Thamyris

Also known as: Thamyris the Odrysian / Thamyris the Thracian · Role: poet · First appears: Book 4 · Chapter 33

Thamyris, the son of Philammon and the nymph Argiope, became the next victor after his father at Delphi. At Dorium, he was stricken blind after claiming he could surpass the Muses in song; afterward, he threw away his lyre at Balyra. Unlike Homer, who continued composing despite misfortune, Thamyris “wooed the Muse no longer.”

Relationship record

Life events

• Thamyris threw away his lyre after becoming blind.(Book 4 · Chapter 33 · 📍 Balyra)
  • “It was so called they say because Thamyris threw his lyre away there in his blindness”
• Thamyris was stricken blind after boasting he could surpass the Muses in song.(Book 4 · Chapter 33 · 📍 Dorium)
  • “it is here at Dorium that Homer has described Thamyris as having been stricken blind, because he said he could excel the Muses in singing.”
• Thamyris became the next victor after Philammon.(Book 10 · Chapter 7 · 📍 Delphi)
  • With: Apollo
  • “and next to him his son Thamyris.”

Book 4 · Chapter 33

• parent: Philammon (Philammon was Thamyris's father.) “Thamyris the son of Philammon and the nymph Argiope”
• parent: Argiope (Argiope was Thamyris's mother.) “Thamyris the son of Philammon and the nymph Argiope”
• with Homer (Both suffered loss of eyesight; Homer continued composing, while Thamyris did not.) “as indeed happened to Homer subsequently. But Homer went on composing all his life, for he did not yield to his misfortune, whereas Thamyris wooed the Muse no longer, completely overcome by his ever-present trouble”

Book 10 · Chapter 7

• parent: Philammon “after Chrysothemis they say Philammon was next victor, and next to him his son Thamyris”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.