LinusLinos

A poet; perhaps the son of Amphimarus and Ourania (Urania).

Linus is said to be the innovator of melody and rhythm; he was the music teacher of Orpheus, Herakles (Heracles), and Iphikles (Iphicles); during one of the lessons, Linus struck Herakles as punishment for his inattention and the youthful Herakles flew into a rage and beat Linus to death with a stool; this scene is the subject of several Red Figure vases from the early fifth century BCE.

The death of Linus was commemorated at harvest time by the singing of the dirge called the Song of Linus or Linus Song; Herodotus believed that the Song of Linus originated in Egypt and dated from the time of the first Egyptian king, Min; the king’s son, Maneros, died an untimely death and a song was dedicated to his passing; the refrain from the song in the Semitic language was “ai lenu,” i.e. alas for us, and was translated into Greek as “ailinos” and thus became the proper name, Linus.

• Histories, book 2, chapter 79