

Polyhymnia was the Muse of the Sacred Hymn and Eloquence. While some mythologists credit Athena with the invention of the flute, many say it was actually Euterpe. She was also responsible for pleasure and joy. She was the Muse of lyric poetry and music. EuterpeĮuterpe was the most cheerful and joyful Muse. She was the Muse of mimicry as well and was associated with parrots and crows. She was the Muse of lyric poetry, specifically poems about love and eroticism. While all the Muses were attractive, Erato had an appealing demeanor about her. Main descriptions of this goddess include passionate and lovely. Because of this, her symbol is a scroll, similar to Calliope. Clio is credited with introducing the Phoenician alphabet to Greece. His blood dripped onto the ground where a beautiful flower grew, which would be named after him. Hyacinthus was an attractive man but eventually killed by his lover, Apollo. She had one son named Hyacinthus, conceived with King Pierus.

She invented heroic and historical poetry. Known as the Proclaimer, Clio was the patron of history. She is known as the Beautiful Voice and typically lead the others in song. She is often called the goddess of marriage and the sad song god. She was very mythically involved compared to her sisters. Her symbol was a writing tablet, which is included in almost all artistic representations of her.

CalliopeĬalliope was the chief of the nine Muses and the patron of poetry. Here are descriptions of each Muse, including what they represented, some of their physical descriptions, and symbolic items. There were nine Muses, all with their own unique talents and attributes. The Muses Gifts, Appearances, and Symbols Once the competition was over, the king’s daughters were turned into chattering magpies for their insulting presumption. But the king’s daughters were no match for the Muses and their talents. He challenged the goddesses in a battle of skills and talent against his daughters. He decided to name them after the Muses and believed that his daughters’ talents rivaled those of the Muses. Their talents made them the winner and they punished Thamyris by blinding him and leaving him unable to sing.Ī more popular myth says that King Pierus of Macedon had nine daughters of his own. In yet another, Thamyris challenged the goddesses to a singing contest. In another, they helped to gather the pieces of Orpheus’ deceased body and bury them.

In one myth, the Muses judged a competition between Marsyas and Apollo. Most myths involving the Muses are short but sweet as they usually have a supporting role. Other variations say that they lived on Mt. He also fathered many children with several of the Muses, including Orpheus, son of Calliope. Apollo also had direct contact with the Muses and led them in music. Olympus and entertained Zeus with their artistic talents. It is believed that the goddesses lived on Mt. Nine months later, the Muses were born at the base of Mount Olympus. They laid together for nine consecutive nights. Zeus disguised himself as a shepherd and seduced Mnemosyne. Though there are conflicting variations of their myths, it is widely accepted that the Muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. It is believed that the Muses could inspire artists or speak through their words. Some arts associated with the goddesses include science, mathematics, drama, music, and geography. The Muses represented personifications of art and knowledge.
