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Occasionally, it seems, they were confused, the name sambyke being applied to the triangular harp.128 Sambyke certainly remained much the more familiar word, and it retained its image of sensuality and low hedonism. The hired girls who played it were themselves called sambykai, or sambykistriai, and we hear of them from about 300 BC in contexts of mild debauchery.129 In the early second century BC they were introduced to Rome, scandalizing the straight-laced.130 The trigonos could be described, not much later, as more or less obsolete, though we hear of it again as an Alexandrian instrument in the second century AD131 |
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In his list of instruments of foreign origin, between harps and lutes, Aristoxenus includes the klepsiambos. Pollux too lists it among stringed instruments. But we can say nothing more about it, except that it was no longer current by the time of Apollodorus, in the mid-second century BC.132 |
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In the same context Aristoxenus mentioned 'the so-called enneachordon' ('nine-stringer'); this too was obsolete in Apollodorus' day. It may have been a harp but, if so, we cannot say why it was distinguished from other harps by a special name.133 |
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The nablas or nabla was a Phoenician harp that arrived in Greece about the end of the fourth century BC. Its sound is described as 'throaty'. It was played without a plectrum, and was regarded as suitable for merrymaking.134 |
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128 Euphorion (ap. Ath. 635a/f) apparently considered the sambyke as a manystringed instrument adapted from the older magadis, and Vitruvius 6. 1. 5 (following Posidonius fr. 71 Theiler?) applies the name to the triangular vertical frame harp; likewise Aelian ap. Porph. in Ptol. Harm. p. 34.30 D. In the Suda (ii. 607. 19. iv. 317. 22) it is explained at 'a type of triangular kithara'. |
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129 Philemon fr. 45. 5, Plaut. Stich. 381 (after Menander). Hippolochus ap. Ath. 129 a (Rhodian sambykistriai in diaphanous dresses). PHib. 270. 1. Polyb. 5. 37. 10. 8. 6. 6. |
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130 Livy 39. 6. 8 (187 BC), Scipio Aemilianus Orat. fr. 20 Malc., Plut. Ant. 9. 8. Pers. 5. 95, Juv. 3. 63f.?, Arn. Adv. Nat. 2. 42, S.H.A. Hadr. 26. 4, Mart. Cap. 9. 924. |
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131 Apollodorus, FGrH 244 F 219; Ptol Harm. 3. 7, Ath. 183e. |
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132 Aristox. fr. 97. Phillis ap. Ath. 636b (from Aristox.). Poll. 4. 59, Apollodorus. FGrH 244 F 219. According to Hesychius certain songs of Alcman were also known as klepsiamboi (PMG 161d). Pollux also mentions a pariambos, and Ath. 183c apparently takes pariambides to be musical instruments in Epicharmus fr. 109; but that is a misunderstanding. |
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133 Aristox, Phillis, Apollodorus, locc. citt. For nine-stringed harps cf. above, p. 73; for lyres, pp. 62f. |
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134 Philemon fr. 45, Sopatros frs. 10 and 16 Kaibel Euphorion ap. Ath. 182e, Strab. 10. 3. 17, Ov. Ars Am. 3. 327, Clem. Strom. 1. 16. 74, Manetho 4. 185, Hsch. |
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(Footnote continued on next page) |
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