Imagine a melody surviving for 2,000 years, not on a fragile scroll or in a fleeting memory, but carved onto a single, enduring stone pillar. The Seikilos Epitaph is not just a grave marker; it holds the unique distinction of being the oldest surviving complete musical composition in human history.
A Discovery in the Garden
Discovered in 1883 near Aydin, Turkey (ancient Tralles), this Hellenistic stele was found serving a humble purpose as a flower stand in a private garden. Yet, upon closer inspection, archaeologists realized the markings on the marble were far more than decoration. They were ancient Greek lyrics accompanied by musical notation—symbols placed above the vowels to indicate pitch and rhythm.
Unlike earlier fragments of music from Mesopotamia or Egypt, the Seikilos Epitaph is complete. We have the beginning, the middle, and the end.
The Message: Shine While You Live
The song itself is a "skolion" (drinking song), but its message is profoundly philosophical, echoing the sentiments of Carpe Diem. The lyrics read:
While you live, shine have no grief at all life exists only for a short while and Time demands his due.
It is a timeless reminder of the fleeting nature of life. It doesn't ask us to mourn the dead, but rather urges the living to embrace their existence and find joy before time runs out.
An Eternal Dedication
The inscription also includes a dedication: "I am a tombstone, an image. Seikilos placed me here as a long-lasting sign of deathless remembrance."
It is generally believed that Seikilos dedicated this stone to his wife, Euterpe. Through this stone, he achieved exactly what he promised: deathless remembrance. Today, thanks to the preservation of the stone and the work of musicologists, we can still hear the exact melody that Seikilos sang to his beloved two millennia ago. It is a haunting, beautiful bridge across time, reminding us that while life is short, love and art can endure forever.