Amphion
-
- Pausanias 9. 5. 7-8
- Homer, however, makes no mention in his poetry of
Amphion's singing, and how he built the wall to the music
of his harp. Amphion won fame for his music, learning
from the Lydians themselves the Lydian mode, because of
his relationship to Tantalus, and adding three strings to
the four old ones. The writer of the poem on Europa says
that Amphion was the first harpist (lyra), and
that Hermes was his teacher. He also says that Amphion's
songs drew even stones and beasts after him. Myro of
Byzantium, a poetess who wrote epic and elegiac poetry,
states that Amphion was the first to set up an altar to
Hermes, and for this reason was presented by him with a
harp (lyra). It is also said that Amphion is
punished in Hades for being among those who made a mock
of Leto and her children. The punishment of Amphion is
dealt with in the epic poem Minyad, which treats
both of Amphion and also of Thamyris of Thrace.
(Jones 1954, IX: 193-194)
- Other literary sources:
-
- Hesiod fr. 182 Merkelbach/West;
- Palaiphatos frg 41 (42);
- Propertius I. 9.10;
- Horace, Odes 3. 11.2; Ars Poetica
394-396;
- Ovid, Ars 3.323-324;
- Philostratus, Imagines I. 10;
- Lucian, Imagines 14;
- Pausanias 6.20.18;
- Scholia in Apollonim Rhodium vetera I. 740-741
Wendel;
- Hyginus, Fabulae 69.
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