ARION  , of Methymna, in

Lesbos, a semi-legendary poet and musician, friend of Periander, tyrant of Corinth . He flourished about 625 B.C . Several of the ancients ascribe to him the invention of the dithyramb and of dithyrambic poetry; it is probable, however, that his real service was confined to the organization of that verse, and the conversion of it from a mere drunken song, used in the Dionysiac revels, to a measured antistrophic hymn, sung by a trained body of performers . The name Cycleus given to his father indicates the connexion of the son with the " cyclic " or circular chorus which was the origin of tragedy . According to Suidas he composed a number of songs and proems; none of these is extant; the fragment of a hymn to Poseidon attributed to him (Aelian, Hist . An.xii.45) is spurious and was probably written in Attica in the time of Euripides . Nothing is known of the life of Arion, with the exception of the beautiful story first told by Herodotus (i . 23) and elaborated and embellished by subsequent writers . According to Herodotus, Arion being desirous of exhibiting his skill in foreign countries left Corinth, and travelled through Sicily and parts of Italy, where he gained great fame and amassed a large sum of money . At Taras (Tarentum) he embarked for his homeward voyage in a Corinthian vessel . The sight of his treasure roused the cupidity of the sailors, who resolved to possess themselves of it by putting him to death . In answer to his entreaties that they would spare his life, they insisted that he should either die by his own hand on shipboard or cast himself into the sea .

Arion

chose the latter, and as a last favour begged permission to sing a parting song . The sailors, desirous of hearing so famous a musician, consented, and the poet, standing on the deck of the ship, in full minstrel's attire, sang a dirge accompanied by his lyre . He then threw himself overboard; but instead of perishing, he was miraculously borne up in safety by a dolphin, supposed to have been charmed by the music . Thus he was conveyed to Taenarum, whence he proceeded to Corinth, arriving before the ship from Tarentum . Immediately on his arrival Arion related his story to Periander, who was at first incredulous, but eventually learned the truth by a stratagem . Summoning the sailors, he demanded what had become of the poet . They affirmed that he had remained behind at Tarentum; upon which they were suddenly confronted by Arion himself, arrayed in the same garments in which he had leapt overboard . The sailors confessed their guilt and were punished . Arion's lyre and the dolphin were translated to the stars . Herodotus and Pausanias (iii . 25 . 7) both refer to a brass figure at Taenarum which was supposed to represent Arion seated on the dolphin's back .

But this story is only one of several in which the dolphin appears as saving the lives of favoured heroes . For instance, it is curious that Taras, the mythical founder of Tarentum, is said to have been conveyed in this manner from Taenarum to Tarentum . On Tarentine coins a

man and dolphin appear, and hence it may be thought that the monument at Taenarum represented Taras and not Arion . At the same time the connexion of Apollo with the dolphin must not be forgotten . Under this form the god appeared when he founded the celebrated oracle at Delphi, the name of which commemorates the circumstance . He was also the god of music, the special preserver of poets, and to him the lyre was sacred . Among the numerous modern versions of the story, particular mention may be made of the pretty ballad by A . W . Schlegel; see also Lehrs, Populare Aufsatze aus dem Alterthum (1844–1846) ; Clement, Arion (1898) .