Citharode

kitharode (citharode)[a]
Bronze cast figure of a
kithara player from Crete.
Occupation
Synonymskitharist (citharist)[a]
Occupation type
professional performer
Activity sectors
self-accompanied musical performance
Description
Competenciessinging, strummed string instrument (lyre family),[b] music theory, music notation[c]
Related jobs
Aulete / aulist (aulos player, "piper")

A kitharode (Latinized citharode)[a][2] (Ancient Greek: κιθαρῳδός [kitʰarɔː'dós] and κιτηαρῳδός;[3] Latin: citharoedus) or citharist,[1] was a classical Greek professional performer (singer) of the cithara, as one who used the cithara to accompany their singing. Famous citharodes included Terpander, Sappho, and Arion.

Apollo kitharoidos (Apollo holding a cithara and wearing the customary kitharōdos’ robes) and musagetes (leading the Muses). Marble, Roman artwork, 2nd century CE.

"Citharoedus" or "Citharede" was also an epithet of Apollo (Apollo Citharede), and the term is used to refer to statues which portray Apollo with his lyre.


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  1. ^ a b "citharist". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  2. ^ "citharode". Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World.
  3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; et al. (eds.). "citharoedus". An Elementary Latin Dictionary.