in particular for what concerns their use of paeans for healing, as it is clear for instance from Iamblichus’ De Vita Pythagorica (§ 110: the “group katharsis” in spring) and from Porphyry’s Vita Pythagorae (§ 32). The paean, which stands out in tradition also as the musical genre intended to soothe wrath -in particular divine wrath, as we can see for instance in the verses of the Iliad (I, 472-474) where the word is first attested-, proves to be an efficacious cure as far as mental excitement and unbecoming behaviours are concerned. A passage from Apollonius the Paradoxographer’s Historia mirabilis (§ 40 = Aristox. fr. 117 Wehrli) is very interesting as for the therapeutic use of paeans. This evidence concerns Aristoxenus and his account -in a biography of the dityrambic poet Telestes- of a very strange behaviour of women in Locri and Rhegium, who rushed outside the city walls as they heard somebody calling them while they were eating. An oracle consulted for this odd kind of ekstasis prescribed that “twelve “spring paeans” a day for sixty days” should have been sung, so that this event would be the αἴτιον of the paeanographic tradition in Magna Graecia. A study of the social and religious context of this evidence -together with the evidence concerning the Pythagoreans-, might offer interesting elements both as far as the paean is concerned (the relationship of this musical genre with Apollo’s cult and the ritual katharsis, as well as its spread–in particular within the doric regions- and its contexts), and as for the relationship between madness and music.
2011
Provenza, A. (2011). Musica, catarsi ed eunomía. I Pitagorici in Magna Grecia e l'uso terapeutico del peana.. In I. Pozzoni (a cura di), La fortuna della Schola Pythagorica. Leggenda e contaminazioni. (pp. 259-288). Villasanta (MB) : Limina Mentis.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10447/62052
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