Vol 2. Ancient Greece and the Formation of the Western Mind: Music
"The Skolion of Seikilos"
A skolion is a kind of early Greek drinking song that was sung, accompanied on lyre, during feasts. Because there is no way to know exactly how music sounded in ancient Greece, this recording is an approximation only. Also known as "The Epitaph of Seikilos," "The Skolion of Seikilos" dates from the second century B.C.E. and is one of the earliest examples of written Western music still extant. The melody is mournful as the lyrics reflect on life's brevity.