DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9260#0231
i96 P.OVIDII METAMOR-
catus cancre : nondum quidem tarn flexanimo fonot
nee tam pluriformi modo , nee tam multiforatili ti-
bia, qttippe adhuc ars ifta repertit novo cornmodum
eriebatur......pr or fits igttur ante Hyagnim
nihil aliud pletique callebant quam Virgilianus Opilio
feu bybfequA
Stridrati mifertm Jiipttla difperdere carmen, &e.
ThisPaflage, which I have abridged, jfhews us , i.
that Hyagnis was the Inventor ot a Flute , courle
enough indeed , but Mill much more perfect than
the Reeds that were in ufe before his Time. 2. That
he was the Father and Matter of Marfyas, who, as Ovid
fays, was overcome and flay'd alive by Apollo. This
Fable, if we believe 7 ltus Livius and Quintus Cur-'
tius is but an Allegory , and it was the River Mar-
fyas that gave rife to it. As that River falls from a
Precipice, it makes a very difagreeable Noife in the
Neighbourhood of (Helena a 1 own in Thrygia-, but
the Smoothnefs of its Courle afterwards gave Occafion
to fay that the Vengeance of Apollo had render'd him
more tractable. But it is much more probable that the
Foundation of the Hiftory is true. His Father Hyagnis,
who is the Subjccl of one of the Epochs of the Parian
Marbles , is as well known as his Son , who had
learned from him the Art of playing on the Flute.
Fraud of that Advantage, at a Time when the Arts
were but very rude and unpohmed , Marfyas had
perhaps challenged a Prieft of Apollo, or fome Prin-
ce who had the Name of that God, and was punished
P. OVID'S METAMOR-
in the manner related by Ovid. Herodotus feems to
be of this Opinion , when he fays that the Skin of
that unfortunate Man was feen in his Time in the
Town of Celena. Strabo, Paufanias and Aulus-Gelhus
believe likewife that this Adventure is true. Suidas
adds that Marfyas enraged at his Defeat threw
himfelf into the River which runs near Celente , and
has from that time had his Name. Strabo pretends
that Marfyas had Itolen the Flute from Minerva which
proved fo fatal to him, and had thereby drawn upon
himfelf the Indignation of that Goddefs. This Fact,
is founded upon a Statue of Minerva , holding a
Whip in her Hand to punifli Marfyas , as Paufanias
relates. 'I"hat Goddefs, according to Apollodorus(1),
having obferved, by feeing herfelf in the River Mean-
der , that when flie played upon the Flute her Cheeks
were fwelled up in a very ridiculous manner , and
judging that the Gods had , upon that account,
realbn to laugh at her, threw away the Flute in a
Rage; and Marfyas,finding it fometime after,learned
to play fo well upon it, that he challenged Apollo,
as I have already related. Father Montfaucon (2) has
colleded after Begerus and MafFey feveral Antics, in
which Marfyas is feen flay'd, and Apollo near him. I shall
conclude in remarking that there is a fault in Hygin,
Fable 165-, when he fays that Marfyas was the Son.
of Oeagrius, which we muft read Hyagnis. The Time
in which Hyagnis lived is marked in the Marbles,
and the Commentators fix it in the Year if 54. before
our Saviour,
(z) Lib. I. (3) Ant. Expl. Tom, I.
F A B. IX.
catus cancre : nondum quidem tarn flexanimo fonot
nee tam pluriformi modo , nee tam multiforatili ti-
bia, qttippe adhuc ars ifta repertit novo cornmodum
eriebatur......pr or fits igttur ante Hyagnim
nihil aliud pletique callebant quam Virgilianus Opilio
feu bybfequA
Stridrati mifertm Jiipttla difperdere carmen, &e.
ThisPaflage, which I have abridged, jfhews us , i.
that Hyagnis was the Inventor ot a Flute , courle
enough indeed , but Mill much more perfect than
the Reeds that were in ufe before his Time. 2. That
he was the Father and Matter of Marfyas, who, as Ovid
fays, was overcome and flay'd alive by Apollo. This
Fable, if we believe 7 ltus Livius and Quintus Cur-'
tius is but an Allegory , and it was the River Mar-
fyas that gave rife to it. As that River falls from a
Precipice, it makes a very difagreeable Noife in the
Neighbourhood of (Helena a 1 own in Thrygia-, but
the Smoothnefs of its Courle afterwards gave Occafion
to fay that the Vengeance of Apollo had render'd him
more tractable. But it is much more probable that the
Foundation of the Hiftory is true. His Father Hyagnis,
who is the Subjccl of one of the Epochs of the Parian
Marbles , is as well known as his Son , who had
learned from him the Art of playing on the Flute.
Fraud of that Advantage, at a Time when the Arts
were but very rude and unpohmed , Marfyas had
perhaps challenged a Prieft of Apollo, or fome Prin-
ce who had the Name of that God, and was punished
P. OVID'S METAMOR-
in the manner related by Ovid. Herodotus feems to
be of this Opinion , when he fays that the Skin of
that unfortunate Man was feen in his Time in the
Town of Celena. Strabo, Paufanias and Aulus-Gelhus
believe likewife that this Adventure is true. Suidas
adds that Marfyas enraged at his Defeat threw
himfelf into the River which runs near Celente , and
has from that time had his Name. Strabo pretends
that Marfyas had Itolen the Flute from Minerva which
proved fo fatal to him, and had thereby drawn upon
himfelf the Indignation of that Goddefs. This Fact,
is founded upon a Statue of Minerva , holding a
Whip in her Hand to punifli Marfyas , as Paufanias
relates. 'I"hat Goddefs, according to Apollodorus(1),
having obferved, by feeing herfelf in the River Mean-
der , that when flie played upon the Flute her Cheeks
were fwelled up in a very ridiculous manner , and
judging that the Gods had , upon that account,
realbn to laugh at her, threw away the Flute in a
Rage; and Marfyas,finding it fometime after,learned
to play fo well upon it, that he challenged Apollo,
as I have already related. Father Montfaucon (2) has
colleded after Begerus and MafFey feveral Antics, in
which Marfyas is feen flay'd, and Apollo near him. I shall
conclude in remarking that there is a fault in Hygin,
Fable 165-, when he fays that Marfyas was the Son.
of Oeagrius, which we muft read Hyagnis. The Time
in which Hyagnis lived is marked in the Marbles,
and the Commentators fix it in the Year if 54. before
our Saviour,
(z) Lib. I. (3) Ant. Expl. Tom, I.
F A B. IX.