Amphion was king of Thebes, the favourite of Apollo and rival of the
celebrated Orpheus in the science of music. It is related of him, that in
order to build the walls which surrounded his capital, he played upon his
lyre, and by its divine power, the stones came and ranged themselves in
order.
He married Niobe, by whom he had seven sons and seven daughters; the trials
of this princess have been given in the history of Apollo, leaving a
touching memorial of the sorrows of maternal love and tenderness.
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