The greek word "kithara" is where we get our modern term "guitar" and while the kithara was an instrument in itself and distinct from the more archaic tortoise shell chelys lyres, its verb form refers more generically to all types of lyre.

κιθαρίζω - I play the lyre
κιθαρίζειν - to play the lyre
ο κιθαριστής - lyre player

Learning to play music was a central part of Greek education. It's therapeutic qualities were valued and its ability to balance a person and refine the sophistication of their character well understood. The lyre in particular was considered a highly dignified instrument to play as Alcibiades once quipped it was far better to play the lyre than the flute which distorts our facial features, something that no Athenian of such self importance would have allowed for.

The lyre was in fact considered so important to a good education that the Greek expression "not to play the lyre" means to be ignorant. As we see in the famous scene from Aristophanes' Wasps, the dog brought to trial for having eaten up all of the cheese is excused by his defendant with the expression "κιθαρίζειν γαρ ουκ επίσταται" (for he doesn't know how to play the lyre) in other words he is uneducated.

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Thanks for listening!

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