So Admetus sent for the shepherd, and when the youth stood before him, he marveled at his great beauty, and still more at the golden lyre that Apollo held in his hand.
At first there was only his lyre to share his solitude, but soon the forest creatures came to live beside him, and often sat listening to his music, looking exceedingly wise and sorrowful.
Arion calmly accepted his fate, but begged the brutal crew to allow him to play once upon his lyre before going to his death.
The daughters of Danaues laid down their urns beside the sieve into which they were forever pouring water, and as the mournful wailing of Orpheus's lyre told the story of his lost love, they wept then for a sorrow not their own.
The mirror has a dull green panel across the top--the lyre and laurel branches appearing in a deep green and gold.
Samuel stared at the familiar driveway with the stately elms, and the lawns with the peacocks and lyre birds.
And then out in front, at one corner of the lawn, was the aviary, with houses for the peacocks and lyre birds, and for parrots and magpies and innumerable strange birds from the tropics.
If she takes delight in singing, the fibula of none of these fellows that sells his voice to the prætor holds out: the instruments are forever in her hands; the whole lyre sparkles with the jewels thickly set.
There is a restraint about the versification and the colour of the words that strikes the right chord and tunes the lyre to a subdued note.
Long before the lyre was known in Greece the Egyptians had attained great perfection in the form of their stringed instruments, and Greek sages visited Egypt to study music among the other sciences for which it was renowned.
Mercury, walking along the banks of the river, happened to strike his foot against this shell, and was so pleased with the sound produced that the idea of a lyre presented itself to his imagination.
This lyre was played by both hands, and for greater security was attached by a band passing round the player's neck.
The number of the strings in this lyre seems to have been either five or seven.
Illustration: PLATE 127] Three varieties of the lyre are seen in the Assyrian sculptures.
The lyre may be pronounced foreign, since it is unlike any other specimen; but its ornamentation with an animal head is sufficient to show that it is not Jewish.
The third sort of lyre was larger than either of the others, and considerably more elaborate.
It had probably a sounding-board at bottom, like the lyre just described, though this, being carried under the left elbow, is concealed in the representations.
Another variety nearly resembles in its general shape the lyre of the Egyptians.
On festive occasions the lyre was preferred, or a mixed band with a variety of instruments.
Lord of the golden lyre Fraught with the Dorian fire, Oh!
Therefore will we arouse the pealing lyre and rouse the flute, in honour of the very crown of all contests of steeds, which Adrastos in honour of Phoibos ordained beside Asopos' stream.
And shoot a feathered arrow of sweet song Pythoward, for thy words shall not fall to the ground when thou tunest the throbbing lyre to the praise of the wrestlings of a man from famous Opous, and celebratest her and her son.
On thee the pleasant lyreand the sweet pipe shed their grace, and the Pierian daughters of Zeus foster thy wide-spread fame.
With goodwill too for the Aiakidai in Pelion sang the Muses' choir most fair, and in the midst Apollo playing with golden quill upon his seven-toned lyre led them in ever-changing strains.
For crowns entwined about his hair demand from me this god-appointed debt, that for Ainesidamos' son I join in seemly sort the lyre of various tones with the flute's cry and ordering of words.
Happy is he whom good report encompasseth; now on one man, now on another doth the Grace that quickeneth look favourably, and tune for him the lyre and the pipe's stops of music manifold.
To sing, to dance, to play on the lyre and the lute, were accomplishments in which the courtezan was, from her earliest years, completely instructed.
Several chorded instruments were also used in the orchestra, as the lyre and harp, and in later times an hydraulic organ was introduced.
Now strike the golden lyre again: A louder yet, and yet a louder strain!
This sudden effect of his music encouraged him mightily, and it was observed he never touched his lyre in such a truly chromatic and enharmonic manner as upon that occasion.
If this lyre in my unskilful hands can perform such wonders, what must it not have done in those of a Timotheus or a Terpander?
His lyre is as silent as his shuttle; and we fear that in his hours of despondency he is becoming by far too much addicted to drink.
But the true lovers of her art followed her for many years with looks of admiration, regard and affection; and still, though her harp has long lain untouched, await with anxiety and hope for new strains from the lyre they have loved so well.
But like many other deeds of true heroism, it is forgotten, for there was wanted the pen and the lyre to make it live forever.
Then Cheiron put thelyre into his hands, and taught him how to play it, till the sun sank low behind the cliff, and a shout was heard outside.
And when the remnants were put away, they all lay down upon the skins and leaves about the fire, and each took the lyre in turn, and sang and played with all his heart.
But for this cherished lyre and the pleasure of song, I have no other joy save the memories of the past, and would like to rest and join my only love, the British girl of far Bolerium.
But the clanging of cymbals was near, the strains of the lyre broke in, and the low tones of the mellow flute kept up a sacred melody.
Statues studded the wood, and the river Cenchrius watered the ground, and here had been heard the sound of the dance-loving lyre at the feasts of the gods.
As a lyre Hung on unwitness'd boughs, amidst the shade, And but to air her soul its music made.
To prove the ends for which the lyre was given:-- Each thought divine demands its martyrdom.
The hour shall give thee all thy life implor'd, And make the lyre more glorious than the sword.
To thee the Priesthood of the Lyre belong-- They hear Religion and reply in Song!
Who tune the Teian's lyre of gold To priestly hymns in temples cold?
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "lyre" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
