A good guardian of mousike. Music, law and change in Plato’s Republic

In the fourth book of the Republic (424c4-6) Plato posits a relationship – as tight as it is obscure – between innovation in music and the changing of laws. Although the passage is often quoted as evidence of Plato’s misoneism in the musical field, its meaning and its role in the context to which it belongs have not yet been discussed in full. The article presents a detailed analysis of the passage, within the framework of Plato’s treatment of education in Resp. 2-3, its relation to legislation and his view of political change in the dialogue. It is argued that the notion of guarding, an essential concept in the political and social project of Kallipolis, is key to getting to the core of the link between music and law set out at Resp. 424c4-6.