Right corner of a sarcophagus with the myth of the musical contest between the satyr Marsyas and the god Apollo

This marble fragment captures a moment from the mythological contest between the god Apollo and the satyr Marsyas. The scene features Apollo with his signature musical instrument, standing near a figure representing the defeated satyr. The work highlights the physical tension and tragic outcome inherent in this ancient story of hubris and divine punishment.

The myth of Marsyas serves as a foundational motif in Neoplatonic thought regarding the 'flaying' of the sensory ego and the purification of the soul through divine music. It was frequently invoked in Renaissance humanist discourse to illustrate the dangerous allure of earthly or 'daemonic' passions when measured against the harmonic order of the divine.