Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Marsyas explained
Minerva invents the flute but discards it after Cupid mocks her appearance while playing.
What happens
Minerva invents the flute but discards it after Cupid mocks her appearance while playing. Marsyas finds the flute and becomes so skilled that he challenges Apollo to a musical contest. Apollo wins and punishes Marsyas by flaying him alive.
Themes in this chapter
Hubris and Divine Retribution
Marsyas's hubris in challenging Apollo leads to his severe punishment, exemplifying the theme of overreaching against the gods.
Characters to notice
- Minerva
Invented the flute and played it for the celestial auditors, but threw it away after Cupid's mockery.
- Cupid
Laughed at Minerva's face while she played the flute, causing her to discard the instrument.
- Phoebus Apollo
Accepted Marsyas's musical challenge, triumphed, and punished Marsyas by flaying him alive.
Key passages
“Marsyas Minerva invented the flute, and played upon it to the delight of all the celestial auditors; but the mischievous urchin Cupid having dared to laugh at the queer face which the goddess made while playing, Minerva threw the instrument indignantly away, and it fell down to earth, and was found by Marsyas.”
Minerva created the flute and performed for the gods, but when Cupid mocked her facial expression, she angrily discarded the flute, which landed on Earth and was discovered by Marsyas.
Describes the origin of the flute and Marsyas's acquisition of it.
“He blew upon it, and drew from it such ravishing sounds that he was tempted to challenge Apollo himself to a musical contest. The god of course triumphed, and punished Marsyas by flaying him alive.”
Marsyas played the flute so beautifully that he dared to compete with Apollo, but the god won and subjected Marsyas to being skinned alive as punishment.
Summarizes the contest and its fatal outcome for Marsyas.