Abstract
An extensive introduction to the Czech translation of the dialogue Pseudo-Plutarch On Music deals with the role of mousike in ancient Greek culture; this almost all-encompassing concept concerned with mythology, religion, philosophy as well as the everyday life of ancient Greeks. The author presents a copious amount of extracts from ancient authors to give an elaborate picture of ancient Greek musical practice (festivals; musical genres and forms, drama, its origin and development, the so-called "new music" and its protagonists).
It emerges, however, that music was also an important part of ancient Greek philosophy, for it was considered to cultivate the souls of young people through the harmony it possesses within itself. This harmony reflects the harmony that rules the universe, it is therefore imperative to be educated in music, as only those who understand the basic principles of music can comprehend the order of the world.
The genealogy of the Muses, who are the source of divine inspiration and embody the word and song as the constitutive elements of the cosmos, follows. Next the myths and legends about the invention of musical instruments and the first musicians, who associated with gods themselves, are introduced.
Finally the role of in the Greek paideia as well as the theory of musical ethos as explained especially by Plato and Aristotle is presented. The introduction ends with a brief survey of an early operatic production which is supposed to have originated in an attempt to reconstruct an ancient Greek theatrical performance.