Meet The 9 Olympus Muses from Greek Mythology

17/02/2020

Find out who were the 9 Muses of Olympus, their role in Greek Mythology and their respective representations in art, music, theater, festivities ... Just as Polímnia was the muse of loving.

9 Muses in Greek Mythology:

"After the victory of the Olympian gods over the six sons of Uranus, known as titans, Zeus was asked to create deities capable of singing the victory and perpetuating the glory of the Olympians. Zeus then shared the bed with Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, for ten consecutive nights and, a year later, Mnemosyne gave birth to nine daughters in a place near Mount Olympus, where the hunter Croto, who was transported, through the sky, to the constellation of Sagittarius, raised them there.

The muses sang the present, the past and the future, accompanied by Apollo's lyre, to the delight of the pantheon deities. They were originally nymphs from rivers and lakes. Their cult was originally from Thrace or in Pieria, region east of Olympus , from whose steep slopes descended several streams producing sounds that suggested natural music, leading to the belief that the mountain was inhabited by music-loving goddesses. a wonderful female choir. Later, their functions and attributes diversified."

DISCOVER MUSEUM REPRESENTATIONS:

Muse Calliope: This is the muse of eloquence and also of heroic poetry and she had the most beautiful voice among all the 9 muses of Olympus. She is also the oldest and wisest of them and had two children with Apollo: Orpheus and Linus. In one of his passages in Greek mythology and muse Calliope arbitrated a dispute between Aphrodite and Persephone.

Muse Clio: This is responsible for the celebrations and also for making someone famous. Known as the muse of history, her name means "proclaimer" and she spawned Jacinto through a union with Pierus, the king of Macedonia. She is also responsible for the introduction of the Phoenician alphabet in Greece.

Muse Érato: This is the muse of lyrical and loving or erotic poetry, that is, the one that arouses desire. Her name means "adorable" and she is represented with a lyre.

Muse Euterpe: This is the one that represents music and joy. This muse is the result of the union of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory. Its symbol is a recorder, an instrument that plays very well.

Muse Melpômene is the muse of tragedy and the meaning of his name is "choir". Its symbol is the mask of tragedy and it is always represented using well worn boots. In some representations she also appears with a stick or knife in one hand and a mask of tragedy in the other.

Muse Polímnia: It was the muse of lyric poetry and its name means "Many Songs". She is usually represented with a very thoughtful expression, wearing a long dress and with a cloak resting on her shoulder. It is also worth remembering that Polímnia is also considered the muse of dance.

Muse Terpsícore: This muse is also from dance, her name means "delight to dance" and her symbol is also a lyre. According to some traditions and cultures Terpsichore is the mother of the mermaids, and Aquelau, the riverside god, is the father.

Muse Talia is the one that represents comedy and festivity. Unlike Melpômene, she is always represented with the mask of the comedy to her name means festivity, that is, the one that encourages celebrations.

Muse Urânia: The name of this muse means "Queen of the Mountains" and Urânia is also muse of astrology and astronomy, being an inspiring muse of geologists and astronomers. She also dresses in a mantle that is embroidered with stars and has her eyes always turned to the sky.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE 9 MUSES:

They lived in places close to fountains and streams. In these places they danced and sang, accompanied by Apollo's lyre. The choir of the muses made his birthplace a sanctuary and a place for special dances. They also frequented Monte Hélicon, whose sources, had the power to give poetic inspiration to those who drank from its waters. Beside these fountains, the Muses of Olympus made graceful dance movements and sang with their crystal clear voices.

It is interesting to note that the gods were not satisfied only with the existence of life and the new world order established by Zeus. They asked that the Muses be created to resonate this existence. This shows us that creation is not enough, it should be praised. So also on the human plane, it is not enough to live, but we must celebrate life.