Sarcophagus Marsyas Myth

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by Henk Bekker

Sarcophagus Marsyas Myth in the sculpture collection of the Liebieghaus Museum in Frankfurt

Of the sarcophagi, the most impressive is the sarcophagus illustrating the myth of Athena, Marsyas, and Apollo (Rome, ca. AD200). Athena invents the aulos (double-reed flute) but playing it distorts her beauty. The satyr Marsyas found it, played it well but lost in a play-off against the god Apollo, and is skinned alive.