Linus of Thrace

This would account for his being the son of Apollo and a Muse, and by which fact, Linus was also considered the inventor of melody and rhythm or of dirges (thrênoi) and songs in general.

[17] Diogenes Laertius ascribes to him several poetical productions, such as a cosmogony on the course of the sun and moon, on the generation of animals and fruits, and the like.

His poem begins with the line: "Time was when all things grew up at once;.."[20] Linus was said to have lived during the reign of Cadmus in Thebes and became important in the art of music along with Amphion and Zethus (1420 BC).

...when Cadmus brought from Phoenicia the letters, as they are called, Linus was again the first to transfer them into the Greek language, to give a name to each character, and to fix its shape.

[23] According to Hyginus, Linus won the contest of singing during the games for the Argives conducted by Acastus, son of Pelias.

[27]Linus also, who was admired because of his poetry and singing, had many pupils, and four of greatest renown, Heracles, Thamyris, Orpheus, and Musaeus.

[30] When he was tried for murder, Heracles quoted a law of Rhadamanthys, who laid it down that whoever defends himself against a wrongful aggressor shall go free, and so he was acquitted.

He imagines Heracles as being educated in the house of Linus and as having been bidden to select from a large number of books lying beside him and read.

The feeling which seems to have given rise to the stories about these personages, who form a distinct class by themselves in Greek mythology, is deeply felt grief at the catastrophes observable in nature, which dies away under the influence of the burning sun (Apollo) soon after it has developed all its fairest beauties.