Apollo Marsyas Poem by dimitrios galanis

Moved was Apollo in fact
in predicting eased the human woes
by the barbaric tones,
alleviated the laments
by the levantine timbres,
obliterated the sobbings
by the lydofrygian tonalities.
Barely had Marsyas laid lips upon his fife
when its sound
tamed even the savage beasts.
Mountains ceased to frown,
rushing winds calmed down,
turbulent waves lost their fury.
Bound with the spell
hurried in hush to hear
the plaintive eastern mode,
reed's pathos
tuned in sympathy to mortal sufferings.

- His lyra had not endowed the race of hellenes
with music scales for soothing bleeding hearts,
lyric scales with powers redemptive
like these of this wind instrument.
Its solacing effect
was worth a recompense.
He, himself, would now grant coming generations
this allophone consolation's trope.
Ηe, himself, would cut off this thread of eastern whiff,
immortal to accompany his people's excruciating lives.
Through horrible death
would eternal be Levantine's frankness tonal.

-Let anybody his intensions misunderstand,
let his benevolent reputation be at stake.
Since his worshippers respect victims unjust,
he would submit to be the abuser for their sake.
Pretending anger against 'East's audacity',
sentenced Marsyas: be flayed on the spot.

Worked as intended
the magnanimous devine sin: *
At last even in Delphis itself *
the pathetically whistling flute was heard.
Sedative, remedy its sound to sorrows mortal,
for the miserable life resonating balm.
....
*{ Art's addoptions and innovations had its victims too }
*586 b.d. were held the first flute competition in Delphoi