Glaucus did as he was bidden, and in due time found Arion, now grown into a tall, graceful youth.  Arion, when he heard the message, consented to accompany Glaucus to Corinth, where he was greeted with great kindness by Periander.  He very soon became a great favorite among the Corinthians, and all the musicians envied him his beautiful voice and his skill in playing on the lute.  No one had such power to soothe the king in his black moods; nor was it at court alone that his fame as a singer was known, for he was ever ready to sing to the people, who idolized him and called him the son of Apollo.  Among other things he taught them the song and dance of the Lesbians in honor of Dionysus and the vine; it afterwards became one of the most famous songs of Greece.

Many years Arion stayed with Periander, who held him in high honor and loaded him with costly presents.  His fame spread as far as Italy and Sicily, and he had many requests that he would go over and sing to the people there.  At length, he determined to make the journey, not only from curiosity to see new countries, but also because he had heard of the songs sung by the Sicilian shepherds, and had a great desire to study them.  Periander tried to dissuade him, but, finding him resolved, he assisted him in his preparations, and on his departure exacted from him a promise that he would return to Corinth.

Arion traveled about Italy and Sicily for a long time, and made a great fortune by his singing.  But growing tired at last of the wandering life, he went to Tarentum to find a ship which would take him back to Corinth.  There were two or three ships ready to make the journey, among them one named the Nausicaa, which was manned by a crew of Corinthians.  This he chose, being somewhat nervous about the large sum of money he was carrying, and thinking that he could trust the Corinthians, whom he knew, better than a crew of foreigners.

The Nausicaa was a strange-looking vessel, with a single sail, and long oars pulled by men who sat on benches along the side.  The prow, which was carved to represent the maiden Nausicaa, stood well out of the water, and the bulwarks descended in a graceful curve to rise again at the stern, where the captain stood and shaped his course by means of a broad paddle, which was hung over the side.

The voyage began happily enough, the wind being favorable, and the captain and crew all deference and politeness.  But when they were well out to sea, the behavior of the crew changed; they answered Arion’s questions with scant politeness, and held many whispered consultations, which, from the black glances cast at him, made him uneasy as to his safety.  On the second evening, waking out of a light sleep, he heard them conspiring to throw him overboard and divide his wealth among them.  Arion started up and implored them not to carry out their evil purpose, offering to hand over all his wealth, if they would spare his life.  His entreaties and promises were all in vain.