Ὅτι Ἀλέξανδρος φιλήκοος ἦν
Alexander, Alexandros
Translated by Jennifer Benedict6 May 2000Vetting: high3 revisions
Translation
Alexander was as fond of listening to music as anyone. For, even earlier, Timotheos the piper, whom they say once piped the so-called orthios nomos of Athena,1 so greatly amazed Alexander with his melodies that in the middle of listening he rose up to arms; and he said that that is what the royal pipe-tunes ought to be like. Naturally, this Timotheos, having been sent for, went to him eagerly.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ὅτι Ἀλέξανδρος φιλήκοος ἦν, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος, τῶν μουσικῶν. Τιμόθεος γὰρ ὁ αὐλητὴς ἔτι πρόσθεν, ὅν ποτε αὐλοῦντα λέγουσι τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς τὸν ὄρθιον νόμον ἐπικαλούμενον, ἐς τοσόνδε ἐκπλῆξαι Ἀλέξανδρον τοῖς μέλεσιν, ὥστε μεταξὺ ἀκούσαντα ἀναΐξαι ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα· τὸν δὲ φάναι, ὅτι τοιαῦτα χρὴ εἶναι τὰ βασιλικὰ αὐλήματα. οὗτός τε δὴ ὁ Τιμόθεος ἀνεληλύθει πρὸς αὐτὸν σπουδῇ μετάπεμπτος γενόμενος.
Betacode
*(/oti *)ale/candros filh/koos h)=n, ei)/per tis a)/llos, tw=n mousikw=n. *timo/qeos ga\r o( au)lhth\s e)/ti pro/sqen, o(/n pote au)lou=nta le/gousi th=s *)aqhna=s to\n o)/rqion no/mon e)pikalou/menon, e)s toso/nde e)kplh=cai *)ale/candron toi=s me/lesin, w(/ste metacu\ a)kou/santa a)nai/+cai e)pi\ ta\ o(/pla: to\n de\ fa/nai, o(/ti toiau=ta xrh\ ei)=nai ta\ basilika\ au)lh/mata. ou(=to/s te dh\ o( *timo/qeos a)nelhlu/qei pro\s au)to\n spoudh=| meta/pemptos geno/menos.
Notes (1)
- From tau 620; see also omicron 573. (For Alexander see already alpha 1121, and again alpha 1123.)↩
- 1A nomos (in this context) was "a specific, nameable melody [...] sung or played in a formal setting in which it was conventionally appropriate: a sacrifice, a funeral, a festival competition, or a professional display... [T]he nomos of Athena...was probably a standard item at the Panathenaic musical contests" (M.L. West, Ancient Greek Music (Oxford 1992) 216). In the same specialized context the adjective orthios signified a particular rhythm: see West 156-7. West also collects evidence (352 n.119) for the orthios nomos as played on the kithara (kappa 1590). That Timotheos played it on the aulos may be the point of emphasis in the present entry.
Linked from3 entries
- α1121ἈλέξανδροςAlexander, AlexandrosThe son of Philip and Olympias, who was king of the Macedonians from age 18 and died at 33 years of age. This man was "very beautiful in body and very devoted to hard work and very acute, very courageous in judgement…
- α1123υνκνοων—Ὅτι οὗτος ὁ μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος νικήσας ναυμαχίαν Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ—Alexander, AlexandrosThis Alexander the Great, having defeated the Lakedaimonians in a sea-battle and fortified Peiraieus and sacrificed a hecatomb, feasted all the Athenians.
- α1701Ἀμφιανακτίζεινto sing (dithyrambic) hymns[Meaning] to sing the strain of Terpander, the one called High-pitched, which began a prelude of his in this way: "let my heart sing for me to the far-shooting lord." It also occurs in Bed and in Anagyros.
Neighbouring entries
α1120Ἀλεξανδρέων φονοκτονίαAlexandrians' massacreα1121ἈλέξανδροςAlexander, Alexandrosα1122Ὅτι Ἀλέξανδρος φιλήκοος ἦνAlexander, Alexandrosα1123υνκνοων—Ὅτι οὗτος ὁ μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος νικήσας ναυμαχίαν Λακεδαιμονίους καὶ—Alexander, Alexandrosα1124Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ ΜαμαίαςAlexander Mamaias, Alexander son of Mamaia
Revision history3 revisions · last 3 Feb 2012
- more x-refs; more keywords; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- tweaks to tr — David Whitehead
- modified headword, translation, keywords; added note — David Whitehead
- Translated — Jennifer Benedict