Analysis of Ars Poetica, part 12

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Horace has told about the various changes which came about in the rhythm and measure. Horace says that in earlier times, flute was used because it was not so bygone as was the brass during his time. The flute did not have any competition with the trumpet. It was in the shape of a pipe having several holes. The flute could produce music which could cover the entire theatre at that time. The audience used to be small in number which could be counted. After this when the limits of the city started extending as a result of conquests, different types of culture started mixing with each other. The countrymen started meeting the townsmen, the vulgars started mixing with the nobles and what taste could be expected by the people of such kind. Such people wanted more measure and rhythm in the play, in order to satisfy their taste, the pipe player added more effects and gestures to his primitive art, metaphorised the common words, brought changes in the utterance of words, and the like. Delphi and it’s Oracle used such techniques.

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