| The Romans had little or no musical genius, and | | | | music is thus simply Greek music in a decadent |
| they were content to take their music, like every | | | | and corrupted condition, a thing of no artistic |
| other artistic element of their national life, from | | | | value. |
| the Greeks. The Greek was the child of nature, | | | | The only influence upon music by the Romans |
| refined and educated through his own innate | | | | was in the development of wind instruments. A |
| sense of beauty and fitness; The Roman was a | | | | race of savage fighting men, the Romans |
| barbarian civilised with the civilisation of the | | | | regarded military music a lot more seriously than |
| barrack-yard and the camp. So it's safe to say | | | | any other type of the art; essentially practical |
| that the Romans music was just a rehashed | | | | men, they could readily appreciate its usefulness ; |
| version of the Greeks music. | | | | and, in this respect, they remind one of the |
| To the Greek, Art of any kind was something | | | | elderly warrior who expressed that music was all |
| great and almost holy. To the Roman, Art of any | | | | very well on parade, but should not be allowed to |
| shape or kind was merely a relaxation. Roman | | | | interfere with conversation. |