Peani catartici in Magna Grecia. La terapia delle ἐκστάσεις delle donne di Locri e Reggio (Aristox. fr. 117 Wehrli)

The testimony of the Life of Telestes written by Aristoxenus concerning the ekstaseis of the women of Locri and Rhegium (Aristox. fr. 117 Wehrli) is one of the most important sources on the therapeutic use of the paean, whose origins can be traced back to Homer (Il. 1, 472-4). The facts can be connected with the presence of the Pythagoreans in Southern Italy, and with the relationship between the latters, the Delphic oracle and the cult of Apollo. The central role of the Delphic oracle, that suggests the therapy for the ekstaseis, together with the proximity between Apollo and Dionysus celebrated in Delphi, highlights both the importance of the paean and its therapeutic function, while confirming the prestige of the musical tradition of Locri and Rhegium. Despite the difficulties that had by then destroyed their political power, the Pythagoreans could have intended to manifest their desire to regain an active and prominent role in these two cities by virtue of their ability to heal ills and conflicts.