THREAD ↩️
The so-called Colossus of Memnon, situated on the west bank of the Nile opposite Thebes, was among the main attractions in #Egypt during Graeco-Roman times. They were in fact two colossal statues set up to honour Pharaoh Amenhotep III who ruled during the 18th Dynasty.
The so-called Colossus of Memnon, situated on the west bank of the Nile opposite Thebes, was among the main attractions in #Egypt during Graeco-Roman times. They were in fact two colossal statues set up to honour Pharaoh Amenhotep III who ruled during the 18th Dynasty.
The statue on the right earned itself the name Colossus of Memnon because it began to sing after its upper part toppled to the ground following an earthquake in 26 BC. At dawn a whistling sound was produced through the cracks that was interpreted as Memnon singing to his mother.
Memnon was a hero of the Trojan War, the Ethopian king who was slain by Achilles. He was the son of Eos/Aurora, goddess of dawn.
Image: Eos lifting up the body of her son Memnon. Attic red-figure cup, ca. 490–480 BC.
📸Bibi Saint-Pol, Wikipedia
Image: Eos lifting up the body of her son Memnon. Attic red-figure cup, ca. 490–480 BC.
📸Bibi Saint-Pol, Wikipedia
Strabo was the first to comment on the phenomenon of the singing statue of Memnon around 25 BC. He said that it sounded like "a slight blow" but could not be sure where the sound came from.
However, Pausanias, in the 2nd century AD, was quite impressed by the singing statue of Memnon. He compared the sound to "the string of a lyre" breaking.
Roman officials and soldiers visiting the Colossus of Memnon (including Germanicus in AD 19) left graffiti on its feet and legs in Greek or Latin to commemorate hearing Memnon. Some were simple texts, others complete poems. 107 inscriptions survive, including 11 written by women.
This thread isn't finished but u can already read more. See Patricia Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice” jstor.org/stable/10.1525… & T. C. Brennan “The Poets Julia Balbilla and Damo at the Colossus of Memnon“ jstor.org/stable/4352060…
In late November AD 130, Hadrian and his wife Sabina travelled to Thebes while sailing up the Nile and visited the famous colossi. In their company was a poet, Julia Balbilla, who commemorated the imperial visit by inscribing four poems in the Aeolic dialect on Memnon’s left leg.
Occupying a prime spot on the statue, the 1st poem inscribed by Julia Balbilla tells about Hadrian's visit on November 19th. Hadrian visits Memnon by himself and Memnon speaks 3 times.
Source: P. Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice”
Source: P. Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice”
Two other poems are inscribed underneath and to the right of the 1st poem. The 2nd poem tells about Sabina & Julia Balbilla's visit to the statue on November 20th and Memnon is silent.
Source: P. Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice”
Source: P. Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice”
The last two poems inscribed by Julia Balbilla tell about the two women returning the next day to the statue and Memnon speaks. Sabina composed 4 lines in Greek prose on the left leg.
Source: P. Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice”
Source: P. Rosenmeyer “Greek Verse Inscriptions in Roman Egypt: Julia Balbilla's Sapphic Voice”
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