(a native of Teos in Asia Minor) sings that his barbitos "only gives out erotic tones" - a remark which could have been metaphorical, but could also be a literal reference to the instrument's being tuned in the Greek harmonia called (Iastian).

Pollux calls the barbiton a barymite instrument (from , "heavy", and , "string"); both the literal and figurative meanings describing an instrument