To My Love: The Greek Muses

Calliope

Calliope is the Muse of Eloquence and Epic Poetry. Her name, also spelled 'Kalliope,' means 'beautiful-voiced' in Ancient Greek and she has been given the laurels of "Chief of the Muses". Part of this is due to her inspiring kings, princes, and being amongst leaders of nations; and also due to her vocal gift and muse focus of just speech and eloquence. According to Hesiod, she is the wisest of the Muses, as well as the most assertive.

Calliope, according to Hesiod’s Theogony, at the behest of Zeus, the king of the gods, she judged the dispute between the goddesses Aphrodite and Persephone over Adonis. However, when she declared that Adonis must divide his time between Persephone and Aphrodite, the goddess, inflamed, caused the Thrakian Bakkantes to slay Kalliope's son Orpheus (some say also to punish him for scorning women and only consorting in love with boys).

She was sometimes believed to be Homer's muse for the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Roman epic poet, Virgil, invokes her in the Aeneid.

Little is known about her early life, but she is frequently pictured as a divine beauty holding a writing tablet or scroll. Calliope rarely appears alone in Greek myths and is usually seen working with her sisters toward some end. Calliope and the other Muses frequented Mount Helicon where humans often worshiped them and asked for their assistance. Most of the time, however, the Muses lived on Mount Olympus where they attended to Zeus and the other major Greek gods.

As with many ancient myths, there are varying descriptions of Calliope's relationships and family life. She is commonly represented as the mother of two famous sons - Linus and Orpheus. The boys' father is given as either Apollo or Oeagrus, King of Thrace.
Linus became a famous musician who was the first to pair singing with the playing of the harp. Therefore, he is known to have invented melody and rhythm.
Calliope's other son Orpheus led a tragic life. He was blessed with incredible musical talents. His mother taught him to sing and play and Apollo gave him a golden lyre as a gift. His skills were so amazing that creatures, trees, and even stones would follow him to listen to his music. In time, Orpheus traveled to the underworld to rescue his wife Eurydice from death. His music warmed the cold hearts of Hades and Persephone who allowed him to leave with his wife. Unfortunately, his failure to heed their directions resulted in her return to the underworld and his everlasting grief.

In some cases, she is said to be the Mother of sirens.

Some accounts mention that she was also loved by the god Apollo, by whom she had two sons, Hymen and Ialemus. Other versions present her as the mother of Rhesus, King of Thrace and a victim of the Trojan War.