X. MARSYAS.
MARSYAS is a river of Phrygia, flowing by the city
Celaenae, and formerly called the fountain of Midas for
this reason. Midas, king of Phrygia, travelling in the
remoter parts of the country, and wanting water, stamped
upon the ground; and there presently appeared a golden
fountain. But the water proving gold, and both he and
his soldiers being ready to perish for thirst, he invoked the
compassion of Bacchus, who listening to his prayers supplied him with water. The Phrygians having by this
means quenched their thirst, Midas named the river that
issued from the spring the Fountain of Midas. Afterwards
it was called Marsyas, upon this occasion.
Marsyas being overcome and flayed by Apollo, certain
Satyrs are said to have sprung from the stream of his
blood; as also a river bearing the name of Marsyas;—as
Alexander Cornelius recites in his Third Book of Phrygian
Relations.
But Euemeridas the Cnidian tells the story after this
manner. It happened that the wine-bag which was made
of Marsyas's skin, being corroded by time and carried
away negligently by the wind, fell at last from the land
into Midas's well; and driving along with the stream, was
taken up by a fisherman. At what time Pisistratus the
Lacedaemonian, being commanded by the oracle to build
near the place where the relics of the Satyr were found,
reflected upon the accident, and in obedience to the oracle
having built a fair city, called it Noricum, which in the
Phrygian language signifies a wine-bag.
In this river grows an herb called the pipe, which being
moved in the wind yields a melodious sound;—as Dercyllus reports in his First Book of Satyrics.
Near to this river also lies the mountain Berecyntus,
deriving its name from Berecyntus, the first priest to the
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Mother of the Gods. Upon this mountain is found a
stone which is called machaera, very much resembling
iron; which if any one happens to light upon while the
solemnities of the Mother of the Gods are performing, he
presently runs mad;—as Agatharchides reports in his
Phrygian Relations.
