The legend of Apollo and Marsyas. Satyr Marsyas and Apollo. Musical competition between Marsyas and Apollo

in Frankfurt am Main (museum),Marsyas- in Rome (Vatican Museum). Casts in the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkina

But, we were attracted by more poignant moments of movement, as in the bronze statue of the runner Lada, standing on a stone pedestal, who, having reached the finish line, grabbed the wreath hanging there. There is a poem about this unpreserved statue:

A hopeful runner. There is only breath on the tips of the lips

It can be seen that, having been drawn inward, the sides became hollow;

Bronze rushes forward behind the wreath, stone cannot hold it back,

The wind is the fastest runner. You are a miracle - Myron's hands.

The desire of sculptors of that time to accurately reproduce reality was reflected in the copper statue of a cow created by Myron, which, according to the testimony of ancient authors, was so reminiscent of a living one that horseflies sat on it, and shepherds and even bulls mistook it for a real one. Many epigrams have been preserved about this famous statue:

The heifer is not made of copper; no, time turned her into copper, and Myron lied that he had created her.

Anacreon

It is possible that copies of this work of the famous sculptor are small figurines of a cow in the Parisian national library, as well as in the Capitoline Museum in Rome.

The Greatest Sculptor antiquity, the innovator Miron decisively rejected the traditions and principles of archaic art that bound some masters back in the second quarter of the 5th century. BC e. Even the Ionian sculptors, who turned to innovation before him, did not show such consistency as Myron in their works. This is precisely the merit of the ancient sculptor from Eleuthera, who in his work came close to new era in the history of Greek art - high classics.

HIGH CLASSIC

(second half of the 5th century BC)

Let them not believe it, but I’ll still say: limits

art,

Obvious to the eyes of people, I have achieved here.

Created by my hand, the threshold is impregnable

erected.

But among mortals nothing escapes blasphemy.

Parrhasius

In art high classics ideas and feelings that are universal in their essence were embodied with particular force. Topical events received an enduring sound in the works, as if timeless, eternal. Trying to express the deep, hidden meaning as clearly and generally as possible artistic image, the masters freed themselves as much as possible from everything that seemed to them too detailed and specific.

Art forms throughout the 5th century. BC e. changed very noticeably. The dynamics and mobility of the predominantly heroic images of the early classics, the character of which was determined by the tension of all the forces of the Hellenes during the Persian wars, gave way to a sublime peace that corresponded to the mood of the Greeks, who realized the significance of their victory. Persia lost its possessions in the Aegean Sea, on the coast of the Hellespont and Bosphorus, and recognized the independence of the policies of Asia Minor. The Hellenic cities continued, albeit briefly, until the internecine Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), to maintain close ties with each other on the basis of the Athenian Maritime League.

Athens, where the main finances of the union were concentrated, prospered. These are the years of the reign of Pericles, who stood at the head of the Athenian democracy, a time of intense activity of the great sculptor Phidias, the architect Ictinus, the philosopher Anaxagoras, the poets Sophocles, Euripides and other outstanding masters. Athens, destroyed by the Persians, was rebuilt

Kresilai. Herma Pericles. Marble. Roman copy. 2nd half of the 5th century BC e. Rome, Vatican Museum

new, and the most talented architects, sculptors, and painters came there to create a magnificent ensemble of buildings on the Acropolis. Athens became one of the most famous and beautiful cities of that time. “If you have not been to Athens, you are a blockhead, if you have been to Athens and did not admire them, you are a donkey, and if you have left them, you are a camel,” there was a saying that shows the attitude of contemporaries towards this city.

The essence of high aesthetics
the classics are especially clear about
appeared in sculptural portraits
that time. Instead of an image
individual traits of a person
The workers set themselves the task
first of all, realize the idea
life and work portrayed
maybe the way it was known
to the sculptor of that time Cre-
I am strong in the image of Pericles. Sculpture
tour portrait of an Athenian strategist
(commander-in-chief) master

strengthened it on a high tetrahedral pillar with the name of Pericles carved on it. This type of sculpture, which was widespread in Greece at that time, is called herms. Some evidence from ancient authors has been preserved about the appearance of Pericles. Plutarch reports that “the composition of his body was completely impeccable, with the exception of only his head, which was elongated and disproportionate.” Therefore, in almost all portraits he is shown wearing a helmet, since the artists, apparently, did not want to depict him in a form unworthy of him. Attic poets called him "onion-headed."

In Kresilaus, Pericles is shown with his helmet pushed back to the back of his head (as, indeed, were the strategists in earlier portraits). The essence of this image

not in reproducing in detail the appearance of Pericles, but in creating such a harmonious and calm composition that would contribute to the expression of wisdom and greatness. This method of identifying the character of an image in plastic using facial composition is hardly easier than accurately conveying the individual features of the model.

In the herm of Pericles, as in other similar portraits, everything is strictly thought out. The light and shade is quite uniform, the depth of the eye sockets is not too great. The shading of the face from the helmet is also blurry. Plastic-graphic creation of an image of a smart and calm person The harmoniously restrained treatment of hair and beard also contributes.

The originality of this stage of development of ancient art is in the desire to generalize a real event, person, phenomenon as a norm, type, ideal 1.

One of the later Greek poets figuratively expressed in his poem the condemnation of too accurate depiction of individual traits that existed during the heyday of the classics in Athens:

The painter beautifully presented to us the one who was swollen with fat, But he is lost: now there are two gluttons before us.

Without imitating anyone, the Hellenes of the 5th century. BC e. in their artistic development they followed an independent path and that is why the architectural, sculptural and pictorial images they created were so sincere and sublime. The mythological basis of the art of high classics, its close connection with the life of free citizens, and its educational, ennobling orientation did not contribute to the emergence of cold, dried-up schemes.

The idea of ​​depicting a perfect, beautiful, harmoniously developed person in art worried many masters of that time. First of all, this is felt in the statues created by the largest sculptor Polycletus from Argos, closely associated with the principles of the Argive-Sicyon school of sculptors. Traditions were observed there more strictly than anywhere else. Memories not only of the archaic centuries were preserved longer, but also of the distant Homeric era. It was there that craftsmen often preferred bronze. The main stylistic features of Argive-Sikyon plastic art were embodied in the works of Polykleitos: stability of poses, peace, large planes, love for bronze rather than marble, composure, even severity of images.

In his early works, Polykleitos is still restrained; the ideas appearing in them are chamber-like, somewhat Doric provincial, features of locality deprive them of a pan-Greek sound. This is his statue of the victorious young man Kinisk, placing the wreath he received as a reward on his head. The solution to the theme here is almost lyrical, intimate, the young man seems shy

1 Such portrait compositions have something in common with philosophical works about character ideal ruler. The sculptor expresses the idea of ​​wisdom and perfection through plastic arts. Performed by great masters, such works make a deep impression. Later in painting they will be similar to the landscapes of Poussin, far from nature, also sometimes perceived as philosophical discussions about the greatness of the world.

the glory that befell him is removed, there is no emphasized glorification, as will later be the case in the statues of the athletes Polykleitos." However, the image is also far from genre-based; it lacks elements of everydayism and pettiness.

Polykleitos's talent was more fully revealed in the statue of the Spearman, or in Greek Doryphoros, a generalized image of an athlete, warrior, and valiant citizen of the city-polis. This sculpture represents a young man who won the competition. The young man is shown standing calmly, with a heavy and long spear on his shoulder. The statue does not have the symmetry of archaic Apollos, who only timidly protruded forward with their left leg. A person conscious of his perfection and strength stands confidently on the ground, which has become a strong support for him. Near the statue of Doryphoros, we recall the lines of a poem dedicated to the statue of another spear-bearer, Philo-pomenes:

His valor was spread throughout Hellas, both by force and by his advice he accomplished many deeds, Philopomenes, Arcadian spearman and army commander, following whom everywhere great fame rushed. This shows the trophies that he took from two tyrants, saving Sparta from their increasingly heavy chains. That is why he was placed here by the grateful Tegea, the valiant son of Kravgida, a pure fighter of freedom.

The mature, one might say, programmatic work of Polykleitos embodied pan-Hellenic, highly classical ideas. Turning to the then widespread image of the winner in the javelin throw, he, like Myron in the statue of the Discus Thrower, created a portrait of the athlete, far from detailed individualization. And although in the image of Doryphoros the sculptor proceeded from the appearance completely a certain person(apparently, one of the cities ordered the master a statue of its citizen - an athlete who won a pan-Hellenic competition), he managed to sculpt a typical monument that generalizes the idea of ​​victory.

The statue of Doryphoros became for many of Polykleitos’s contemporaries, and later his followers, an example in the depiction of a person, since, while working on the sculpture, the master revealed in it the proportionality of forms, characteristic of the structure not of any specific, but of a generally male figure.

Ancient authors report that Polykleitos worked on the theoretical work “Canon”, in which he defined the basic laws of harmonic relationships, individual elements human body. We must not forget, however, that the original work of Polykleitos of the 5th century. BC e. has not reached us (perhaps it has not survived or has not yet been found) and the now known statues of Doryphorus are only various copies of the original, presumably known to ancient Roman sculptors. It is therefore impossible to confidently reproduce the course of the theoretical positions of Polykleitos, embodied by him in Doryphoros.

“Something similar in the Renaissance will appear in the statue of Donatello’s David, so different from David and Verrocchio and Michelangelo.

It is believed that Polykleitus based the proportions of Doryphorus on a certain module, which was placed multiple times in various elements of the figure - head, arms, legs, torso. What kind of module it was - whether it was the phalanx of the spearman's finger, as was supposed, or the width of his palm - none of the researchers of ancient art has been able to establish at present. Thanks to this use of the module, not an abstract number, but, as it were, a part of the figure itself, Polycletus, as the ancients believed, managed to create a work with ideal, in the opinion of his contemporaries, proportions.

Based on the Roman copies that have come down to us, this statue will seem somewhat heavy in comparison with the Greek sculptures of subsequent centuries, sometimes even stocky in some replicas. Undoubtedly, the taste of the master of one of the Doric centers (Argos) was evident here, in whose monuments the courage and physical abilities of a person were always emphasized. In the art of Doric policies, innovations paved their way, as noted, with with great difficulty than in other areas of Ancient Greece.

And yet, in Doryphoros, the classical system of proportions clearly asserted itself, softening the overall severity of the image. To do this, Polykleitos used the technique of the so-called chiasmus. In staging the figure of Doryphorus, the classical sculptor went far ahead in comparison with his archaic predecessors, who depicted the Kouros or Apollos standing on completely straight legs. The spearman leans very naturally and at the same time proudly on one leg, the other, slightly bent at the knee, he puts on his toes. Polykleitos also enriches the plastic image with the correspondence of hand movements. The left supporting leg of the spearman, which carries the main load of the torso, is tense, and accordingly

Polik years. Amazon. Marble. Roman

copy. Mid-5th century BC e. Berlin,

State museums

Accordingly, the athlete’s right hand, bent at the elbow and holding the spear, is tense. The right leg placed on the toe responds with the same relaxation left hand, hanging easily along the body. Thus, in the characterization of tense and relaxed limbs, the sculptor created a kind of cross-equilibrium, called chiasmus from the spelling of the Greek letter “chi”. With the help of chiasmus, the master gave an outwardly calm figure internal dynamism, life and movement. The chiastic depiction of the body also introduces special dynamics into the plasticity of the statue: it is difficult to say with confidence, looking at Doryphoros, whether he is standing or taking a step.

In addition to the canon of proportions and the chiasmus of plastic dynamics in the statue of Doryphoros, there were trends that developed later, in the 4th century. BC e., namely, overcoming the strict frontality of the body. Indeed, in order to fully feel the beauty of Doryphoros, one must perceive it not only from the front, but also from the left and right. Sculpture, like architecture, gradually conquered space and mastered three-dimensionality.

The image of Doryphoros embodied the Hellenic idea of ​​the perfection of man as the pinnacle of creation. The Greeks saw in him not only an athlete who won the competition, but also tomorrow’s hoplite, capable of wearing heavy armor and weapons, a harmoniously developed, perfect, ideal citizen of the city-polis. Such versatility of the image was possible only at that time; later, even many great masters would no longer be able to achieve it, over whom the concreteness of visible reality, the impossibility, would weigh heavily.

creating a generalized image of an ideal person, like Polykleitos’s.”

Contemporary understanding of Polykleitos of great importance The images of the great sculptor were determined by their recognition of other works of the master. First of all, this was manifested in the competition to create a statue of the wounded Amazon. Polykleitos won the first prize in it, defeating Cresilaus, Kidon, Fradmon and even Phidias himself. The Master created an image internally close to Doryphorus. Amazon with strong muscular legs, narrow hips, broad shoulders looks like his Native sister. But in the same extremely laconic, clear plastic forms, another idea was embodied - majestic, sublime sorrow and suffering.

Polykleitos defeated Phidias, who depicted the Amazon at the moment when she tried to jump on a horse and gallop away, and showed nearby many attributes accompanying the action - a spear, a helmet, a shield. The Greeks of that time appreciated the creation of Polykleitos, who revealed moods and feelings in sculpture, rather than any specific actions.

In the person of the Amazon, Polykleitos did not try to reproduce suffering. It is expressed by the plasticity of the body, the left hand hanging limply from the pedestal, the relaxation thrown behind the head right hand, the composition of the folds of the chiton, as if gushing, like streams of blood, from the shoulder, the sad bow of the warrior’s head. It is no coincidence that the support of the Amazon on the pedestal was also introduced - this enabled the master to deprive the figure of the internal tension that Doryphoros was executed.

Diadumen, apparently, is the latest statue of Polykleitos, executed by him already in Attica. The image of the winner tying a prize - a ribbon - to his head was very common in sculpture at that time. In the plastic of Diadumen there is more grace and freedom in the arrangement of arms and legs than in the statue of Doryphoros; the sculpture is more complex compositionally. With a feeling of pride, awareness of his victory, Diadumen is already very far from the one sculptured in early years reserved, modest Ki-nisk. The merits of this statue were appreciated by many Greeks. The Roman writer and scientist Pliny spoke enthusiastically about it.

In the flexible figure of Diadumen, in the elasticity of his muscles, the smoothness of movements, everything is new, different from the monuments of the young Polykleitos, created by him in the southern cities of Greece. The theme of pride is partly woven into a note of slight sadness, consonant with the grace of plastic forms and the beauty of posture, which began to replace the natural sublime simplicity of man, expressed especially fully in Doryphoros and the Amazon.

From ancient sources it is known that the master created a chrysoelephantine statue of the goddess for the temple of Hera in Argos. It was noted that Polykleitos showed in it a complex pose and turns of the figure and with this he, obviously, as in Diadumen, strived for new interpretation image. Some iso-

" Later era high classics in Greece will correspond to the era High Renaissance in Italy, when the works of Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo also embodied the image of a beautiful, ideal person - the crown of creation.

September 22nd, 2016

Quote from Galyshenka's messageThe many faces of ATHENA

The goddess Pallas Athena was born by Zeus himself. Zeus the Thunderer knew that his wife, the goddess of reason, Metis, would have two children: a daughter, Athena, and a son of extraordinary intelligence and strength.
The Moirai, the goddess of fate, revealed to Zeus the secret that the son of the goddess Metis would overthrow him from the throne and take away his power over the world. The great Zeus was afraid. To avoid the terrible fate that the Moirai promised him, he, having lulled the goddess Metis with gentle speeches, swallowed her before her daughter, the goddess Athena, was born.
After some time, Zeus felt a terrible headache. Then he called his son Hephaestus and ordered his head to be cut to get rid of the unbearable pain and noise in his head. Hephaestus swung his ax, with a powerful blow he split Zeus’s skull without damaging it, and a mighty warrior, the goddess Pallas Athena, emerged from the thunderer’s head.

Gustav Klimt, Pallas Athena, 1898, Vienna

Fully armed, in a shiny helmet, with a spear and shield, she appeared before the amazed eyes of the Olympian gods. She shook her sparkling spear menacingly. Her war cry rolled far across the sky, and the bright Olympus shook to its very foundation. Beautiful, majestic, she stood before the gods. Athena's blue eyes burned with divine wisdom, and she all shone with wondrous, heavenly, powerful beauty. The gods praised his beloved daughter, born from the head of father Zeus, the defender of cities, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, the invincible warrior Pallas Athena.

The birth of Athena from the head of Zeus. Drawing from a black-figure ancient Greek vase

Athena (Άθηνά) (among the Romans Minerva) is one of the most revered goddesses of Greece. She is equal in strength and wisdom to Zeus. She is given honors after Zeus and her place is closest to Zeus.
She is called “gray-eyed and fair-haired,” descriptions emphasize her big eyes, Homer has the epithet “Glavkopis” (owl-eyed)..
Unlike other female deities, she uses male attributes - dressed in armor, holding a spear; she is accompanied by sacred animals:

Helmet (usually Corinthian - with a high crest)

Virgil mentions how the Cyclopes in the forge of Vulcan polished the armor and aegis of Pallas, on them the scales of snakes and the head of the serpent-haired Gorgon Medusa

- appears accompanied by the winged goddess Nike

Attributes of an owl and a snake (also a symbol of wisdom), in the temple of A. in Athens, according to Herodotus, lived huge snake- guardian of the acropolis, dedicated to the goddess.

There is numerous information about the cosmic features of the image of Athena. Her birth is accompanied by golden rain, she keeps the lightning of Zeus

Pallas Athena. Preparatory cardboard by I. Vedder for a mosaic in the Library of Congress, Washington, 1896.

Athena. Statue. Hermitage Museum. Athena Hall.

Statue of Athena Giustinian

Athena Algardi, it was found in 1627 in fragments at the Campus Martius, restored by Alessandro Algardi.
Palazzo Altemps, Rome, Italy.

The dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Attica. Italian cameo, 13th century

The scene of the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for power over Attica was depicted on the pediment of the Parthenon Temple in Athens by the famous Greek sculptor Phidias (5th century BC); The pediment has survived to this day in a heavily damaged state.

Miron (copy). Athena and Marsyas. The original statue was made in the 5th century. BC e. The goddess was depicted as dropping a flute, and Marsyas as finding
Athena is credited with inventing the flute and teaching Apollo to play it.

The battle of Athena with the giant Alcyoneus. Pergamon Altar
Athena uses her power to fight titans and giants. Together with Hercules, Athena kills one of the giants, she piles the island of Sicily on another, and tears off the skin of a third and covers her body with it during the battle.

Clay figurine of Athena, 7th century. BC e.

"Athena Varvakion" (copy of the famous "Athena Parthenos")

Statue of Athena (Pallas Giustiniani type) in the Pushkin Museum

"The Battle of Athena with Enceladus." Fragment of painting of a red-figure kylix. 6th century BC e., Louvre

“Pallas and the Centaur”, painting by Sandro Botticelli, 1482, Uffizzi

Athena is the guardian of cities, her main epithets are Polyada (“urban”) and Polyukhos (“city ruler”), protector of Greek cities (Athens, Argos, Megara, Sparta, etc.) and a constant enemy of the Trojans, although her cult existed there too: in Homer's Troy was a statue of Athena that supposedly fell from the sky, the so-called palladium

I. G. Trautmann. "Fire of Troy"

Athens Parthenon

Athens Parthenon 3D reconstruction

Descriptions of the Parthenon have always been replete with only superlatives. This Athenian temple, with its 2500-year history, dedicated to the patroness of the city - the goddess Athena Parthenos, is rightfully considered one of the greatest examples of ancient architecture, a masterpiece of world art and plastic arts. It was built in the middle of the 5th century BC. e.

A huge statue of Athena Promachos (“front line fighter”) with a spear shining in the sun adorned the Acropolis in Athens, where the Erechtheion and Parthenon temples were dedicated to the goddess.

A monument to the glorification of the wise ruler of the Athenian state, the founder of the Areopagus, is also the tragedy of Aeschylus “Eumenides”.

Athens enjoyed special patronage bearing her name. The Athenians believed that they owed their wealth to Athena.

There is a legend that says that the cult of Athena in her city was strengthened by the son of the Earth, Erechtheus. The goddess of wisdom Athena raised him in her sacred grove, and when the boy grew up, she awarded him royal power.

Jacob Jordaens. Cecrops' daughters find baby Erichthonius
Athena was identified with the daughters of Kekrops - Pandrosa (“all-moist”) and Aglavra (“light-air”), or Agravla (“field-furrowed”)

The image of an owl, an attribute of Athena, was minted on Athenian silver coins, and everyone who accepted the “owl” in exchange for goods seemed to be paying tribute to Athena herself.

Silver Athenian tetradrachm with the image of an owl, symbol of the goddess Athena. 5 or 4 c. BC

"Athena". Relief image on a silver dish, 1st century. n. e., Berlin, State Museums

Not a single thing an important event could not have happened without the intervention of Athena.
Athena helped Prometheus steal fire from Hephaestus's forge.
Her touch alone was enough to make a person beautiful (she raised Odysseus to stature, endowed him with curly hair, clothed him with strength and attractiveness;). She endowed Penelope with amazing beauty on the eve of the meeting of the spouses

Gustav Klimt
Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, 1890-91

Athena patronized heroes - warriors and artisans - potters, weavers, needlewomen, and She herself was called Ergana ("worker") - her own products - original works art, such as the cloak woven for the hero Jason.

Pallas Athena. 1898, Franz von Stuck.

Agricultural holidays were dedicated to her: procharisteria (in connection with the germination of bread), plintheria (the beginning of the harvest), arrephoria (giving dew for crops), callinteria (ripening of fruits), scirophoria (aversion to drought).

Satyr Marsyas and Apollo (myth of ancient Greece)

The beautiful Apollo is noble and generous, but he does not tolerate anyone daring to compete with him, as the mocking satyr Marsyas once did to his grief.

Wandering through the fields and forests of Phrygia, Marsyas once found a reed flute. This flute belonged to Pallas Athena, she made it herself and loved to play it sometimes, taking a break from military worries. But one day she looked at her reflection in the mirror shield and indignantly threw her favorite pipe into the bushes. It seemed to her that playing the flute was spoiling her beautiful face.
“Let anyone who finds and picks up this flute be severely punished,” she exclaimed.
That’s where Marsyas found her. He, of course, knew nothing about Athena’s curse and soon learned to play this wonderful instrument so well that everyone listened to his amazing performance. Marsyas became completely proud, he began to brag and tell everyone that he played no worse than Apollo himself and was ready to challenge him to a competition.
Apollo heard the arrogant words of Marsyas, but did not show how angry the arrogance of the foolish satyr angered him. He came to the satyr's challenge. Apollo raised his golden cithara and began to play. Everything around was plunged into deep silence, and only the wondrous sounds of enchanting music disturbed the air frozen with amazement. And then Marsyas began to play. It was also very beautiful music, and Marsyas played beautifully. But how could he compare with the golden-voiced god! Everyone who was at this unusual competition unanimously decided that Apollo won. Angered by the insolence of the immodest satyr, Apollo ordered him to be hanged by his hands on a high tree so that he would never be able to pick up a flute again.

myths Ancient Hellas in different interpretations

Today in one diary I read a very interesting interpretation of one of the myths of Ancient Hellas, searched on the Internet and found several more, and they are quite different, but... Why do I still want to introduce you to all these interpretations? It seems to me that everyone can see something different and important for themselves, and despite the fact that the interpretation for which I wanted to compose this post is not entirely correct, it mixes two myths about Marsyas and Pan, it is still especially important. Why? While reading, I suddenly realized that the perception of each of us depends on the environment in which we grow up, on what is absorbed with mother’s milk, what is often perceived by us as native and what is alien, but I suppose that over time tastes change, it depends on the environment habitat and many things are seen differently, and yet, what is from childhood is native, which sometimes leaves its mark on perception in general. But we come into the world without all this... What if we throw off all this that interferes with a different vision? Just try to see through the eyes of a newborn?

So the myths...

Marsyas

Marsyas, in Greek mythology son of the river god Eager, satyr or strong, originally from Phrygia. An ancient deity of the circle of Cybele, supplanted by Apollo. One day Athena made a flute and decided to play it at a feast of the gods. She couldn't understand why Hera and Aphrodite were laughing while the other gods liked her music. Alone, she went into the Phrygian forest, sat over a stream and began to play, watching her reflection in the water. She immediately realized how funny she looked with her tense face and ugly swollen cheeks. According to myth, Marsyas picked up the flute thrown by Athena (Pausanias, I 24, 1). Marsyas achieved extraordinary skill in playing the flute and, becoming proud, challenged Apollo himself to a competition. Angered by this, Apollo challenged Marsyas to a competition, the winner of which could punish the loser at his discretion.

The daring rivalry ended with the muses, as mediators in the dispute, deciding it in favor of the god playing the cithara. Apollo not only defeated Marsyas, whose music was distinguished by a purely Phrygian ecstatic-frenzied character (a flute with tambourines and rattles accompanies the orgies of Cybele and Dionysus), but also flayed the unfortunate man. According to legend, the skin of Marsyas, torn from him by God, hangs in Phrygia, in Keleni, at the source of the Meander River (Herodotus, VII 26; Xenophon, Anabasis, I 2, 8); at the sound of a flute, the skin begins to move, but remains motionless at the sound of songs in honor of Apollo (Aelian, Barbarian History, XIII 21). Marsyas, like a satyr of the forest thickets at Kelen, was mourned by the nymphs, Silenians and forest relatives. His blood turned into the stream of the same name (Ovid, Metamorphoses, VI 382-400), his flute was carried away by this stream into the river Maeander, thrown out of the water in Sicyon and presented as a gift to Apollo (Pausanias, II 7, 9). The myth about the competition between Apollo and Marsyas reflected First stage the struggle between the antagonistic deities Apollo and Dionysus.

Popular subjects in ancient art (vases, gems, reliefs) are “Marsyas picks up the flute thrown by Athena,” “The contest between Apollo and the strong Marsyas,” and “The Punishment of the satyr Marsyas.” Ancient artists were often inspired by the fate of Marsyas; for example, Myron, an older contemporary of Phidias, depicted the satyr being scared away by Athena from a double flute, to which he reaches out his hand. In Rome and the Roman colonies, statues of Marsyas stood in the markets as emblems of freedom.

The Myth of Marcia

How Marsyas found the flute

One summer day, the young shepherd Marsyas, lying on the green grass, heard the sounds of music in the distance, so tender and exciting that he held his breath and began to listen. It was Minerva, sitting on the bank of a stream, learning to play the flute, but, bending over the clear water, she saw her puffy cheeks and distorted features and indignantly threw the flute into the water, vowing never to touch it again.
Enchanting music fell silent, and the young man woke up and looked around. Then he noticed a flute floating past him on the river. He immediately grabbed it, pressed it to his lips, and before he could breathe air into his chest, the divine melody began to flow again. Having taken possession magic instrument, Marsyas completely forgot about his duties as a shepherd. Soon he achieved unprecedented perfection in playing the flute, became terribly proud and began to boast that he played no worse than Apollo himself. It got to the point that he challenged the sun god himself to a competition.

Musical competition between Marsyas and Apollo

Wanting to punish Marcia For his boasting, Apollo, accompanied by nine muses, patronesses of poetry and music, appeared before the shepherd and offered to confirm his words with deeds. The muses suggested that Marcius start first, and he charmed everyone with his playing.
The Muses gave him the praise he deserved, and then invited Apollo to surpass his opponent if he succeeded. God grabbed his golden lyre and played on its strings. Before making a final decision, the muses decided to listen to the rivals again, and they began to play again, but this time Apollo added his divine voice to the sounds of the lyre, and all those present, including the muses, recognized him as the winner.
According to the condition, which stated that the winner would flay his opponent alive, Apollo tied Marcia to the tree and severely punished him. When the mountain nymphs learned about terrible death their favorite, they burst into tears and shed such streams of tears that they turned into a river called Marsyas, in memory of the wonderful musician.

Apollo and Midas

Jordaens, Contest of Pan with Apollo

One can only be surprised at how uniquely myth and reality were intertwined in ancient Greek ideas. All the information that has been preserved about Hyagnis does not give any reason to connect him with mythology. This is a living musician in the flesh, personifying the beginning of the Hellenic musical history. It would seem that the mythological era should have ended by the time of Hyagnis's life. But, oddly enough, specific data from which one could make any assumptions about artistic activity his son Marcias are completely missing. The only exceptions are some passing remarks scattered throughout the sources. It is reported that he allegedly invented the phorbea, which, as stated, could have various purposes and, among other things, reduce or completely eliminate the distortion of the auletes' face when playing. Plutarch (“On the Suppression of Anger”) even cites a verse by an unknown poet dedicated to the introduction of phorbeia into musical usage: “Hid the ugliness of the swollen cheeks with soft gold, And put a strap on the lips, fastened at the back”

According to Athenaeus, Euphorion, who served as a librarian in Antioch, in his book On Musicians, claimed that the syringa, consisting of a series of tubes held together with wax, was invented by Marsyas. All other evidence is concentrated in famous myth. It was started by Athena, who, having tried to play the aulos, accidentally looked into the stream and, seeing her face distorted with a grimace, threw the instrument away in disgust. They even say that she predicted many misfortunes for those who would pick up the aulos and play on it. So strong was the goddess’s hatred for the instrument, because of which her beautiful face was momentarily disfigured.

The satyr Marsyas, walking through the vast fields and forests of his native Phrygia, came across an aulos discarded by Athena and, consumed by curiosity, took it in his hands, put it to his lips and began to blow air into the instrument. Wonderful sounds were heard. It must be assumed that Marsyas, who along with the genes of his father absorbed outstanding musical abilities, had a more noble and sublime sound of aulos than the warrior Athena, whose genius abilities were infinitely far from music. As for Marcia's facial expression, several circumstances need to be taken into account.

Firstly, Marsyas was not able to see the reflection of his face, since he did not look into the stream every minute, like a woman.

Secondly, the appearance of the strong Marcius did not in any way resemble the ideal of beauty. Apuleius (“Metamorphoses” III 19) describes him as follows: “... looks like a wild beast, ferocious, shaggy, his beard is covered in dirt, all overgrown with hair and stubble.” In other words, a typical satyr. His face, of course, was not distinguished by sophistication, tenderness and “correct” features. Therefore, another grimace, which arose when testing the aulos and increased the number of wrinkles, did not change the appearance of Marsyas and did not add anything new to it.

Or maybe Marsyas began to use the phorbeia he invented from the very beginning? Thirdly - and this is the most important thing, although, unfortunately, not mentioned in any of the versions of the myth - Marsyas, a professional musician, family traditions introduced to the instrument from childhood, he should not, like the amateur Athena, when playing the aulos, puff out his cheeks so much that his eyes seemed to be filled with blood and seemed to “roll out” of their sockets. He, like any professional, should have known that sound quality does not depend on the amount of air collected in the mouth, “behind the cheeks,” but depends on many other reasons, well famous musicians. Therefore, there was no point in filling his mouth with air to capacity and puffing out his cheeks.

In short, Marsyas not only began to make wonderful sounds on the aulos, but also generally mastered the instrument brilliantly, and his skill became so high that he even risked measuring his strength with Apollo himself. Marsyas thought this way: let him play the lyre, and I - the aulos; Of course, these are instruments of different nature, and the skill of the performer on them manifests itself in different ways. But the goal of any musician is to have an artistic impact on the listener. So, in order to determine which of us plays better, me or Apollo, isn’t it possible to evaluate precisely the degree of emotional impact music performed? And Marsyas became more and more confident in his desire to compete with God. And then Athena’s fateful prediction came true.

Apollo was furious when he learned that the unknown and strong Marsyas decided to compete with him - with the best musician in the world. The impudence of this Marcia has no limits. Apollo was especially outraged by the fact that during the competition Marsyas decided to play not the noble cithara, but the base and rude aulos, suitable only for accompanying obscene dances and shameless songs of the dissolute company of Dionysus. After all, this is an insult to the divine lyre, intended for high purposes. In addition, it is absolutely incomprehensible how this Phrygian imagines competition. Custom requires that musicians' performances be judged according to the same criteria. Only in this case can the best be revealed. But how will the same criteria apply to musicians playing the different instruments? It's like comparing the step of a turtle and the flight of a bird. A lyre player must have certain qualities, and an aulet must have others. Perhaps he wants the artistic level to be compared performed works? Does he really doubt that I, Apollo, will create a play more brilliant than him? Well, if this impudent and upstart Marsyas decided to act contrary to the established order, if he questioned even the authority of the best and most important of the musicians, and, finally, if he decided to oppose the uncouth peasant aulos to the beautiful lyre, then he will get his due in full.

Then, having subdued his anger, Apollo nevertheless decided to prepare for the competition. But his preparation did not consist of intensive practice on the instrument. He didn't care. Could anyone play better than Apollo himself? Could anyone have improvised it better? Therefore, it does not matter whether he practices the lyre or not. The outcome of the fight is predetermined and that’s not the point. Now we need to arrange the competition in such a way that no one doubts its natural and logical outcome.

As in any competition, a jury is needed to make an impartial decision. After all, you need to protect yourself from all sorts of rumors and malicious conversations. There will definitely appear those who will whisper all sorts of nonsense to people: “Of course, he is a god, everything is subject to him, and he won the competition not because of his art, but because of his divine origin.” To avoid such slander, the competition needs a judge whose decision would not raise even a shadow of doubt in anyone’s mind. Who can be such a judge? Of course, for the sake of credibility, the competition should be judged by the muses. It is common knowledge that no one understands creativity better than them. Their word will be the most convincing. So, it has been decided: the jury will consist of muses. However, won't someone have the bad idea that the muses proclaimed the victory of Apollo for the reason that they live together on Olympus? Of course, the authority of the muses is too high, but still... And Apollo was struck by a great idea: it is necessary to introduce one of the compatriots of this rogue Marsyas into the jury. There is no doubt that Apollo’s superiority will be obvious to everyone. But if the decision of the muses is confirmed by fellow countryman Marcia, then no gossip is possible. It was not difficult for Apollo to find a worthy Phrygian. He turned out to be the Phrygian king Midas, distinguished by the fairness of his decisions and good nature.

On the appointed day, the jury and countless listeners gathered. The competition itself did not last long. They say that after each of the contestants played, the superiority of Apollo immediately became clear to the muses. How could it be otherwise? When Apollo played, the muses listened to the pleasant sounds of the lyre, which they knew, felt and understood well. After all, such music has always sounded in their native Helikon. Familiar places and faces passed before their mind's eye, memories infinitely close to their hearts. They empathized with the music created by Apollo because its movement corresponded to the beat of their hearts. When the aulos sounded, the muses seemed to be torn out of their native soil and in an instant found themselves in some incomprehensible chaos of sounds, as if rushing towards each other with incredible speed: the sounds collided, scattered in different directions, swirled, jumped out of the formed circle with them, then everything started all over again, and this cycle had no end. In the name of what was this done? What was the point in all this rapid whirlwind, where neither beginning nor end could be found? And the sound of the aulos itself was rough and harsh.

In the upper register he nasalized, and in the lower register he rasped. For the muses there was no doubt that by giving the palm to Apollo, they thereby asserted victory high art. Marsyas was ridiculed, and Apollo was glorified. Everything was moving towards the outcome planned by Apollo.

However, at the very end, when the jury and listeners began to disperse, the Phrygian king Midas suddenly asked to speak. Shyly smiling, embarrassed and blushing, he said that he liked the acting and music of Marsyas more than Apollo. There was an awkward pause. But Midas’s words could not influence the muses’ impression of the competition, and it was even more impossible to change their decision. All the listeners continued to disperse, returning to their daily affairs. And when almost no one was left, Apollo, in retaliation for such a daring statement, awarded Midas with donkey ears. Let them show off on his head and let everyone know that he understands as much about music as any donkey. As the proverb says: “The sounds of the lyre are unnecessary for a donkey.” So Midas remained with this gift from Apollo for the rest of his life.