Phobos, incantamento e catarsi. Alcune riflessioni su ascolto dell’aulos e tragedia.

The power of the aulos and its therapeutic effects on the soul are so emblematic for the Greeks that, on the one hand, they made this instrument and its sounds into a metaphor of persuasion and, on the other, they emphasized its upsetting effects, as happens for instance in some tragedies. The aulos sometimes contributes to the development of a drama, and may play a role in the development of tragic catharsis by reminding the audience of the cathartic Dionysiac rites. In this way, tragedy seems to have performed a meaningful ‘therapeutic’ effect on the emotions of the theatre audience.