Stories to Tell - Zethos und Amphion

Stories to Tell - Zethos und Amphion

Zethos and Amphion, the orphaned twins, are brought up in the care of shephards. They are quite different, yet inseparable. One of them is strong and full of vim and vigour, whereas the other one is a delicate music devotee. They stick together and support each other with their respective faculties. As adults they tackle a challenging task: They set about turning Thebes into a real town, a civilized place, by building walls around the modest settlement whose inhabitants have appointed the two brothers as their leaders. Zethos proceeds with all his physical potential. But through his musical skills Amphion makes use of his relations to the gods and thus their supernatural and magical powers. Having extended Hermes' lyre by three strings to a total of 7, Amphion's music makes the stones assemble into 7 gates almost by themselves. For the first time the brothers suffer pangs of jealousy.

What is the meaning of the two different concepts?

Converting the settlement of Thebes into a town, Zethos tries to employ his own means, i.e. his enormous strength and power. Consequently, he forces stones and people into his project. He exerts oppression by imposing his will to build a wall for the privileged inside, excluding the others outside. He mobilizes materials and money, resorts to bribery, threats and close control. His efforts are bound to fail.

Amphion pursues a different concept: He relies on intuition and harmony. His firm belief in the power of cooperation produces different results: The stones of his wall seem to fit together automatically. His wall is 'open', with 7 gates allowing contacts between inside and outside.

Hence the message of the ancient myth could be:

If people persist in mutual exchange and readily accept their diversity and their different ideas, their enterprises my thrive and pacification may be the result.