Two non-joining fragments, a preserving the shoulder, as well as the very low speira base. Fragment a is mended from many fragments, with the missing pieces restored in plaster and painted. Streaky, grainy glaze on inside. Glaze cracked in places on outside. P.H. a) 0.21; max. dim. a) 0.26, b) 0.159. K. Schauenburg, RM 65, 1958, pl. 34:1, 2 (fragment a); Philippaki, Stamnos, pl. 61:3 (fragment a); A. Queyrel, BCH 108, 1984, pp. 126--127, fig. 5:a--c (fragment a); LIMC VI, 1992, p. 669, no. 104, pl. 399, s.v. Muses.

Apollo and Marsyas. On the left of fragment a is a Muse (head, a bit of drapery) standing to right, reading from a tablet she holds in her hands. Around her head is a reserved fillet with leaves. In front of her, Marsyas (top of wreathed head, legs, and tail) sits to right on a stone, probably playing the aulos (now missing). Before him Apollo (most of his wreathed head, left shoulder and forearm, right leg with himation, right foot in profile and raised heel of left) stands frontally, his head turned toward Marsyas, a laurel branch in his left hand. Then come two more Muses (head, shoulders, raised right arm of one, her left foot) standing frontally, head turned toward her companion (part of torso missing). Each wears a chiton; the second a himation as well. 1 has a wreath; 2 a fillet with leaves and a sakkos. 1 holds a plektron with its cord in her right hand. Presumably she held the lyre in her left (now missing). Behind 2 is part of a lotus-palmette configuration. Fragment b (part illustrated) shows on the left more tendrils from this configuration, then the lower drapery and feet of a Muse, who rests her left foot on a stone. The lines of glaze

on the inside as well as the spacing of the units of maeander indicate that the figure on fragment b cannot be the same Muse as the one at the far left of fragment a who reads from a tablet. On the shoulder, tongue pattern. Below the figures, maeander pattern with saltire-squares. There is an odd maeander below the right Muse on fragment a, indicating where the drawing of the pattern began and ended. Preliminary sketch. Relief contour: flesh. White: leaves of wreaths; berries of laurel; pairs of dots in field on A; cord of plektron.

This vase was without handles. The lotus-palmette configuration appeared between the right Muse on fragment a and the one on fragment b, and thus, when the vase was complete, the ornament was about opposite the figures of Apollo and Marsyas.

For the subject, see Froning, Dithyrambos, pp. 29--44 (117 is no. 14 in the list of representations on pp. 41--44); more recently and more specifically in relation to the Pothos Painter, A. Queyrel, BCH 108, 1984, pp. 144--147.

Near the Pothos Painter (ARV1 803, ---); the Pothos Painter (ARV2 1190, 32; 1686; Addenda 342).