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ortiJts, philosophers and individuals the necessory inspiration for creation.
they were colled Muses or Mouses in Greek, os the Greek word "mosis" refers to the desire
and wish. The word museum olso comes from the Greek Muses.
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All the ancient writers oppeol to the Muses at the beginning of their work. l'lomer osks the
Muses both in the Iliod and Odyss ey lo help him tell the story in the most proper way, ond
until today the Muses are symbols of inspirotion ond artisfic creation. In pointing the Muses
are usually presented os ethereal women with divine beouty, holding lourels and other items
depending on their facultY.
to the Greek Myths, God zeus bewildered the young woman Mnemosyne and slept
with her for nine consecutive nights. The result of their encounter was the Nine Muses, who
According
were similor to everYthing
the bobies to Nymph Eufime and Apollo the God. The Nine Muses were: Clio,
Euterpe, thalio, Melpomeni, Terpsichore, Erafo, Polymnia, Ourania and Calliope. When they
grew up they showed their lendency to the arts, taught by God Apollo himself.
Mnemosyne gave
They were not interested in onything of the regular human everydoy life and they wonted lo
dedicote their lives to the Arts. Apollo brought them to the big ond beautiful Mount Elikonos,
where the older Temple of zeus used to be. Ever since, the Muses supporfed ond encouroged
creafion, enhancing imaginotion and inspiration of the artists.
Muses ond Arts
According to the Greek Mythology, two Muses invented theory and practice in learning, three
Muses invented the musical vibrotions in Lyre, four Muses invented the four known dialects in
the longuage Attica, Ionian, Aeolian ond Dorian ond five muses the five humon senses.
Seven muses invented the seven chords of the lyre, the seven celestiol zones, the seven
planets ond the seven vocals of the Greek Alphobet.
-
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Anolytically the Nine Muses are:
Clio: The Muse Clio discovered history and guitar. l'listory was named Clio in the ancient
yeors, because it refers to "kleos" the Greek word for the heroic acts. Clio wos olways
represented with a clarion in the right arm and a book in the left hand.
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Eulerpe: Muse Euterpe discovered several musicol instruments, courses and diolectic. She
was always depicted holding a flute, while mony insfruments were olways oround her.
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3. Thalio: Muse Thalia wos the profector of
comedy; she discovered comedy, geometry,
architectural science and agriculture. She was olso protector of Symposiums. She was olways
depicled holding a theatricol - comedy mask.
4.
Melpomenez Opposite from Thalia, Muse Melpomene was the protector of Tragedy; she
invented tragedy, rheforic speech and Melos. She was depicted holding a tragedy mosk ond
usuolly bearing a bat.
5. Terpsichore: Terpsichore wos the proleclor of dance; she invented donces, lhe harp ond
educotion. She was called Terpsichore because she was enjoying and having fun with dancing
("Terpo" in Greek refers Io be omused). she was depicled wearing laurels on her heod,
holding a harp and dancing.
6. Erato: Muse Eroto was the protector of Love ond Love Poelry - as well as wedding. Her
name comes from the Greek word "Eros" that refers to the feeling of falling in love. shl was
depicted holding a lyre and love arrows ond bows.
7.
Polymnia: Muse Polymnio was the protecfor of fhe divine hymns and mimic art; she
invented geometry and grommar. She was depicted looking up to the Sky, holding o lyre.
8. Ourania: Muse Ourania was fhe protector of the celestial objects ond stars; she inventeil
astronomy. She was always depicted bearing stars, a celestial sphere and o bow compass.
9. Calliope: Muse Calliope was the superior Muse. She wos occompanying kings and princes in
order to impose justice and serenity. She wos the protector of heroic poems ond rhetoric arf.
According to the myth, Homer asks from Calliope to inspire him while writing Iliad and
odyssey, and, thus, Calliope is depicted holding laurels in one hand ond the two Homeric
poems in the other hand.
The Nine Muses have been inspiring artists since the antiquify and there counless paintings,
drawings, designs, Poems and stotues dedicaled to them. All ortists of the Renoissance
acknowledged their importance in ortistic creation, dedicoting their works to the Muses.
Today, the most famous depiction of the Muses in sculpture is in Greece, in Corfu; the
Empress Sissi of Ausfria had their statues made for her, in order to ornament the garden
of
her retreat house in Corfu, the famous Achilleion.
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The Muses, the Graces, and the Fates
The Muses
ln ancient 6reece, the Muses (mousai), nine
daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
(memory) were said to give inspiration to
poets and artists. They are: Calliope (epic
poetry); Clio (history); Erato (love poetry
and mimicry); Euterpe (music); Melpomene
(tragedy); Polyhymnia (hymns, sacred
poetry, mime); Terpsichore (dancing);
Thalia (comedy); and Urania (astronomy).
They are closely associated with Apollo and
Dionysus. Apollo and Dionysus were
brothers and sons of Zeus. Dionysus
playing
it. Apollo was the god of music and is often
invented the lyre and gave it to Apollo who loved
shown with the Muses. Dionysus enjoyed good times, music, and theatre.
Mortals inspired by Muses include Homer (poet), Socrates (philosopher), and Aristophanes
(playwright). Vase painters and sculptors decorated pieces with the Muses as a central theme. lt is
believed that there were originally three muses, but the number increased to nine. The Romans gave
the Muses names and attributes. The word "music" has its origin in the word "muse."
The Muses continued to inspire painters, like the Dutch master, Vermeer, the Cerman painter Hans
Rottenhammer, and SimonVouet, a French artist inthe l6th and 17th Centuries.
American poet James 6. Percival wrote "An Ode to Music" in the early 1800s. The Muses inspired
waltzes and marches in the 1800s: Julius Bernstein's "Nine Muse\y/altz"(1879). The 20th Century
composer, lgor Stravinsky, who was fascinated by the ancient 6reeks, wrote Apollon Musagete.
Choreographer George Balanchine visualized the music and created movement for the god Apollo and
the Muses Terpsichore, Polyhymna, and Calliope to create the ballet, Apo//o.ln 1928, this ballet made
George Balanchine famous and it remains in dance repertoires throughout the world.
Function in literature
The muses are typically invoked at or near the beginning of an epic poem or classical 6reek hymn.
They have served as aids to an author of prose, too, sometimes represented as the true speaker, for
whom an author is only a mouthpiece. Originally, the invocation of the Muse was an indication that
the speaker was working inside the poetic tradition, according to the established formulas.
Bauernschub, Mary Beth. "lnspired by the Muses, C'races, and Fates." ArtsEdge. The Kennedy Center. 6 Jan
center.orglcont ent/ 3 605 / > .
2009 <http://artsedge.kennedy-
9
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Six Classic Examples
Homer, in Book I of The Odysseu.
"Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns
driven time and again off course, once he had plundered
the hallowed heights of Troy." BS&r.!_fqgki translation, 1996)
Virgil, in Book I of the Aeneid.
O Muse! the causes and the crimes relate:
What goddess was provok'd, and whence her hate;
For what offense the Queen of Heav'n began
To persecute so brave, so just a man; [...]
[Sh! !ryde! translation, 1697)
Catullus, in Carmen l:
"And so, have them for yourself, whatever kind of book it
and whatever sort, oh patron Muse
let it last for more than one generation, eternally."
is,
(Student translation, 2OO7)
Dante Alighieri, in Canto ll of The lnferno:
O Muses, O high genius, aid me now!
O memory that engraved the things I saw,
Here shall your worth be manifest to all! (Anthony Esolen translation,
20O2)
John Milton, opening of Book l of Paradise Lost.
Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing, Heavenly Muse, [...]
C'ustave Moreau, Hesiod and the Muse (1891).
Mus6e d'Orsav, Paris
William Shakespeare, Act I, Prologue of Henry V
Chorus: O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling
scene!
Ceoffrey Chaucer, in Book ll of Troilus and Criseyde:
O lady myn, that called art Cleo,
Thow be my speed fro this forth, and my Muse,
To ryme wel this book til I haue do;
Me nedeth here noon othere art to vse.
ffor-whi to euery louere I me excuse
That of no sentement I this endite,
But out of Latyn in my tonge it write.
"Muse." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.23 Dec2OO8. 6 Jan 2QO9 <http:/len.wikipedia.orelVindex.php?title=Muse&oldid=259790588>.
10
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The Muses of Greek mythology hod one of the most importont functions of all: to inspire poets and
promote the arts ond sciences. The fortunate person inspired by them wos held in the highest
esteem and considered sacred far beyond any priest. The Muses were oflen described as the
queens of song, ond no Olympian banquet was complete without them.
According to the earliest writers the Muses were the inspiring goddesses of songs, and they
evenfually were portrayed as divinities presiding over the different kinds of poetry and over the
orts and sciences. As patrons of ihe fine arts, the Muses promoted fhe more civilized aspects of
human existence.
The ancient writer Hesiod said of them, "They ore dll of one mind, their heorts ore set upon
song and their spirit is free from core. He is hoppy whom the Muses love. For though o mon
hos sorrow ond grief in his soul, yet when the servont of the Muses sings, of once he forgets
his dork thoughts and remembers not his troubles. Such is the holy gift of the Muses to
men.tt
That was the reason that the Muses were freguently invoked over thousonds of years of ortistic
expression and remain yeI today reference poinis for artists, poets, writers and musicians.
They were said to be the daughfers of zeus, king of the Olympian gods, and Mnemosyne, the
goddess of Memory, even though others cloim thot their parents were actually Uronus (Sky) and
Gaea (Mother Earth). They were born in Pieria, at the foot of Mount Olympus.
After the Titans had been defeated and Zeus had consolidated his rule and estoblished himself as
the supreme Olympion, he lay with the Titoness Mnemosyne for nine nights because he needed to
creote someone io sing of his glory. The result wos the Muses.
Seated on lofty Mount Olympus near the throne of zeus, they song of his greatness, obout the
marvelous deeds of lhe splendid Greek heroes and of the origin of the stars, the earfh, and all iis
wonderful creatures. They also delighted in parties and feasts and took great pleasure in song and
dance.
But they weren't just beoutiful party onimols...It was the Muses who discovered lellers and thus
created poetry and writing. They were brilliant.
The Muses took joy in communicotion and gave birth to dialogue, in essence helping to create that
which they sang about. By praising the gods, they compleled their glory. By boasting of the
glorious deeds of valiant worriors they forever etched those names in history - If the Muse didn't
sing obout you, you were forgotten...it wos olmost os if you had never existed.
The god dearest to them was Apollo and they were his faithful followers. For fhat reason he is
often col]ed the Musegetes, which meons "Leader of the Muses". A few others claim thot Hypnos,
the god of Sleep, was fheir fovorite. Beside them on Mount Olympus were seated the three
Charifes (Graces), who were the aitendanfs of Aphrodife and personified charm and beauty, and
next to the Graces sat Himerus (Desire).
After
Pegosus the flying horse was born the young colt was taken in by the goddess Athena ond
carried to Mount Helicon where she entrusted the Muses with his care. In his excitement at
meeting the sisfers, young Pegosus struck fhe the side of the mountoin with his hooves and caused
the springs of Aganippe and Hippocrene to gush forth their bounty of inspirafion.
These springs were socred to the Muses as were all springs and wells.
Urania, the Muse of Astronomy and Universal Love (also an aspect of Aphrodite) showed the most
inierest in the rearing of Pegasus. Prophesying of his future heroic deeds and eventuol celestial
honor she grieved the most when Belterophon, of Athena's beckoning, come to take Pegasus away
from Mount Helicon. Uranio rejoiced when Pegasus rejoined the Muses on Mount Olympus following
the death of Bellerophon.
The Muses ore sometimes called the Pierides, but others think thot these were nine sisters,
daughters of a man called Pierus, who dared chollenge the Muses in a contest of song and, having
been defeated, were turned into mogpies, greenfinches, goldfinches, ducks and other birds.
The Pierides were not fhe only ones punished by the Muses for competing against them. A minstrel
named Thamyris engaged in o musical confesf wifh the Muses in a city called Dorium, but of course
he lost and they took his eyes and minstrelsy. But others say that, for his foolish boast against
the Muses, he wos first punished in Hades. Demodocus was another man whom fhey deprived of his
eyes, buf at least he received the gift of song from them.
the Sirens were supposed to be daughters of the Muse of danee Terpsichore and the
river god Achelous, stitl they were prompted by Hera to compete in song with the Muses and
noturally couldn't match them. As punishmenf the Muses plucked their feothers ond made crowns
out of them for fhemselves.
Even though
Another one of their victims was King Pyreneus of Daulis. Fle atiempted lo forcibly seduce the '
Muses buf perished when he leapt from the pinnacle of a tower trying to follow them - The Muses
could fly...the king couldn't...
The Muses taught Aristaeus the orts of prophecy ond healing, and instructed the nymph Echo to
play beautiful music. Their disciples olso included fhe Sphinx, who learned her riddle from ihem,
and Musaeus, whom some call a son of the great poet Orpheus, was frained by the Muses.
The Muses sing usually for the gods, buf they are said to have sung in other speciol occasions such
as the funerol of Achilles, the fallen hero of the Trojan War, ond the weddings of Peleus, and of
Codmus & Harmonia. But it wds rdre indeed for fhe Muses to sing other thon for the gods.
The sacrifices offered to the Muses, in return for divine inspiration, consisfed of libations of water
or milk, ond of honey.
The number of Muses varies over time. At
first only
one Muse wos spoken
of but later
poets
menfion lhree: Melete (Proctice, Study), Mneme (Memory), and hoede (Song). They were nymphs in
Pieria, which is found in western Thrace, and their cult was brought to Mounf Helicon in Boeotia by
the Aloads.
(Mount Helicon wds one of the Muses' sacred mountoins, the others being Pierus in Pieria, where
they were born, Mount Parnassus with its Castalion spring and, naturally, Mount Olympus. The
worship of the Muses was introduced from Thrace and Pieria into Boeotia, particulorly the
aforementioned Mount Helicon and its sacred fountains of Agonippe ond Hippocrene.)
Eventually it become accepted that there were nine muses: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Eulerpe,
Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalic, and Uronia. Each had her own domain:
Colliope is the eldest and most distinguished of the nine Muses and initially identified with
philosophy. She is fhe Muse of eloquence and epic or heroic poetry. Calliope, which medns
"beautiful voice", is fhe mofher of the great poets and musicians Orpheus and Linus with Apolto.
When Persephone, goddess of the Underworld, argued with the goddess of love Aphrodite over the
affections of hondsome Adonis, Zeus sent wise Calliope lo be the judge and arbitress. She decided
thot Adonis should spent part of the yeor with Persephone and the rest with Aphrodite. Her
emblems ate a stylus ond wax toblets, and sometimes with o roll of paper or q book.
Clio is the Muse of hisforical and heroic poeiry. Wiih Pierus, the king of Macedonio, she is the
mother of Hyacinth, who was occidentally killed by his beloved Apolto while practicing throwing the
discus one day.
She was credited for introducing the Phoenician olphabet into Greece. Her attribute is usuolly a
parchment scroll or a set of tablets. She is often also represenled in a sitting or sfanding
aftitude, with an open ro11 of paVer, or chest of books.
Her name meons "Proclaimer" ond she is so named because her songs and those of the poets
besfow everlasting glory upon those praised by her.
Erato is the Muse of lyric poetry, particularly love and erotic poetry, and mimicry. Her name medns
"Lovely" ond she is usually depicted with a lyre. She is so named because she turns those who
follow her into men who are desired and worthy to be loved. She is particulorly fond of the poets
of
love.
Euterpe's name meons "Delight" ond indeed she brings delight and joy to oll those who heor her
sing. She was the Muse of lyric poetry and music, parficularly the flute, which she invented. The
double-flute is her attribute.
Melpomene is the Muse of fragedy. She is usually represented with o tragic mosk, the club of
Hercules or a sword, and wearing the cofhurnus, which are the boots traditionally worn by tragic
actors.
o knife or club in one hand, a mask in the other, and her head is surrounded
with vine leaves. Her name loosely translates to "choir" and she is named because of her chanting
which charms and inspires her listeners.
Somefimes she holds
Potyhymnia is the Greek Muse of the sublime ond sacred hymn, eloquence and donce. She is usually
represented in a pensive or meditating position ond appears without any attribute. She is a serious
looking womdn, dressed in a long cloak and resfing wifh an elbow on o pillar. Sometimes she holds o
finger to her mouth.
Her name means "many songs" and is sometimes spelled Polymnia. She is so named because by her
greot praises she brings honor and distinction to writers and poeis whose works have won for fhem
immortol fome.
Terpsichore is the Muse of dancing and the dramatic chorus, and lafer of lyric poetry. Hence the
word terpsichorean, perfaining to dance. She is usual[y represented seated and holding a lyre or a
plectrum. According to some traditions, she is the mother of the Sirens with the river-god
Achelous. She is also occasionally mentioned as the mother of Linus by Apollo.
Terpsichore delights her disciples wifh the good fhings to be aftoined from education, choral dance
and song. Those who have honored her in dances are dearest to her.
Thalia presided over comedy and posforal, merry and idyllic poelry. She also favored rural pursuifs
ond is represenled holding o comic mask and a shepherd's staff, or a wreath of ivy, which ore the
attribufes she is most often associoted with. She is worshipped becouse the fome of those whose
praises she sings flourishes and Iasts for long periods of time.
Pleose note thot Thalia is also fhe nome of one
of the three Graces (Chorifes).
Urania is the Greek Muse of asfronomy, astrology and Universal love. Along with her sister Muse
Terpsichore she is occasionally mentioned as the mother of Linus by Apotlo. She is represented with
a globe in her left hand and a peg in her right hand. Urania is dressed in a cloak embroidered with
stors ond she keeps her eyes towards the sky.
Her name means "Hedvenly" and Uronia is so named because she raises her disciples to heavenly
heights. Among her other tolents she could foretell the future by the position of the stars. Those
who are most concerned with philosophy and ihe heavens are dearest to her.
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6r
OLYMPUS
The Muses
The nine Muses - immortal nymphs, nature spirits whose father
was zeus - were the source of inspiration to poets, dramatists and
musicians. They were precisely personified, each with her own
duties and her own sYmbolism.
Although most Personifications
of virtues or of natural Phenomena were not given detailed
characterizations, the Muses
were an exception. This was
because it was the religious dutY
of all poets to acknowledge
them as the source of their creative artistry. Over the centuries
the invocations to each became
more distinctive, and the Muses
developed their identities.
The Muses were the children
of Zeus and MnemosYne, the
Titan goddess of memorY. Each
of the Muses had individual
responsibilities, and together
they represented the comPlete
range of the classical arts.
Calliope was the muse of ePic,
heroic poetry, ranked most
senior of all the arts. Clio rePresented history, the recounting of
which was considered an art in
the classical world. EuterPe was
the muse of lyric poetry and its
accompanyi ng music. Thal ia
inspired festivals as well as the
forms of pastoral and comic
poetry that evolved from the
sometimes riotous Processions
that were a central Part of manY
of them. Melpomene, the muse
of tragedy, was always dePicted
as being more solemn than the
others. Terpsichore influenced
dancing. Erato was the insPira-
tion of tender or amorous
poetry; in Roman times she was
also associated with APril, which
was seen as the month of lovers.
Polyhymnia's provinces were
song, the lyre and musical entertainments. The ninth muse,
Urania, represented astronomy,
indicating the poetic and mYthological importance of the stars
and planets.
The Muses were flowerbedecked virgins who lived in
woods and beside fountains.
They were often shown dancing
in a circle, holding hands, to
suggest the intimate connection
between all the arts. Laurel
bushes were sacred to the
Muses, and winners of the great
festival competitions in PoetrY
and in drama were crowned
with wreaths made from these
plants. The laurel was also the
plant sacred to Apollo (see Page
1 31 ), the Olympian Patron of
song and the lyre who was associated with the Muses. For this
j;
reason, he was sometimes
known as Apollo Musegetes, or
leader of the Muses.
This detail from a carving decorating
a
Roman sarcophagus dating from the 1st
century ro shows two of the Muses
accompanying a musician. Artists
throughout the classical world called
upon the Muses for creative
inspiration. They were invoked at the
beginning of poems and PlaYs, and
poets vied with one another to be the
most fulsome in their praise of them.
48
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(epic poetry)
(mine)
(lightverse and dance)
CRONUS
ZEUS
MELPOMENE
god
,..
.'i cLlo
,i3 EI]TERPE
,i3 ERATO
goooess
(history)
(ftute)
(lyrical choral poetry)
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URAN/A
(astronomy)
(tragedy)
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(comedy)
man
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MNEMOSYNE
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Muses
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MUSES
Greeh and Roman mytbologt, nine goddesses of the arts.
he Muses were the
, daughters of the
, Titaness Mnemosyne
(Memory) and Zeus. They were
the source of inspiration to
artists, writers, and musicians.
Believed to be virgins living n
the woods, sometimes near
Fountains, they were often
depicted holding hands and
dancing in a circle to symbolize
the connection berween the arts.
The Muses embodied the highest
intellectual and artistic endeavors
oF mankind, and their
characteristics inspired people
w[ro, in turn, were obliged'to
acknowledge the Muses irs the
source of their creativiry.
Calliope was the Muse of
epic poetry, considered to be the
most important of the arts.
|
THE MUSES
Euterpe inspired lyric poetry and
its accompanying music.
Terpsichore helped dancers. Clio
was Muse to historians whose
talent for explaining the past was
rcgarded as an art form in
ancient Greece. Thalia was the
Muse to comedians and those
involved in festivals, which were
spirited occasions if she was
present. The sixth Muse,
Melpomene, was more serious
than the others and inspired
rragedy in drlma. Erato was
Muse to amorous poetry; the
Romans connected her with
April, which was considered the
month of lovers. Polyhymnia was
associated with song and playing
the lyre. The ninth Muse,
tJrania, was inspirer
of
astronomy, important to the
Greeks For its interpretive faculry
in mythology and poetry.
Overseeing all the Muses
was the Olympian god Apollo,
who is represented in art in
many periods, including
Raphaelt famous painting of
Parnassus, the mountain near
Delphi which was traditionally
held sacred to Apollo and
the Muses.
The most famous progeny
of the Muses was Orpheus, son
of the Thracian king Oeagrr-rs
and Calliope. After Apollo
presented Orpheus with a lyre,
the Muses taught him how to
play it, compose lyrics, and sing.
The result was said to be the
best poetry and music the world
hm ever known.
Gooonsses oF'fHE Anls
Apollo, Minerua, and the nine
lnuses /tre shown, carrying symbok
of their indiuidual rtrts.
Malcolm Day