What are the ancient Greek muses as they related to literature of the time?
At one time, the Muses were the goddesses of inspiring springs, but they became the representatives of poetry, the arts and science and sources of inspiration. Homer refers to them as one Muse and as many Muses, living on Olympus. Hesiod refers to them as 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who were born in Pieria. 1. Calliope Provenance: Muse of Epic Song Attribute: Wax Tablet 2. Clio Provenance: Muse of history Attribute: Scroll 3. Euterpe Provenance: Muse of lyric song Attribute: Double flute 4. Melpomene Provenance: Muse of tragedy Attribute: Tragic mask, ivy wreath 5. Terpsichore Provenance: Muse of dance Attribute: Lyre 6. Erato Provenance: Muse of erotic poetry Attribute: Smaller lyre 7. Polyhymnia Provenance: Muse of sacred song Attribute: Depicted veiled and pensive 8. Urania Provenance: Muse of astronomy Attribute: Celestial globe 9. Thalia Provenance: Muse of comedy and bucolic poetry Attribute: Comic mask, ivy wreath, shepherd’s staff Sources:
At one time, the Muses were the goddesses of inspiring springs, but they became the representatives of poetry, the arts and science and sources of inspiration. Homer refers to them as one Muse and as many Muses, living on Olympus. Hesiod refers to them as 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who were born in Pieria. 1. Calliope Provenance: Muse of Epic Song Attribute: Wax Tablet 2. Clio Provenance: Muse of history Attribute: Scroll 3. Euterpe Provenance: Muse of lyric song Attribute: Double flute 4. Melpomene Provenance: Muse of tragedy Attribute: Tragic mask, ivy wreath 5. Terpsichore Provenance: Muse of dance Attribute: Lyre 6. Erato Provenance: Muse of erotic poetry Attribute: Smaller lyre 7. Polyhymnia Provenance: Muse of sacred song Attribute: Depicted veiled and pensive 8. Urania Provenance: Muse of astronomy Attribute: Celestial globe 9.
The Muses typically are invoked at or near the beginning of an ancient epic poem or classical Greek hymn. They have served as aids to an author of prose, too, sometimes represented as the true speaker, for whom an author is merely a mouthpiece.[8] Originally, the invocation of the Muse was an indication that the speaker was working inside the poetic tradition, according to the established formulas. Six classic examples are: Homer, in Book I of The Odyssey: “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.” (Robert Fagles translation, 1996) Virgil, in Book I of the Aeneid: O Muse!
They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths. Originally said to be three in number, by the Classical times of the 400s BC, their number had grown and become set at nine goddesses who embody the arts and inspire the creation process with their graces through remembered and improvised song and stage, writing, traditional music, and dance.
