Citharode

{{Short description|Classical Greek professional musician}}

{{Infobox occupation

| name = kitharode (citharode){{efn|name=spelling-note}}

| synonyms = kitharist (citharist){{efn|name=spelling-note}}

| pronounce =

| image = Kitharaspieler Kreta asb 2004 PICT3430.JPG

| imagesize = 150px

| alt =

| caption = {{center|Bronze cast figure of a
kithara player from Crete.}}

| official_names =

| type = professional performer

| activity_sector = self-accompanied musical performance

| competencies = singing, strummed string instrument (lyre family),{{efn|

A kitharode would automatically be expected to be able to also play a barbiton, lyre, and phorminx, provided it was a version with the same number of strings as the standard kithara.

:

}} music theory, music notation{{efn|

It is unclear how far back Greek musical notation goes. It may have only been a competency of kitharodes during the late classical period; from some point, both kitharodes and auletes would have required to simultaneously read two separate systems of notation: One for instrumental music and the other for sung music.

:{{see|Musical system of ancient Greece}}

:

}}

| formation =

| employment_field =

| related_occupation = Aulete / aulist (aulos player, "piper")

}}

A kitharode (Latinized citharode){{efn|name=spelling-note|There are an elaborate variety of spellings, each altered to pronounce correctly in different languages, and to incorporate partial translations; since there is no modern form of kithara, that is typically left un-translated. (Strictly speaking, kitharoedos / citharoedus translates to "zitherist", but that seems to never be used.) Variants include:

::* {{langx|grc| {{math|κιθαρῳδός}} }} {{IPA|el|kitʰarɔː'dós|}}

:

{{div col |colwidth=16em |content=

• {{langx|la|citharoedus}} (translit. Greek)
• citharode (Anglicised translit. Latin)
• kitharode (Anglicised translit. Greek)

:

• citharede (rare)
• citharoede (rare)

:

• citharist (English translation Latin)
• kitharist (English translation Greek)

}}

:}}

{{cite dictionary

|title=citharode

|dictionary=Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World

|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095613689

}}

({{langx|grc| {{math|κιθαρῳδός}} }} {{IPA|el|kitʰarɔː'dós|}} and {{math|κιτηαρῳδός}};{{cite dictionary |url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0060:entry=citharoedusedus |editor1-first = Charlton T. |editor1-last = Lewis |display-editors = etal |dictionary = An Elementary Latin Dictionary |title = citharoedus }} {{langx|la|citharoedus}}) or citharist,

{{cite dictionary

|title = citharist

|dictionary=Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

|publisher=Merriam-Webster

|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citharist

}}

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.

File:Apollo Musagetes Pio-Clementino Inv310.jpg (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.

{{clear}}