THALETAS, an ancient Greek poet and musician, was, according to Plutarch, contemporary with Lycurgus the Spartan legislator, and lived about 300 years after the Trojan war. Plutarch also informs us, that though Thaletas was only styled a lyric poet and musician, he was likewise a great philosopher and politician; inasmuch, that Lycurgus brought him from Crete when he returned from his travels to Sparta, in order to have assistance from him in establishing his new form of government. His odes, continues Plutarch, were so many exhortations to obedience and concord, which he enforced by the sweetness of his voice and melody. Plato likewise describes his captivating manner of singing; and Plutarch, in his Dialogue on Music, ascribes to Thaletas many musical compositions and inventions: such as peans, and new measures in verse, as well as rhythms in music, which he had acquired from the flute-playing of Olympus, whom he at first had imitated. Porphyry, in his life of Pythagoras, says, that this philosopher used to amuse himself with singing the old Peans of Thaletas; and Athenæus likewise tells us, that the Spartans long continued to sing his airs; and according to the Scholiast on Pindar, this poet-musician was the first who composed the hyporchemes for the armed or military dance.
There was another poet and musician of the name of Thaletas, who was likewise a Cretan, that flourished much later than the contemporary and friend of Lycurgus. Sir Isaac Newton has named him among the early victors at the Pythic games; and Dr Blair places him 673 years B. C. This is the Thaletas whom Plutarch makes contemporary with Solon, and of whom it is related that he delivered the Lacedæmonians from the pestilence by the sweetness of his lyre.