Music and Metamorphosis in Graeco-Roman Thought
Pauline A. LeVen. (2021). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
In this book concentrated on the representations and roles of music in a wide variety of mythological texts, LeVen plays with the idea of natural music (e.g. birdsong or cicadas) vs. the nature of music (e.g. how music works or where it came from). Like the myths examined, the book itself leads its readers on a journey of metamorphosis, with the focus evolving from musical sounds (Chapters 1-3) to questions of listening (Chapter 4). From there, LeVen moves on to the role of instruments (Chapter 5) before ending with quieter and more metaphorical representations of music (Chapters 6 & 7). Chapter 2 holds particular interest for readers pursuing ecocritical readings of ancient texts. The chapter focusses on the portrayal of the ringdove in Longus’ novel Daphnis and Chloe (c. 2nd Century CE), looking at how the performance of its song affects both humans and other animals.
Example quotation
on my reading, the myth is not so much a reflection on animal song per se as it is a commentary on the disquieting power of musical performance, as experienced from a human perspective. This return to the human does not contradict my commitment to decentering the human, or the pastoral romance’s enactment of the notion of natureculture. Rather, it acknowledges the rich and disconcerting nature of the embodied experience of performance, beyond the boundaries of human vocality.
(p.78)