Music and Worship In Pagan and Christian Antiquity
Johannes Quasten
Number of quotes: 4
Book ID: 156 Page: 53
Section: 2A6,2D3B,2B2
Philosophy continued to sharpen the notion of the “spiritual sacrifice.” The hymn which constituted this divine service was expounded ever more allegorically: the life of each individual person had to become a hymn to the glory of God. This exaggerated spiritualistic tendency would ultimately have eliminated every official cult.Apuleius distinguished visible gods, the heavenly bodies, and invisible gods. Among these latter he ranked the twelve Olympians, descendants of the highest god and themselves eternal, blessed spirits. Most men worship these gods, but in a completely perverse way. The demons are similar to the gods, for they are immortal like them. They are also like men in that they possess passions, are susceptible to anger and various other experiences and permit themselves to be won over by gifts. The demons are the true objects of the cults of the gods. The customs and rites of the religions of the nations differ completely according to the nature of these demons: the Egyptian gods take pleasure in lamentation, the Greek gods in dancing, and those of the barbarians in the din of tambourines, drums and flutes.{13}
Quote ID: 3317
Time Periods: 2
Book ID: 156 Page: 54
Section: 2A6,2A6,2D3B
Philo was persuaded that one cannot truly offer thanks to God as the vast majority of men do, with external effects, consecrated gifts and sacrifices..., but rather with songs of praise and hymns--not such as the audible voice sings, but such as are raised and re-echoed by the invisible mind.{17}
Quote ID: 3318
Time Periods: 01
Book ID: 156 Page: 60/61
Section: 2A4
The more Christianity expanded among the pagans, the more difficult it became to hold fast to “adoration in spirit,” as Christ had asked for. No longer did it suffice merely to offer the people a substitute for pagan sacrifice and cultic music . . . and in the singing of psalms and hymns. Now apologists had to work against the people’s attraction for customs that they had grown to love.
Quote ID: 3319
Time Periods: 234
Book ID: 156 Page: 87/88
Section: 2A5
The pagans frequently used boys’ choirs in their worship, especially on festive occasions. This custom may be explained in the first place by the musical quality of boys’ voices; their individuality and beauty, which could not be matched by either men’s or women’s voices, was greatly valued in antiquity. Thus Lucian of Samosata calls the boy’s voice “perfectly delicate, not so deep as to be called masculine nor so fine as to be effeminate and lacking in power, but falling soft, mild and lovely upon the ear.” {160} The chief reason, though, for the participation of boy’s choirs in cultic celebrations is to be found in the fact that the innocence of young boys was expected to have a particularly strong influence upon the divinity.{161} So it was, as can be seen repeatedly, that “an innocent boy, whose parents are both still living,” was employed at pagan sacrifices and oracles as a medium between god and man.In the sacrifices of the Greeks boys who were (GREEK)* were necessary, and in Rome quatuor pueri praetextati patrimi et matrimi were used in the service of the Fratres Arvales, twelve priests who made annual offerings to the field Lares.{162}
....
In Delos, at the solemn sacrifices, choirs of boys who danced and sang to the cithara and the flute were always in attendance.{165} Similarly we find that thirty chosen boys sang the hymns in honor of Hecate on Stratonikeia.{166} In fact in many areas it appears that regular singing schools for such boys were founded.
Quote ID: 3320
Time Periods: 2
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