The work of almost every great artist is unthinkable without the presence of a woman who inspires him - the muse.
Raphael's immortal works were painted using images that his lover, the model Fornarina, helped create; Michelangelo enjoyed a platonic relationship with the famous Italian poetess Vittoria Colonna.
The beauty of Simonetta Vespucci was immortalized by Sandro Botticelli, and the famous Gala inspired the great Salvador Dali.
Who are the muses?
The ancient Greeks believed that every area of their life that they considered most important had its own patron, a muse.
According to their ideas, The list of muses of ancient Greece looked like this:
- Calliope - muse epic poetry;
- Clio is the muse of history;
- Melpomene - the muse of tragedy;
- Thalia is the muse of comedy;
- Polyhymnia - the muse of sacred hymns;
- Terpsichore – muse of dance;
- Euterpe is the muse of poetry and lyricism;
- Erato is the muse of love and wedding poetry;
- Urania is the muse of science.
According to classical Greek mythology the supreme god Zeus and Mnemosyne, daughter of the titans Uranus and Gaia, gave birth to nine daughters. Since Mnemosyne was the goddess of memory, it is not surprising that her daughters began to be called muses, translated from Greek this means “thinking”.
It was assumed that the favorite habitat of the muses was Mount Parnassus and Helicon, where in the shady groves, to the sound of clear springs, they formed Apollo's retinue.
They sang and danced to the sound of his lyre. This subject was loved by many Renaissance artists. Raphael used it in his famous paintings of the Vatican halls.
Andrea Montegna's work "Parnassus", which depicts Apollo surrounded by muses dancing for the supreme gods of Olympus, can be seen in the Louvre.
The famous sarcophagus of the Muses is also located there. It was found in the 18th century in Roman excavations, its lower bas-relief is decorated with an excellent image of all 9 muses.
Museyons
In honor of the muses, special temples were built - museions, which were the center of cultural and artistic life Hellas.The most famous is the Alexandria Museum. This name formed the basis for everything famous word museum.
Alexander the Great founded Alexandria as a center of Hellenistic culture in the Egypt he conquered. After his death, his body was brought here to a tomb specially built for him.. But, unfortunately, then the remains of the great king disappeared and have not yet been found.
One of the associates of Alexander the Great, Ptolemy I Soter, who laid the foundation for the Ptolemaic dynasty, founded a museum in Alexandria, which combined a research center, an observatory, a botanical garden, a menagerie, a museum, famous library.
Archimedes, Euclid, Eratosthenes, Herophilus, Plotinus and other great minds of Hellas worked under its arches.
For successful work the most favorable conditions were created, scientists could meet each other, have long conversations, as a result, greatest discoveries, which have not lost their significance even now.
The muses were always depicted as young, beautiful women; they had the ability to see the past and predict the future.
The greatest favor of these beautiful creatures used by singers, poets, artists, muses encouraged them in creativity and served as a source of inspiration.
Unique abilities of muses
Clio, the "Glory-Giving" Muse of History, whose permanent attribute is a parchment scroll or board with writing, where she wrote down all events in order to preserve them in the memory of descendants.
As the ancient Greek historian Diodorus said about her: “The greatest of muses inspires love for the past.”
According to mythology, Clio was friends with Calliope. The surviving sculptural and pictorial images of these muses are very similar, often made by the same master.
There is a myth about a quarrel that arose between Aphrodite and Clio.
Possessing strict morals, the goddess of history did not know love and condemned Aphrodite, who was the wife of the god Hephaestus, for her tender feelings for the young god Dionysus.
Aphrodite ordered her son Eros to shoot two arrows, the one that kindled love hit Clio, and the one that killed her went to Pieron.
Suffering from unrequited love convinced the strict muse not to judge anyone anymore for their feelings.
Melpomene, muse of tragedy
Her two daughters had magical voices and decided to challenge the muses, but lost and to punish them for their pride.
Zeus or Poseidon, here the opinions of myth-makers differ, turned them into sirens.
The same ones that almost killed the Argonauts.
Melpomene vowed to forever regret their fate and all those who defy the will of heaven.
She is always wrapped in a theatrical robe, and her symbol is a mournful mask, which she holds in right hand.
In her left hand is a sword, symbolizing punishment for insolence.
Thalia, muse of comedy, sister of Melpomene, but never accepted her sister’s unconditional belief that punishment was inevitable, this often became the reason for their quarrels.
She is always depicted with a comedy mask in her hands, her head is decorated with an ivy wreath, and she is distinguished by her cheerful disposition and optimism.
Both sisters symbolize life experience and reflect the way of thinking characteristic of the inhabitants of ancient Greece that the whole world is a theater of the gods, and people in it only perform their assigned roles.
Polyhymnia, muse of sacred hymns, faith expressed in music
The patroness of speakers, the fervor of their speeches and the interest of listeners depended on her favor.
On the eve of the performance, one should ask the muse for help, then she would condescend to the person asking and instill in him the gift of eloquence, the ability to penetrate every soul.
The constant attribute of Polyhymnia is the lyre.
Euterpe - muse of poetry and lyricism
She stood out among other muses for her special, sensual perception of poetry.
To the quiet accompaniment of Orpheus' harp, her poems delighted the ears of the gods on the Olympian hill.
Considered the most beautiful and feminine of the muses, she became the savior of his soul for him, who had lost Eurydice.
Euterpe's attribute is a double flute and a wreath of fresh flowers.
As a rule, she was depicted surrounded by forest nymphs.
Terpsichore, muse of dance, which is performed in the same rhythm with heartbeats.
The perfect art of Terpsichore dance expressed the complete harmony of natural principles, movements human body and emotional emotions.
The muse was depicted in a simple tunic, with an ivy wreath on her head and with a lyre in her hands.
Erato, muse of love and wedding poetry
Her song is that there is no force that can separate loving hearts.
Songwriters called on the muse to inspire them to create new beautiful works.
Erato's attribute is a lyre or tambourine; her head is decorated with wonderful roses as a symbol of eternal love.
Calliope, which means “beautiful-voiced” in Greek, is the muse of epic poetry.
The eldest of the children of Zeus and Mnemosyne and, in addition, the mother of Orpheus, from her the son inherited a subtle understanding of music.
She was always depicted in the pose of a beautiful dreamer, holding a wax tablet in her hands and wooden stick– stylos, that’s why it appeared famous expression"write in a high style."
The ancient poet Dionysius Medny called poetry “the cry of Calliope.”
The ninth muse of astronomy, the wisest of the daughters of Zeus, Urania holds in her hands the symbol of the celestial sphere - a globe and a compass, which helps determine the distances between celestial bodies.
The name was given to the muse in honor of the god of heaven, Uranus, who existed even before Zeus.
Interestingly, Urania, the goddess of science, is among the muses associated with different types arts Why?
According to Pythagoras' teaching about "harmony celestial spheres", dimensional ratios musical sounds comparable to the distances between celestial bodies. Without knowing one, it is impossible to achieve harmony in the other.
As the goddess of science, Urania is still revered today. There is even a Urania Museum in Russia.
The muses symbolized the hidden virtues of human nature and contributed to their manifestation.
According to the ideas of the ancient Greeks, the muses had the amazing gift of introducing the souls of people to the great secrets of the Universe, memories of which they then embodied in poetry, music, and scientific discoveries.
Patronizing everyone creative people, the muses did not tolerate vanity and deception and severely punished them.
The Macedonian king Pierus had 9 daughters with beautiful voices, who decided to challenge the muses to a competition.
Calliope won and was declared the winner, but the Pierids refused to admit defeat and tried to start a fight. For this they were punished, and they were turned into forty.
Instead of wonderful singing, they announce their fate to the whole world with sharp guttural screams.
Therefore, you can count on the help of the muses and divine providence only if your thoughts are pure and your aspirations are selfless.
Read interesting article Hera, Aphrodite and Athena.
In ancient Greece, they revered not only the gods who made up the host, but also their children, the deities of the third generation of Olympians. Greece was an enlightened country: the sages, scientists, and philosophers of antiquity left a deep mark on the history of the whole world. It is noteworthy that muses in Greece did not always mean a symbol of inspiration for beauty: music, love, poetry.
The nine daughters of the father of the gods, Zeus, clearly demonstrate the triad: a symbol of absolute harmony. They combined three types: science, craft and real art. The triad is symbolic of Greece, where poetry was valued as highly as the ability to read the stars.
Sages and philosophers rightly believed that each of the muses is necessary for prosperity.
Calliope was the mother of Orpheus, from her the son inherited the ability to feel music. The mother taught her son that every word in poetry should bring back to life the soul of a fallen hero, instill faith and cultivate nobility. The scroll and stylus in her hands were not just symbols. Young warriors leaving for battle could swear that they could hear Calliope writing a new work.
The Greeks considered Calliope the queen of all muses, No wonder she has a crowned crown on her head or Laurel wreath. Apollo himself did not dare to interrupt the queen of muses when she spoke fiery speeches about honor, nobility, courage and the purity of the soul of a true warrior. The muse can be considered a symbol of love for one’s homeland, one’s land. Therefore, at one time the Greeks ordered miniature images of Calliope before long journeys. They say that Pallas herself gave such a miniature to her favorite Odysseus, so that his heart would always be filled with purity of thoughts and the desire to return to his native shores.
The ancient Greek historian and keeper of mythology Diodorus wrote about her: “The greatest of muses inspires love for the past”. History is priceless for any people, and especially for the people of Greece. Clio, it was believed, wrote down every, even insignificant, event on her scrolls, so that none of the descendants would forget their past.
Mythology describes the conflict between the muse and the beautiful Aphrodite. The muse of history had strict morals, but never knew love. Aphrodite, being the wife of the god Hephaestus, had tender feelings for the young Dionysus. The inexorable muse condemned the goddess for loving a mortal. Aphrodite ordered little son Eros shoots two arrows: one, kindling love, at Clio, and the second, killing feelings, at Pieron. suffering from unrequited love they brought the muse to their senses, and Clio no longer dared to judge anyone for their feelings.
While studying history, we compiled a book in which we tried to take into account all the features of each of the gods.
According to myths, Clio was friends with Calliope, which is understandable: the muse of patriotism is inseparable from the muse of history. They were depicted almost identically; often the Greeks ordered busts of these muses from only one master.
Melpomene is not only the muse of tragedies, as symbolized by the mournful mask in her right hand. The muse is the mother of the fatal sirens who almost killed the Argonauts. Although, according to another version, the mother of the sirens was Terpsichore.
It is interesting that the origin of the sirens is described extremely poorly, as if they appeared out of thin air. Melpomene's two daughters from birth had wondrous voices, but their pride ruined them: in the absence of their mother, they challenged the muses and lost. They were punished for this: according to one version, the Thunderer himself turned them into sirens, according to another, turning them into birds was the work of Poseidon.
Melpomene vowed to forever mourn the fate of her daughters and those who dare to go against the will of heaven. He is always depicted in the robes of theatergoers, with an invariable mask in his hands. But in the second hand there can be either a sword as a symbol of punishment for disobedience and insolence, or a scroll made of parchment. The mantle on her exactly reflects the spirit of Greece of that era: people are toys in the hands of the gods and only take part in the theater of the gods.
Talia was closest to the muse of tragedy, Melpomene, but never understood her unconditional belief in the inevitability of punishment. According to Cicero, the muses often quarreled over this.
In contrast to her sister, Thalia was depicted holding a comedic mask and wearing a wreath of simple ivy. The muse never claimed special attention, but she had a cheerful disposition and was optimistic. According to mythology, it was believed that the comedy mask in her hands was a symbol of laughter, but according to another version, the mask meant about the same thing as the mask in the hands of Melpomene: people’s lives are just acting for the gods.
Thalia was the wife of Apollo, but, according to the myth, the Thunderer kidnapped her to make her his wife. But the muse knew Hera, the wife of Zeus, and understood what awaited her. Horror forced her to seek refuge with the ruler dead world Aida. The gloomy god hid the muse deep underground.
Euterpe stood out among other muses for her special sophistication in the perception of poetry. The entire host of Olympians could listen to her poems for hours, to the quiet accompaniment of Orpheus’ harp. Her attribute is a double flute and a wreath of fresh flowers. She could be depicted surrounded by forest nymphs; according to the records, she became the comforter of the soul of the unfortunate Orpheus after he lost his Eurydice twice.
She was considered the most beautiful of the muses, possessing special sensuality and femininity.
Erato is always portrayed with some kind of cheerful and perky musical instrument: lyre, tambourine. She was glorified by songwriters, calling for inspiration. The muse's head is decorated with beautiful roses as a symbol of the eternity of love.
Erato became a symbol of struggle true love for your rights. The muse sang that even dark kingdom Aida will not be able to separate loving hearts; they are forever connected by a strong thread. The muse became the creator of a new direction in Greek music - wedding music. Legend has it that the charming Erato became bored at one of the weddings. She handed her lyre to the blind musician and whispered something to him.
Sounded in the huge hall magical music, all the lovers present felt an irresistible desire to be together before and after death. The wondrous music spread farther and farther and now the muse Terpsichore listens to the music, and her chiseled legs beat out a new dance rhythm.
Terpsichore is not just the muse of dances, including wedding ones. Dance should express not just emotions, but a special connection with nature, showing unity with the culture of one’s homeland. The dance of Terpsichore is the absolute perfection of movements of the soul and body. Since ancient times, the Greeks, learning to dance, learned to listen to music and dance to the rhythm of their heartbeats. Every dancer wanted to learn the perfect movements of the muse, but not everyone was able to do this.
Terpsichore, according to legend, accompanied the god Dionysus everywhere. The god himself was distinguished by the simplicity of his image, so his surroundings also did not stand out with pomp and pretentiousness. The muse appears in a simple tunic with a lyre in her hands, and an ivy wreath on her head.
Polyhymnia, muse of hymns
Polyhymnia was the patroness of speakers; it was in her will to make the speech fiery and life-giving, or people would not hear the speaker’s voice at all. It was believed that as soon as the name of the muse was uttered before an important performance, Polyhymnia would descend to the requester and spend the whole night instructing and instilling the gift of voice. Without the patronage of the muse of oratory it is impossible to reach hearts, not a single Greek doubted this.
Muse of hymns to the gods. This should be understood as the muse of prayers that people send daily higher powers and their fervor also depends on the will of the daughter of Zeus.
The ninth and wisest of all the daughters of the Thunderer, not counting Athena. It is believed that her name was given to her by her father in honor of Uranus, the god of the heavens long before the appearance of Zeus.
The Muse always holds a globe and a compass in her hands. The latter helps her determine the distances between stars. It was she who stood near Piazzi, inspiring him with the discovery of the first asteroid. The Roman did not immediately hear the muse, but the daughter of Zeus always got her way from her scientific wards. The Greeks considered her the patroness of even those sciences that were far from heavenly.
This muse is revered to this day, everywhere. Even in Russia there is a Urania Museum and in some cities there are full-fledged statues.The religion of ancient Greece is amazing. It is strikingly different from other religions, causing growing interest. A journey into their world always leaves a mark on a person’s memory, no matter whether he is Greek by birth.
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Very often in our lives we come across such phrases as: “visited by a muse”, “muse of poetry” and many others in which the word muse is mentioned. However, what does it mean? This concept comes from ancient mythology. The Greek muses are nine sisters, patroness of the arts and sciences. They are the daughters of Zeus himself and each of them has their own unique divine abilities. Let's take a closer look at them.
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So, as stated earlier, the muses are the daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory. The very word muses (muses) comes from the Greek word “thinking”. The Muses were usually depicted as young and beautiful women. They had a prophetic gift and treated creative people favorably: poets, painters, actors, in every possible way encouraging and helping them in their activities. However, for special offenses, the muses could deprive a person of inspiration. To prevent this from happening, the ancient Greeks built special temples in honor of the muses, which were called museions. It is from this word that the word “museum” comes from. The patron saint of the muses themselves was the god Apollo. Let's now take a closer look at each of the muses.
Muse Calliope - muse of epic poetry
The name of this muse from Greek can be translated as “one with a beautiful voice.” According to Diodorus, this name arose at the moment when “ beautiful word”(kalen opa). She happens to be eldest daughter Zeus and Mnemosyne.
Calliope is the mother of Orpheus, the muse of heroic poetry and eloquence. It evokes a feeling of sacrifice, which encourages a person to overcome his selfishness and fear of fate. Calliope wears a golden crown on her brow - a sign that she dominates other muses, thanks to her ability to introduce a person to the first steps on the path to his liberation. Calliope was depicted with a waxed tablet or scroll and a slate stick in her hands - a stylus, which was a bronze rod, the pointed end of which was used to write text on a tablet covered with wax. The opposite end was made flat to erase what was written.
Muse Clio - patroness of history
The accompanying attributes of this muse are a scroll of parchment or a tablet - a board with writing. Clio reminds us of what a person can achieve and helps him find his purpose.
According to Diodorus, the name comes from the word “Kleos” - “glory”. The etymology of the name is “giver of glory.” From Pierre, the Greek muse Clio had a son, Hyakinthos. Love for Pierre was inspired by Aphrodite for condemning her love for Adonis.
Muse Melpomene - muse of tragedy
In Greek mythology, Melpomene is considered the muse of the tragic genre. The name, according to Diodorus, means “melody that pleases listeners.” The image is anthropomorphic - it was described as a woman with a bandage, a grape or ivy wreath on her head. Always has permanent attributes in the form of a tragic mask, sword or club. The weapon carries symbolism of the inevitability of divine punishment.
Melpomene is the mother of the Sirens - sea creatures who personified the deceptive but charming surface of the sea, under which sharp cliffs or shoals are hidden. From their mother-muse, sirens inherited a divine voice with which they lured sailors.
Muse Thalia - the muse of comedy
Thalia, or in another version Phalia, is in Greek mythology the muse of comedy and light poetry, the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She was depicted with a comic mask in her hands and an ivy wreath on her head.
From Thalia and Apollo, the Corybantes were born - the mythical predecessors of the priests of Cybele or Rhea in Phrygia, in wild enthusiasm, with music and dancing, serving the great mother of the gods. According to Diodorus, she received her name from prosperity (talleyn), which was glorified in poetic works for many years.
Zeus, turning into a kite, took Thalia as his wife. Out of fear of Hera's jealousy, the muse hid in the depths of the earth, where demonic creatures were born from her - paliki (in this myth she is called the nymph of Etna).
Muse Polyhymnia - muse of solemn hymns
Polyhymnia is the muse of solemn hymns in Greek mythology. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the creation of many praises (dia polles himneseos) fame to those whose name was immortalized by poetry. She patronizes poets and hymn writers. It is believed that she keeps in memory all the hymns, songs and ritual dances, which glorify the Olympian gods, she is also believed to have invented the lyre.
Polyhymnia is often depicted with a scroll in her hands, in a thoughtful pose. Polyhymnia patronizes people's study of rhetoric and oratory which turns the speaker into an instrument of truth. She personifies the power of speech and makes a person’s speech life-giving. Polyhymnia helps to understand the mystery of the word as a real force with which you can inspire and revive, but at the same time injure and kill. This power of speech is inspiring on the path to truth.
Muse Terpsichore - muse of dance
Terpsichore is the muse of dance. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses. Considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.
Characteristic attributes: wreath on the head; in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).
Muse Urania - muse of astronomy
Urania is the muse of astronomy. The attributes of Urania were: a celestial globe and a compass. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the aspiration to heaven (uranos) of those who comprehended her art. According to one version, Urania is the mother of Hymen.
Urania personifies the power of contemplation; she calls us to leave the external chaos in which man exists and to immerse ourselves in the contemplation of the majestic running of the stars, which is a reflection of fate. This is the power of knowledge, the power that pulls towards the mysterious, pulls towards the high and beautiful - towards the Sky and the Stars.
Muse Euterpe - muse lyric poetry
Euterpe (ancient Greek Εὐτέρπη “pleasure”) - in Greek mythology, one of the nine muses, daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, the muse of lyrical poetry and music. She was depicted with a lyre or flute in her hands.
Mother of Res by the river god Strymon. According to the etymology of Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of listeners who receive the benefits of education. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.
Muse Erato - muse love poetry
Erato is the muse of lyrical and love poetry. Her name is derived from the name of the god of love Eros. According to Diodorus, she received her name in honor of the ability to be “eperasta” (desired for love and passion).
Born as a result of the union of Mnemosyne and Zeus. From Mala Erato she gave birth to Cleophema. The attribute of the muse is the cithara. This divine heroine of Greek mythology is mentioned quite often in Hellenic legends.
In addition, to the symbolism associated with the image Greek muse Erato, Virgil and Apollonius of Rhodes resort to in their works. She knows how to inspire love for everything living in the soul with her art of transforming everything into beauty hidden beyond the physical.
Based on Wikipedia materials
Very often in our lives we come across such phrases as: “visited by a muse”, “muse of poetry” and many others in which the word muse is mentioned. However, what does it mean? This concept comes from ancient mythology. The Greek muses are nine sisters, patronesses of the arts and sciences. They are the daughters of Zeus himself and each of them has their own unique divine abilities. Let's take a closer look at them.
So, as stated earlier, the muses are the daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory. The very word muses (muses) comes from the Greek word “thinking”. The muses were usually depicted as young and beautiful women. They had a prophetic gift and treated creative people favorably: poets, painters, actors, in every possible way encouraging and helping them in their activities. However, for special offenses, the muses could deprive a person of inspiration. To prevent this from happening, the ancient Greeks built special temples in honor of the muses, which were called museions. It is from this word that the word “museum” comes from. The patron saint of the muses themselves was the god Apollo. Let's now take a closer look at each of the muses.
Muse Calliope - muse of epic poetry
The name of this muse from Greek can be translated as “one with a beautiful voice.” According to Diodorus, this name arose at the moment when the “beautiful word” (kalen opa) was pronounced. She is the eldest daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
Calliope is the mother of Orpheus, the muse of heroic poetry and eloquence. It evokes a feeling of sacrifice, which encourages a person to overcome his selfishness and fear of fate. Calliope wears a golden crown on her brow - a sign that she dominates other muses, thanks to her ability to introduce a person to the first steps on the path to his liberation. Calliope was depicted with a waxed tablet or scroll and a slate stick in her hands - a stylus, which was a bronze rod, the pointed end of which was used to write text on a wax-covered tablet. The opposite end was made flat to erase what was written.
Muse Clio - patroness of history
According to Diodorus, the name comes from the word “Kleos” - “glory”. The etymology of the name is “giver of glory.” From Pierre, the Greek muse Clio had a son, Hyakinthos. Love for Pierre was inspired by Aphrodite for condemning her love for Adonis.
Muse Melpomene - muse of tragedy
In Greek mythology, Melpomene is considered the muse of the tragic genre. The name, according to Diodorus, means “melody that pleases listeners.” The image is anthropomorphic - it was described as a woman with a bandage, grape or ivy wreath on her head. Always has permanent attributes in the form of a tragic mask, sword or club. The weapon carries symbolism of the inevitability of divine punishment.
Melpomene is the mother of the sirens - sea creatures who personified the deceptive but charming surface of the sea, under which sharp cliffs or shoals are hidden. From their mother-muse, sirens inherited a divine voice with which they lured sailors.
Muse Thalia - the muse of comedy
Thalia, or in another version Phalia, is in Greek mythology the muse of comedy and light poetry, the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She was depicted with a comic mask in her hands and an ivy wreath on her head.
From Thalia and Apollo were born the Corybantes - the mythical predecessors of the priests of Cybele or Rhea in Phrygia, in wild enthusiasm, with music and dancing, serving the great mother of the gods. According to Diodorus, she received her name from prosperity (talleyn), which was glorified in poetic works for many years.
Zeus, turning into a kite, took Thalia as his wife. Out of fear of Hera's jealousy, the muse hid in the depths of the earth, where demonic creatures were born from her - paliki (in this myth she is called the nymph of Etna).
Muse Polyhymnia - muse of solemn hymns
Polyhymnia is the muse of solemn hymns in Greek mythology. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the creation of many praises (dia polles himneseos) fame to those whose name was immortalized by poetry. She patronizes poets and hymn writers. It is believed that she keeps in memory all the hymns, songs and ritual dances that glorify the Olympian gods, and she is also believed to have invented the lyre.
Polyhymnia is often depicted with a scroll in her hands, in a thoughtful pose. Polyhymnia patronizes people's study of rhetoric and oratory, which turns the speaker into an instrument of truth. She personifies the power of speech and makes a person’s speech life-giving. Polyhymnia helps to understand the mystery of the word as a real force with which you can inspire and revive, but at the same time injure and kill. This power of speech is inspiring on the path to truth.
Muse Terpsichore - muse of dance
Terpsichore is the muse of dance. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses. She is considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.
Characteristic attributes: wreath on the head; in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).
Muse Urania - muse of astronomy
Urania personifies the power of contemplation; she calls us to leave the external chaos in which man exists and to immerse ourselves in the contemplation of the majestic running of the stars, which is a reflection of fate. This is the power of knowledge, the power that pulls towards the mysterious, pulls towards the high and beautiful - towards the Sky and the Stars.
Muse Euterpe - muse of lyric poetry
Mother of Res by the river god Strymon. According to the etymology of Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of listeners who receive the benefits of education. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.
Muse Erato - muse of love poetry
Born as a result of the union of Mnemosyne and Zeus. From Mala Erato she gave birth to Cleophema. The attribute of the muse is cithara. This divine heroine of Greek mythology is mentioned quite often in Hellenic legends.
In addition, Virgil and Apollonius of Rhodes resorted to symbolism associated with the image of the Greek muse Erato in their works. She knows how to inspire love for everything living in the soul with her art of transforming everything into beauty hidden beyond the physical.
Based on Wikipedia materials
