Pollux (Onomasticon iv. chap. 8, § 59) calls the instrument barbiton or barymite (from βάρυς, heavy and μίτος, a string), an instrument producing deep sounds. The strings were twice as long as those of the pectis and sounded an octave lower.
Pindar (in Athen. xiv. p. 635), in the same line wherein he attributes the introduction of the instrument into Greece to Terpander, tells us one could magadize, i.e. play in two parts at an interval of an octave on the two instruments.
Although in use in Asia Minor, Italy, Sicily, and Greece, it is evident that the barbiton never won for itself a place in the affections of the Greeks of Hellas; it was regarded as a barbarian instrument affected by those only whose tastes in matters of art were unorthodox. It had fallen into disuse in the days of Aristotle,[2] but reappeared under the Romans. Aristotle said that this string instrument was not for educational purposes but for pleasure only.
Often Sappho is also depicted playing the barbitos, which has longer strings and a lower pitch. It is closely associated with the poet Alcaeus and the island of Lesbos, the birth place of Sappho, where it is called a barmos. The music from this instrument was said to be the lyre for drinking parties and is considered an invention of Terpander. The word barbiton was frequently used for the kithara or lyre.
In spite of the few meagre shreds of authentic information extant concerning this somewhat elusive instrument, it is possible nevertheless to identify the barbiton as it was known among the Greeks and Romans. From the Greek writers we know that it was an instrument having some feature or features in common with the lyre and kithara, which warranted classification with it.
The later, unrelated instrument, is described by the Persians and Arabs as a kind of rebab or lute, or a chelys-lyre,[3]. It was first introduced into Europe through Asia Minor by way of Greece, and centuries later into Spain by the Moors, amongst whom it was in the 14th century known as al-barbet.[4]
There is a stringed instrument, as yet unidentified by name, of which there are at least four different representations in sculpture,[5] lBarbiton - pedia, the free encyclopedia Www M Wife En Doln%C3%AD Dub%C5%88anyu h n Escort Escort Escort yBarbiton - pedia, the free encyclopedia Www M Wife En Doln%C3%AD Dub%C5%88anyu Escort Escort Escort