Everything about Aulos totally explained
The
aulos (
Greek αυλός, plural
αυλόι, auloi) or
tibia (
Latin) was an
ancient Greek musical instrument. Different kinds of instruments bore the name, including a single pipe without a reed called the
monaulos (
μόναυλος, from
μόνος "single"), and a single pipe held horizontally, as the modern flute, called the
plagiaulos (
πλαγίαυλος, from
πλᾰγιος "sideways"), although simple variants with a single
clarinet reed can't be ruled out. Although sometimes embraced, not unlike the
lyre, by aristocrats with sufficient leisure to practice it, from the later fifth century on the aulos became chiefly associated with professional musicians, often slaves.
The aulos accompanied a wide range of Greek activities: it was present at sacrifices, dramas and even wrestling matches, for the broad jump, the discus throw, sailor's dances on
triremes.
associates it with the ecstatic cults of
Dionysus and the
Korybantes. In his writings, Plato banned the aulos from his
Republic but reintroduced it in "Laws".
In mythology,
Marsyas the
satyr or "papa selenus" was supposed to have invented the aulos, or else picked it up after
Athena had thrown it away because it caused her cheeks to puff out and ruined her beauty. In any case, he challenged
Apollo to a musical contest, where the winner would be able to "do whatever he wanted" to the loser - Marsyas's expectation, typical of a satyr was that this would be sexual in nature. But Apollo and his lyre beat
Marsyas and his aulos. And since the pure lord of
Delphi's mind worked in different ways than Marsyas's, he celebrated his victory by stringing his opponent up from a tree and
flaying him alive. King Midas got donkey's ears for judging Marsyas as the lesser player. Marsyas' blood and the tears of the Muses formed the river Marsyas in Asia Minor.
This tale was a warning against committing the sin of "
hubris", or overwhelming pride, in that Marsyas thought he might win against a god. Strange and brutal as it is, this myth reflects a great many cultural tensions that the Greeks expressed in the opposition they often drew between the lyre and aulos: freedom vs. servility and tyranny, leisured amateurs vs. professionals, moderation (
sophrosyne) vs. excess, etc. Some of this is a result of 19th century AD "classical interpretation", ie. Apollo versus Dionysus, or "Reason" (represented by the kithara) opposed to "Madness" (represented by the Aulos). In the temple to Apollo at Delphi, there was also a shrine to Dionysus, and his Maenads are shown playing the Aulos, on drinking cups, but Dionysus is sometimes shown holding a kithara or lyre. So a modern interpretation can be a little more complicated than just simple duality.
It should be noted, however, that this opposition is mostly an Athenian one. We might surmise that things were different at
Thebes, which was a center of aulos-playing. And we know that at
Sparta – which had no Bacchic or Korybantic cults to serve as contrast – the aulos was actually associated with
Apollo, and accompanied the kings into battle.
Further Information
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