Editing Pythian Games (section)

====Music====
[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] writing in the 2nd century AD, says the oldest contest at Delphi was the singing of a hymn to Apollo, god of arts and music. The first Games run by the [[Amphictyonic League#Delphic Amphictyony|Delphic Amphictyony]], which he dates to the third year of the forty-eighth [[Olympiad]] (i.e. 586&nbsp; BC) featured contests of singing accompanied by [[cithara]] (a lyre), and separate contests for playing the [[aulos]] (a [[double reed|double-reeded]] wind instrument) solo, and accompanied. The latter of these was abolished by the second Games because the music was considered "ill-omened" with dismal tunes accompanied by lamentations.<ref name=" Paus 10.7"/> Pythocritus of Sicyon was aulos victor at six consecutive festivals, the only player so to distinguish himself. He accompanied the pentathlon at the Olympics where a statue was erected to him.<ref name="Paus 6.14">[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]. ''Description of Greece'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:6.14 6.14] Translated by W.H.S. Jones, and H.A. Ormerod. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918.</ref>

Pausanias ascribes the introduction of the cithara contest without vocals to the eighth Pythian Games.<ref name=" Paus 10.7">[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]. ''Description of Greece'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:10.7 10.7] Translated by W.H.S. Jones, and H.A. Ormerod. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918.</ref>