Roman copy of a bronze original group of Athena and Marsyas.

The myth runs as follows. The goddess Athena invented the flute, but threw it away because it distorted her face to play it. Marsyas, a satyr, picked it up and having taught himself to play, rashly challenged Apollo to a musical contest. Needless to say the musical god Apollo won and Marsyas was killed for his cheek.

Athena has just thrown the flute down on the ground. The story was a well-known one in the ancient Greek world, and the figures of Athena and Marsyas are seen in poses very similar to these on vase paintings and coins