AMPHION, the name of two different princes, who lived during the fabulous era of ; one, the son of an unknown father, by Antiope, daughter of Nyeteus, king of Bccotia; the other, son of Jasus, king ol Orchomenos, by Persephone, daughter of Mitts.
Amphion, the son of Antiope, was renowned for his eloquence and skill in music. He and his twin-brother Zethus, were born on Mount Citheron, to which Antiope had retired to conceal her pregnancy ; and being imme diately after their birth exposed in the woods, owed their preservation to the humanity of a shepherd. Nycteus was succeeded in his kingdom by his brother Lycus, who imprisoned his niece Antiope, and treated her with great cruelty. Her wrongs were avenged by Amphion, who, with the assistance of his brother, be sieged and took Thebes, put Lycus to death, and esta blished himself in the government. It is related by Homer, that, to confirm his power, and protect his sub jects, he inclosed the city with a wall of great length, furnished with seven gates, and defended by towers, placed at proper distances from one another. He ensured the welfare of the Thebans still more essentially, by establishing wise political institutions, and enacting equitable laws, fitted to render their persons and pro perties secure. From the remoteness of the period in
which this prince lived, there are few materials for an authentic history of his transactions. This circumstance, however, renders them fitter subjects for the exaggera tions of fiction. Accordingly, the poets inform us, that Amphion was the son of Jupiter, who deceived Antiope under the form of a satyr. The god Mercury became his instructor in eloquence and music ; in both which arts his progress was so great, that by his persuasive eloquence he civilized the Thebans, who formerly wan dered in a savage state; and the magic of his lyre so charmed the stones, that they arranged themselves in architectural order, and formed the walls of Thebes. This fable is alluded to in many beautiful passages in the later poets. Vide Propertius, 3 _A/. 15. Ovid. Dc Art. iii. v. 323. Horace, 3 Od. 11. Ars Poet. v. 394.
Stat. Theb.i. v. 10.