Memnon

An Ethiopian, son of Tithonus and Aurora, who was slain by Achilles at Troy. The two colo al statues of Amen-hetep III. at Thebes were said by the Greeks to be representations of this person. These statues were originally monoliths of red breccia, a pebbly conglomerate exceedingly difficult to work. The northernmost having been severely damaged—it is supposed by the earthquake in B.C. 27—presented a curious phenomenon, emitting sounds at sunrise, which caused it to be called Vocal Memnon and brought it great fame. Many travellers came from far to hear the musical sounds, and some have left records of their experiences inscribed on the legs and pedestal of the statue. The clumsy restoration, by means of five courses of sandstone, which was effected by Septimius Severus, put a stop to the sounds. Among those who left inscriptions were Asklepiodotos, Balbilla a court poete , and several governors of Egypt. The phenomenon is discu ed by Strabo—who could not believe that the sound actually proceeded from the stone—by Pausanias and Juvenal. (See Colo i .)