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Arion’s main patron was Periander, the

tyrant of Corinth, who was a plutocratic and

superstitious man. In early spring, Arion

left Corinth to tour the shores of Italy and

Sicily, and Periander saw him off with his

best wishes. For months, Arion’s fame (and

wealth) grew as he performed in all the

famous Italian temples and theaters. Despite

this, Arion missed Periander, who had grown

to be his friend, so after a season on the road,

he decided to return to Corinth.

As Arion searched the port of Tarentum

on the heel of Italy for a ship to ferry him

back, he heard a group of men and women

singing a song that he had composed, about

Poseidon’s wedding with the sea nymph

Amphitrite. Arion approached these fans

THOUSANDS OF YEARS ago,

when Boreas blew against the ancient shores

of Greece, there lived a musician whose

renown was greater than that of any who lives

today. His name was Arion, and he came

from Methymna on the island of Lesbos.

He sailed from island to island and traveled

from city to city, playing in the courts of

tyrants and kings and composing songs for

the people. He sang while playing his cithara,

which in today’s Greek means a guitar but

back then meant a big wooden lyre.

of his and asked where they were heading.

Luck was with him that day (or so Arion

thought), for in the group were five sailors

who were not only heading to Corinth, but

they were Corinthian, too. And if his time in

Corinth had taught Arion nothing else, it was

that Corinthians were a reliable people. He

boarded their small boat and promised that

he would pay these sailors well when they

landed safely in Greece.

After a week at sea, they were still a few

days from Corinth when Arion came out on

deck to watch the rolling waves and tune his

cithara. His thoughts drifted to Greece, to

its olive groves, bubbling streams, and wild

horses running over the plains. Suddenly, the

five sailors surrounded him, swords and dag-

gers drawn. They were pirates, not honest

sailors at all! In a menacing circle, they yelled

at him to hand over all his money.

Arion told the pirates that he’d hand over

his money without a fight if they promised to

spare his life. But the pirates were having none

of it. They told Arion that he had two options.

He could either kill himself, and they would

bury him when they landed, or he could jump

overboard to a watery grave. Doubting that the

pirates would change their minds, and resigned

to his fate, Arion asked if he could play one

ARION: The Greatest

Musician in Greece

by James Lloyd

Illustrated by Alida Massari

text © 2019 by James Lloyd, art © 2019 by Alida Massari

BOREAS
WAS THE
GREEK
GOD
OF THE
NORTH
WIND.

IN ANCIENT GREECE, A TYRANT

WAS AN ABSOLUTE RULER, BUT

NOT NECCESSARILY A BAD GUY.

PLUTOCRATIC REFERS TO

RULE BY THE WEALTHY.