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CURIOSITIES OF MUSIC. |
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ing his victory over the serpent Python; the good principle defeating the evil principle, as in Egyptian, and most other mythologies. Pindar's odes have celebrated the victories at some of these games. Being dedicated to Apollo, it was but natural that music, (under this head, the Greeks understood most of the accomplishments of the muses,) should play the most important part.
Religious poems were chanted, with an accompaniment upon the lyre or phorminx. The first poet-musicians who gained the prize were Chryso-themis,* Philammon, an earlier poet-musician than Homer, and Thamyris. According to Pausanius, all these singers were probably priests of Apollo. The Amphyctions first established prizes for songs with flute accompaniment, and for flute solos. Cephallon obtained a prize for songs accompanied by Kithara, a small lyre, and Echembrotus one for songs with flute, while Sacadas of Argos took the prize three consecutive times for his flute solos. After him came Pythocritus of Sicyon, who won the prize at these games six consecutive times, which covers an interval of thirty years of triumphs.
Athletic sports also were introduced later. The prizes were, as at Olympia, wreaths only.
The use of the flute both as solo instrument, and as accompaniment, was however, soon abolished, it being used as funeral music, and for dirge playing among the Amphyctions, and there-
•The nome, or hymn for which Chrysothemis, (rained the prize, celebrated the victory of Apollo over the serpirit python
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