TY - JOUR

T1 - The Myth of Inventing the Many-headed Nome

AU - Алмазова, Нина Александровна

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Among extant sources, only Pindar (Pyth. 12) and, about 9 centuries later, Nonnus of Panopolis (Dionys. 40. 227–233; 24. 36–38) tell the story of the inventing of the many-headed nome (an instrumental aulos piece depicting with musical means the victory of Perseus over the gorgons): it is said to have been created by Athena to imitate the wailing of the gorgons over decapitated Medusa, of which she was an eyewitness. It is argued that Pindar himself was the author of this etiological legend: he proceeded from two already current myths, that of Perseus patronized by Athena and that of Athena inventing au-los playing, and combined them to please his client, Midas the aulos player, who most probably won the Pythian victory performing exactly the many-headed nome. Nonnus borrowed the myth from Pindar. Geographical specifi-cations, which are different in Pindar and Nonnus, do not contradict this con-clusion.

AB - Among extant sources, only Pindar (Pyth. 12) and, about 9 centuries later, Nonnus of Panopolis (Dionys. 40. 227–233; 24. 36–38) tell the story of the inventing of the many-headed nome (an instrumental aulos piece depicting with musical means the victory of Perseus over the gorgons): it is said to have been created by Athena to imitate the wailing of the gorgons over decapitated Medusa, of which she was an eyewitness. It is argued that Pindar himself was the author of this etiological legend: he proceeded from two already current myths, that of Perseus patronized by Athena and that of Athena inventing au-los playing, and combined them to please his client, Midas the aulos player, who most probably won the Pythian victory performing exactly the many-headed nome. Nonnus borrowed the myth from Pindar. Geographical specifi-cations, which are different in Pindar and Nonnus, do not contradict this con-clusion.

KW - древнегреческая музыка; Нонн; Пиндар; πολυκέφαλος νόμος

KW - ancient Greek music; Nonnus; Pindar; πολυκέφαλος νόμος

U2 - 10.25990/hyperboreus.9zw9-e147

DO - 10.25990/hyperboreus.9zw9-e147

M3 - Article

VL - 29

SP - 5

EP - 28

JO - Hyperboreus

JF - Hyperboreus

SN - 0949-2615

IS - 1

ER -