Histories

They say that this Arion, who spent most of his time with Periander, wished to sail to Italy [12.833,42.833] (nation), Europe Italy and Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, and that after he had made a lot of money there he wanted to come back to Corinth [22.9083,37.9083] (Perseus) Corinth.

Trusting none more than the Corinthians, he hired a Corinthian vessel to carry him from Taranto [17.216,40.466] (inhabited place), Taranto, Apulia, Italy, Europe Tarentum.[*](Terentum) But when they were out at sea, the crew plotted to take Arion's money and cast him overboard. Discovering this, he earnestly entreated them, asking for his life and offering them his money.

But the crew would not listen to him, and told him either to kill himself and so receive burial on land or else to jump into the sea at once.

Abandoned to this extremity, Arion asked that, since they had made up their minds, they would let him stand on the half-deck in all his regalia and sing; and he promised that after he had sung he would do himself in.

The men, pleased at the thought of hearing the best singer in the world, drew away toward the waist of the vessel from the stern. Arion, putting on all his regalia and taking his lyre, stood up on the half-deck and sang the “Stirring Song,”[*](The o)/rqios no/mos was a high-pitched (and apparently very well-known) song or hymn in honor of Apollo.) and when the song was finished he threw himself into the sea, as he was with all his regalia.

So the crew sailed away to Corinth [22.9083,37.9083] (Perseus) Corinth; but a dolphin (so the story goes) took Arion on his back and bore him to Taenarus. Landing there, he went to Corinth [22.9083,37.9083] (Perseus) Corinth in his regalia, and when he arrived, he related all that had happened.

Periander, skeptical, kept him in confinement, letting him go nowhere, and waited for the sailors. When they arrived, they were summoned and asked what news they brought of Arion. While they were saying that he was safe in Italy [12.833,42.833] (nation), Europe Italy and that they had left him flourishing at Taranto [17.216,40.466] (inhabited place), Taranto, Apulia, Italy, Europe Tarentum, Arion appeared before them, just as he was when he jumped from the ship; astonished, they could no longer deny what was proved against them.

This is what the Corinthians and Lesbians say, and there is a little bronze memorial of Arion on Taenarus, the figure of a man riding upon a dolphin.