Greek mythology

Nine Muses

Greek mythology is rich with gods and goddesses, but none were as influential as the nine Muses who were created to give inspiration, knowledge, artistry, and music to the ancient world. Each of the nine Greek Muses are listed below:

The Nine Greek Muses
•Calliope, the Muse of epic poetry - Calliope (Greek spelling, "Kalliope"), meaning "beautiful-voiced," was the Muse of epic poetry and the goddess of eloquence. She had two sons, Orpheus and Linus, and was said to be the wisest and most assertive of the Muses.
•Clio, the Muse of history - Clio (Greek spelling, "Kleio"), meaning "to make famous" or "celebrate," was the Muse of history. She had one son, Hyacinth, and is usually depicted with an open scroll or seated by a set of books.
•Erato, the Muse of lyric poetry - Erato, meaning the "lovely" or "beloved," was the Muse of lyric poetry, especially love and erotic poetry. She is usually depicted with a wreath of myrtle and roses and holding a kithara (lyre), or a golden arrow. Erato has also been shown accompanied Cupid or by Eros holding a torch.
•Euterpe, the Muse of music - Euterpe, meaning "the giver of much delight," was the Muse of music and was known to entertain the gods on Mount Olympus. Later on, tradition placed her, along with the other Muses, on Mount Helicon where there was a major cult center to the goddesses, or on Mount Parnassus where the Castalian spring was a major destination for artists and poets.
•Melpomene, the Muse of tragedy - Melpomene, meaning "to celebrate with dance and song," was initially the Muse of singing but later became the Muse of tragedy. To create beautiful lyrical phrases, it was traditional to call on Melpomene for inspiration. This Muse is the mother of several of the Sirens, the divine handmaidens of Kore (Persephone), who were cursed by her mother when they were unable to prevent Kore's abduction by Hades.
•Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry - Polyhymnia, meaning "the one of many hymns," was the Muse of sacred poetry, sacred hymns and eloquence. She is also sometimes credited as being the Muse of geometry and meditation. She is usually depicted as being very serious, in meditation and pensive while holding a finger to her mouth and wearing a long cloak.
•Terpsichore, the Muse of dance and chorus - Terpsichore (Greek spelling, "Terpsikhore"), meaning "delight in dancing," was the Muse of dance and dramatic chorus. She is the mother of the sirens and Parthenope, and is usually depicted sitting down or standing up while holding a lyre.
•Thalia, the Muse of comedy and idyllic poetry - Thalia, meaning "the joyous" or "the flourishing," is the Muse of comedy and idyllic poetry. According to pseudo-Apollodorus, a compendium of Greek myths and heroic legends, she and Apollo were the parents of the Korybantes, armed and crested dancers who worshipped the Phrygian goddess Cybele with drumming and dancing. Thalia is usually portrayed as a young woman with a joyous air wearing a crown of ivy, boots, and carrying a comic mask in her hand.
•Urania, the Muse of astronomy - Urania (Greek spelliong, "Ourania"), meaning "heavenly" or "of heaven," is the Muse of astronomy and astronomical writings. She is said to be able to tell the future by the arrangement of the stars. She inherited Zeus' power and majesty and Mnemosynes' beauty and grace, and is often associated with universal love. This Muse is usually depicted dressed in a cloak embroidered with stars with her eyes and attention focused on the heavens and a celestial globe which she is pointing to with a rod.

The Muses were nine beautiful young women who were the goddesses and embodiments of science, literature, and the arts. In ancient culture, they were the source of orally related knowledge of poetic lyrics and myths, and were considered to be the personification of knowledge and of the arts, especially dance, literature and music.

The Muses were believed to live on Mount Olympus, where they entertained the Olympian gods with their artistry, but later tradition placed them on Mount Helicon or Mount Parnassus.

The Birth of the Nine Muses
The muses were the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and the Titaness Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. They were conceived after the two slept together for nine consecutive nights. Sometimes the Muses are referred to as water nymphs having been born from the four sacred springs on Helicon that flowed from the ground after Pegasus, the winged horse, stomped his hooves there.

Representation of the Nine Muses
It was not until the Renaissance and Neoclassical arts movements began that the representation of the Muses was standardized. From then on, each of the nine Muses could be readily identified by one name and image. They were represented in sculptures and paintings holding certain props, known as emblems, and were mentioned in literature, poetry, and song.

Cults of the Nine Muses
Local cults of the nine Muses were often associated with fountains or springs. Muse worshipers hosted festivals where poetic recitals were followed by sacrifices to the Muses. There were even attempts in the 18th century to revive cults of the Muses by many well know figures of the day.

People say that there is a tenth muse.

In later history there was a tenth Muse: the poet Sappho of Lesbos. She was given the title of the "Tenth Muse" by Plato. The phrase "the tenth muse" has now become a common tribute paid to outstanding female poets. Unfortunately, little is known of Sappho's life and her poetry has largely been lost to the destructive powers of time. Only one complete poem remains, titled, "Ode to Aphrodite."