More About Muses

After the whole Muse story from the other day, I got into a research bug and Wikipedia'd the whole idea of a muse. Found below are the nine muses from Greek Myth. The actually correspond to the picture. From top left...

Melpomene is the muse of tragedy, represented wearing a tragic mask. She is often depicted holding a mask in one hand and a knife or a club in the other.

Euterpe is the goddess of memory and a muse of music and lyric poetry, joy, and pleasure. Her very name translates as "delight" or "rejoicing." She is depicted with the double flute.

Terpsichore is the muse of the dramatic chorus and dancing, hence the dance term "terpsichorean." She is usually depicted seated with a lyre.

Polyhymnia is the long-cloaked muse of sacred hymn, eloquence, and dance. She is mostly presented in a pensive or meditative pose against a pillar or holding a finger up to her lips.

Urania doesn't seem to have an entry in the book that I got the rest of the information from. She is apparently the heavenly muse, of astrology and astronomy. She is often depicted holding a globe in one hand and a peg in the other, whilst standing on a turtle, the symbol of peace.

Clio is the muse to call upon for historical and heroic poetry. Often depicted with a set of tablets or a scroll it was she who introduced the Phoeician alphabet into Greece.

The ancient muse of eloquence is Calliope or Calliopeia - armed with her emblems of a stylus and wax tablets, we turn to this distinguished, beautiful-voiced muse to inspire epic or heroic poetry.

Erato is the muse of lyric poetry and mimicry, depicted carrying a lyre. We turn to her for inspiration with love poetry and the erotic.

Thalia is the muse who presides over rural pursuits, comedy, and pastoral poetry. She bears a comic mask and a shepherd's crook.

See, you learn something new everyday.

:D

http://archeon.deviantart.com/art/The-Muses-56099327