MUSES

The first article of the blog is about Muses. The Muses are the 9 daughters of god Zeus and goddess Mnemosyne. The muses would inspire people in fields such as poets, philosophers, and musicians. Muses also sang songs and played musical instruments at festivals led by Apollo. Muses, who are often known as good, could actually be very bad and cruel. According to Homer, the poet Thamyris treated the muses badly and as a result lost his face and ability to sing.

(9 Muses and Apollo)

So when did the Muses first appear? The shepherd Hesiod, who was feeding the animals on Mount Helicon, was suddenly visited by muses. The muses began to whisper to Hesiod. So Hesiod began writing Theogony, which describes how the world was created and who the gods were.

(Hesiod)

Muses were the mainstay of most entertainment. Literature, music, dance, etc. Years later, the Romans gave each Muse various names. These names were related to the characteristics of the Muses. Here are their names and features:

Calliope - Epic Poetry

Clio - History

Erato - Lyric Poetry

Euterpe - Flute (wind instruments)

Melpomene - Tragedy

Polyhymnia - Sacred Hymns

Terpsichore - Dance

Thalia - Comedy

Urania - Astronomy

("Muses Sarcophagus" in Louvre Museum, France)