ΨΙΛΟΚΙΘΑΡΙΣΜΟΣ (psilokitharismos) — Lexarithmos 1470 · Etymology, Meanings

Definition

Psilokitharismos, a compound term in ancient Greek musical terminology, refers to the performance of the cithara without vocal accompaniment. The word derives from the adjective «ψιλός» (psilos), meaning "bare, simple, mere, alone," and the noun «κιθάρα» (kithara), the well-known stringed instrument. Consequently, psilokitharismos denotes "purely instrumental cithara music."

The significance of the term is primarily illuminated through the philosophical texts of Plato, particularly in the «Πολιτεία» (Republic), where the appropriate forms of music for the education of citizens are discussed. Plato, in his endeavor to shape an ideal state, examines which musical expressions are beneficial for the soul and which are not.

In this context, psilokitharismos, along with psilolyrismo (purely instrumental lyre music), is treated with some reservation. Plato appears to prefer music that combines speech and melody, as speech imparts meaning and moral guidance. Purely instrumental music, without the framework of speech, might be considered less educational or even potentially misleading.

Beyond its Platonic usage, the term generally implies a practice where the musical instrument emerges as a self-sufficient expressive medium, without the support of the human voice. This marks a distinction between instrumental and vocal music, a distinction that would evolve throughout the history of music.

Etymology

psilokitharismos ← psilos + kithara + -ismos. The word is a compound, derived from the Ancient Greek root psil- (of psilos) and the Ancient Greek root kithar- (of kithara), with the addition of the productive suffix -ismos.

The etymology of psilokitharismos is transparent, as it consists of two clearly recognizable Greek elements. «ψιλός» (an Ancient Greek root belonging to the oldest stratum of the language) carries the meaning of "bare, simple, without additions," while «κιθάρα» (an Ancient Greek root belonging to the oldest stratum of the language) refers to the musical instrument. The suffix «-ισμός» is common in Greek for forming nouns that denote an action, state, or doctrine.

The word family of psilokitharismos develops around its two main components, «ψιλός» and «κιθάρα». From the root psil- arise words denoting simplicity, the absence of additional elements, or lightness. From the root kithar- arise terms related to the musical instrument and the art of playing it. The combination of these roots emphasizes the distinctiveness of instrumental music.

Main Meanings

Purely Instrumental Cithara Music — The performance of music with a cithara without vocal accompaniment.
Simple, Unadorned Cithara Performance — Music characterized by the absence of elaborate embellishments or additional elements.
Musical Practice in Ancient Greece — A specific manner of playing the cithara, distinct from kitharodia (cithara with singing).
Form of Music in Platonic Philosophy — A category of music that Plato examines in his «Πολιτεία», often with a critical stance regarding its educational value.
Instrumental Music in General — By extension, it can refer to any musical performance where the instrument is the sole or primary expressive agent.
Expression of "Bare" Art — The idea of an art presented in its most basic, "stripped-down" form, without external elements.

Word Family

psil- / kithar- (roots of psilos and kithara)

The word family of psilokitharismos develops around two Ancient Greek roots: psil- (meaning "bare, simple, alone") and kithar- (referring to the musical instrument cithara). These roots, though independent, combine to describe a specific musical practice. The root psil- emphasizes the absence of additional elements, while kithar- specifies the medium of artistic expression. Their combination creates a new concept, that of purely instrumental music.

ψιλός adjective · lex. 1010

This adjective means "bare, simple, mere, without additions." It is the first component of psilokitharismos, indicating the absence of vocal accompaniment. It is often used to describe something "simple" or "light," such as «ψιλοί» hoplites (lightly armed).

ψιλόω verb · lex. 1610

Meaning "to strip bare, to make simple." It derives from psilos and denotes the action of removing unnecessary elements. In music, this could imply the act of playing an instrument "stripped" of voice.

ψιλῶς adverb · lex. 1740

This adverb means "simply, merely, without anything else." It reinforces the concept of simplicity and the uniqueness of instrumental performance, emphasizing that the cithara is played "merely" by itself.

κιθάρα ἡ · noun · lex. 141

The stringed musical instrument, similar to the lyre but larger and with a deeper sound, primarily used by professional musicians in ancient Greece. It is the second component of psilokitharismos, specifying the instrument of the musical act.

κιθαρίζω verb · lex. 927

This verb means "to play the cithara." It describes the action directly associated with the instrument. In psilokitharismos, this action is performed without vocal accompaniment.

κιθαριστής ὁ · noun · lex. 879

The cithara player, the professional musician who performs cithara music. The kitharistes is the agent of psilokitharismos, the one who performs purely instrumental music.

ψιλολυρισμός ὁ · noun · lex. 1870

A parallel term to psilokitharismos, referring to the performance of the lyre without vocal accompaniment. It appears alongside psilokitharismos in Plato's «Πολιτεία» (Republic 399e), highlighting the common philosophical treatment of purely instrumental music.

κιθαρῳδία ἡ · noun · lex. 945

The art of singing accompanied by a cithara, i.e., vocal music with a cithara. It stands in contrast to psilokitharismos, as here the voice is present and often dominant, as mentioned in sources like Athenaeus.

Philosophical Journey

Psilokitharismos as a term and a musical practice has a specific trajectory in ancient Greek thought, primarily through texts that shaped the aesthetics and pedagogy of the era.

5th-4th C. BCE (Pre-Platonic Era)

Pre-Platonic Music

The practice of instrumental music, both with cithara and lyre, already existed. Cithara players and lyre players were widespread, but the distinction between vocal and purely instrumental music began to become clearer.

4th C. BCE (Plato)

Platonic Philosophy

The term gains philosophical weight in Plato's «Πολιτεία» (Republic 399e). The philosopher uses it to distinguish purely instrumental music from kitharodia, expressing his preference for music combined with speech.

4th C. BCE (Aristotle)

Aristotelian Theory

Although not using the exact term "psilokitharismos," Aristotle, in his «Πολιτικά» (Politics), also discusses various forms of music and their role in education, acknowledging the value of instrumental music but also its limitations.

Hellenistic Period

Development of Musical Theory

Musical theory develops further, with theorists categorizing musical practices. Psilokitharismos continues to be recognized as a distinct form of performance.

Roman Era (Plutarch)

Roman Revival

Authors such as Plutarch, in his «Ἠθικά» (Moralia), refer to ancient Greek music and its philosophical implications, keeping the Platonic distinction alive.

Byzantine Era

Byzantine Music

Although the term is no longer used with the same philosophical weight, the distinction between instrumental and vocal music remains fundamental, influencing the formation of Byzantine ecclesiastical music.

In Ancient Texts

The most characteristic reference to psilokitharismos comes from Plato, who defined its philosophical significance.

«οὐδὲ ψιλοκιθαρισμοῦ οὐδὲ ψιλολυρισμοῦ»

neither cithara playing alone nor lyre playing alone

Plato, Republic 399e

Lexarithmic Analysis

The lexarithmos of the word ΨΙΛΟΚΙΘΑΡΙΣΜΟΣ is 1470, from the sum of its letter values:

Ψ = 700

Psi

Ι = 10

Iota

Λ = 30

Lambda

Ο = 70

Omicron

Κ = 20

Kappa

Ι = 10

Iota

Θ = 9

Theta

Α = 1

Alpha

Ρ = 100

Rho

Ι = 10

Iota

Σ = 200

Sigma

Μ = 40

Mu

Ο = 70

Omicron

Σ = 200

Sigma

= 1470

Total

700 + 10 + 30 + 70 + 20 + 10 + 9 + 1 + 100 + 10 + 200 + 40 + 70 + 200 = 1470

1470 decomposes into 1400 (hundreds) + 70 (tens) + 0 (units).

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΨΙΛΟΚΙΘΑΡΙΣΜΟΣ:

Method	Result	Meaning
Isopsephy	1470	Base lexarithmos
Decade Numerology	3	1+4+7+0 = 12 → 1+2 = 3 — Triad, the number of harmony and completeness, here applied to the art of music.
Letter Count	14	14 letters — Tetrade, a composite number that can signify the complexity of the compound word and the musical practice it describes.
Cumulative	0/70/1400	Units 0 · Tens 70 · Hundreds 1400
Odd/Even	Even	Feminine force
Left/Right Hand	Right	Divine (≥100)
Quotient	—	Comparative method
Notarikon	Ψ-Ι-Λ-Ο-Κ-Ι-Θ-Α-Ρ-Ι-Σ-Μ-Ο-Σ	Psychē Ilarā Lyrikē Organikē Kithara Hierē Thaumastē Harmonikē Rythmikē Ischyrē Sophē Melodikē Ourania Synthesis (interpretive)
Grammatical Groups	5V · 0S · 9C	5 vowels, 0 semivowels, 9 consonants — indicating a balance between the fluidity of vowels and the stability of consonants, reflecting the balance in simple musical expression.
Palindromes	No
Onomancy	—	Comparative
Sphere of Democritus	—	Divination with lunar day
Zodiacal Isopsephy	Moon ☽ / Libra ♎	1470 mod 7 = 0 · 1470 mod 12 = 6

Isopsephic Words (1470)

Words from the Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon with the same lexarithmos (1470) as psilokitharismos, but from different roots, offer interesting comparisons.

κατασκηνόω

This verb means 'to encamp, to settle down.' Its isopsephy with psilokitharismos might suggest the 'establishment' or 'firming up' of a specific musical practice, or the 'simplicity' of settling in a place.

μικροφιλότιμος

This adjective means 'small-minded, ambitious for trifles.' The comparison with psilokitharismos can highlight the contrast between the 'simplicity' of music and the 'smallness' of ambition, or the idea that simple music is not 'small.'

ὀρνεοσκοπέω

This verb means 'to observe birds for omens.' The isopsephy might evoke the 'observation' or 'interpretation' of silent (psilos) signs, just as music without words might require interpretation.

πρωτοεδρία

This noun means 'first seat, chief place.' The connection with psilokitharismos might suggest the 'primacy' of simple, instrumental music in certain contexts, or the idea that simplicity can be the foundation.

συναείδω

This verb means 'to sing together.' This isopsephic word is particularly interesting as it directly contrasts with the concept of psilokitharismos (music without voice), emphasizing the absence of vocal co-presence.

ψιθύρισμα

This noun means 'whispering, murmuring.' Although it shares the prefix 'psi-', the root is different. The isopsephy might underscore the 'softness' or 'lack of intensity' in both concepts, whether it's a sound or music.

The LSJ lexicon contains a total of 97 words with lexarithmos 1470. For the full catalog and AI semantic filtering, see the interactive tool.

Sources & Bibliography

Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon, with a revised supplement. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1996.
Plato — Republic, Book III, 399e. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1969.
Aristotle — Politics, Book VIII, 1341a. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1932.
West, M. L. — Ancient Greek Music. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1992.
Barker, A. — Greek Musical Writings, Vol. I: The Musician and His Art. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1984.
Mathiesen, T. J. — Apollo's Lyre: Greek Music and Music Theory in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1999.