Lyre

Musical instrument in use among the Greeks and undoubtedly brought from Asia. Its invention is ascribed to the Grecian Hermes, who gave it to Apollo, the first that played upon it with method and accompanied it with poetry. The primitive lyre had three strings; Terpander, 673 В.С., added four, and Phrynis, 438 B.C., added two more, making nine. The number was afterward increased to thirteen. The instrument is held between the knees and the strings struck with the fingers or a plectrum. It consisted of a tortoise-shell, with two upright horns and a wooden cro -piece at the upper ends, to which the strings were attached, the other ends of the strings being fastened to the shell and with a bridge to raise the strings from the shell. The number of notes was the same as the strings, as the latter could not be stopped by the fingers. IMG:content-1182.jpg:[merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]