Linus, in Greek mythology, the personification of lamentation; the name derives from the ritual cry ailinon, the refrain of a dirge. Two principal stories, associated with Argos and Thebes, respectively, arose to explain the origin of the lament.
According to the Argive story, recounted by the 2nd-century-ad traveler Pausanias, Linus, the child of Apollo (god of light, truth, and prophecy) and Psamathe (the daughter of Crotopus, king of Argos), was exposed at birth and torn to pieces by dogs. In revenge, Apollo sent a Poine, or avenging spirit, which destroyed the Argive children. The hero Coroebus killed the Poine, and a festival, Arnis, otherwise called dog-killing day (kunophontis), was instituted, in which stray dogs were killed, sacrifice offered, and mourning made for Linus and Psamathe (who was killed by her father).
In the Theban version, according to Pausanias, Linus was the son of the Muse Urania and the musician Amphimarus, and he was himself a great musician. He invented the Linus song but was put to death by Apollo for claiming to be his equal.
A later, half-burlesque story—told by the 2nd-century-bc Greek scholar Apollodorus and found on an Attic kylix in the style of Douris (c. 480 bc)—related that Linus was the Greek hero Heracles’ music master and was killed by his pupil after he tried to correct him.