Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/37

 (Æthop. ii.) describes a flute-player with eyes inflamed and starting" out of their sockets, and Lucian tells how one Harmonides killed himself by his efforts. The instruments themselves fetched very high prices, often £400 or £500, and Lucian says that Ismenias of Thebes gave over £1000 of our money for a flute at Corinth. He, however, was considered rather extravagant. Atheas, King of the Scythians, said he preferred the flute-playing of Ismenias to the braying of an ass—a doubtful form of compliment, possibly an allusion to the story of Midas. Plutarch relates how on one occasion this performer was engaged to play at a sacrifice. As no good omen appeared, the employer snatched the flute from Ismenias and began to play on it himself, whereupon a good omen at once appeared. "There," said he, "to play acceptably to the gods is their own gift," whereupon the witty Ismenias replied that the gods were so delighted with his playing they deferred the omen, so that they might hear him longer, "but were glad to get rid of your noise at any price."