![]() Yet another version states that Marsyas played the flute out of tune! Out of shame, he accepted the defeat and Apollo’s punishment, which was absolutely cruel. Thus, the Muses supported Apollo and announced his victory. However, Apollo replied that by blowing into the flute, Marsyas was doing almost the same thing himself. Marsyas protested, arguing that it is not fair because he can’t sing while playing the flute. Marsyas could not do with his flute, so he succumbed.Īccording to Diodorus Siculus, who admired Marsyas for his intelligence and self-control, he was defeated when Apollo started singing along playing the lyre. The most notable are found in Diodorus Siculus’ Library of History, Hyginus’ Fabulae, 165, Pseudo-Apollodorus’ Bibliotheke i.4.2, and Pliny’s Natural History 16.89.Īccording to Hyginus, Marsyas was departing as the victor after the first round, when Apollo turned his lyre upside down and played the same tune. However, several versions tell us more about how it all went at the end. “If thine ears are so dull, mortal,” said Apollo, “they shall take the shape that best suits them.”Īpollo touched the ears of Midas, and they turned into the donkey ears. Finally, the listeners fell at Apollo’s feet and proclaimed him the winner.Īll but Midas, who alone would not admit that the music was better than Marsyas. When Apollo stopped playing, it took some time for the spell of his music to break. The wild creatures stood still, the trees kept every leaf from rustling, and the earth and air went utterly silent. Never before gods or mortals heard anything as beautiful and emotional as Apollo’s music. He touched the strings of the lyre, and suddenly the music mesmerized them all. When it got to his turn, Apollo rose, holding a golden lyre in his hands. Then, all living creatures started dancing wildly, and Midas thought it was the sweetest music in the world. The terms of the duel stated that the winner could treat the defeated side any way he wanted.įirst, Marsyas played such a wild and coaxing tune that the birds hopped from the trees to get near, the animals came up closer, and the trees swayed as if they wanted to dance. Marsyas became so skilled in flute playing that he challenged Apollo, the god of music (!), to a musical duel! It was judged by the Muses and King Midas (who later got the golden touch). The satyr Marsyas found the discarded instrument and learned how to play it. ![]() The curse would severely punish anyone who picks up the flute. “There was every reason for them to poke fun at her,” wrote Hyginus.Īthena got so upset that she threw out the flute and cursed it. Suddenly she caught her reflection in a stream and realized that her fellow goddesses were right. She came to the gods’ banquet table to play it, but (Hera) and (Aphrodite) made fun of her because she turned blue and puffed out her cheeks.”Īthena ran to a forest and tried to play it again by herself. “They say that (Athena) was the first to fashion a flute out of deer-bone. Composed in a moderate 4/4 time, the flute soloist gets a chance to show their technical ability intertwined with ornamentation in a light and lilting melody. A two-minute fanfare composed in 2008.Įuterpe: Greek Muse of Musicby Kevin Kaisershot. Below are a few pieces that any flutist, who loves myphology, can add to their repertoire:Įuterpe by Augusta Read Thomas. She is almost always depicted holding a flute.Ĭomposers often drew inspirarion from the Greek myphology. All the muses were assigned various roles and Euterpe became Muse of Music and Lyric Poetry. EuterpeĮuterpe is one of the nine muses, fathered by Zeus. ![]() Let’s review some mentions to flute and music in Greek mythology. For example, dramatic music was introduced with the Greek Drama, but limited to flute-playing. It’s interesting to note that the flute playing was limited to certain occasions, as its sound seemed to the ancients to arouse enthusiasm and passion. Younger family members took instruction in these arts, as it was a part of higher education. ![]() Athens, the home of Greek dramatic poetry, in its golden age was the main city where professional musicians met each other.Public concerts became common towards the end of the Republic and formed a part of the musical contests.By the time of the Persian Wars the music got to its highest point of the development, which completed the ancient system.ĭancing and music entertainment became common at the meals of aristocratic families. (Remember the beautiful and sad myth of Orpheus and Euridice?)Īt the public festivals, such the Pythian games the Greeks also held music contests. Numerous myths tell us how powerful the music can be. They used it not only for entertainment and all kinds of events, but also gave it a great importance in refining the feelings and building the character. The Greeks cultivated music at a very early epoch. ![]()
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