Brill’s New Pauly

Get access

Phrynis
(296 words)

[German version]

(Φρῦνις/Phrŷnis). Citharist from Mytilene, active 446-416 in Athens; a key figure of the 'New Music' of the late 5th century BC [5. 12]. Of his works nothing survives.

Brought to the cithara (in about 480) by Aristocleides, a descendant of Terpander (schol. Aristoph. Nub. 971), P. was victorious at the Panathenaea in 446 [2. 40ff.] and was defeated in about 416 by Timotheus [4. 1332]. By applying freer rhythms (Phot. 320b), altered tuning (Plut. De musica 1141f) and kampaí (here: 'modulations') [3. 184f., 190] he renewed Terpander's citharody (Plut. De m…

Cite this page
Harmon, Roger (Basle), “Phrynis”, in: Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e924340>
First published online: 2006
First print edition: 9789004122598, 20110510



▲   Back to top   ▲