9 Muses

In Greek mythology there were 9 Muses who played, sang, danced, and inspired others to do the same.

Calliope Beautiful voice

Chief of the nine Muses. She was the patron of epic poetry. Calliope was the mother of Orpheus by the King of Thrace. There is a great story about Orpheus coming to the Myth Pages. Her symbol was a writing tablet. Calliope was probably the most mythically involved of the Muses, and you can find her on this site as the arbiter in the dispute between Aphrodite and Persephone over Adonis (check it out). Calliope was also sometimes called the mother of Hymen (the god of marriage), Ialemus (sad song god), the Corybantes, the Sirens, etc. They’re all very musical children, of course.k

Clio Proclaimer

She was the patron of history, and inventor of historical and heroic poetry. From a union with King Pierus she bore a son, Hyacinthus. He was a handsome lad who was killed by his lover, Apollo. From his blood grew the flower that bears his name. She was also the person who brought the Phoenician alphabet to Greece. Her symbol was a scroll.

Erato Passionate or Lovely

The Muse of lyric poetry about love and eroticism. Ooooooh. She was also the patron Muse of parrots and crows, considering that she was the Muse of Mimicry, as well. I like her.

Euterpe Rejoicing Well

The Muse of lyric poetry and music. But not only that, she was also the cheerful muse. She was in charge of joy and pleasure and . . . are you ready? FLUTE playing! Oh yes. How pleasureful. Her attribute was the double flute, that some say she invented.

Polyhymnia Many Songs

Polyhymia is the somber and beautiful one. She was the Muse of Sacred Hymn, and of Eloquence. She is shown in pictures as a serious woman usually in a position of meditation or thoughtfulness, sometimes with a finger to her mouth in thought. She wears long robes.

Melpomene Songstress

She was the muse of Tragedy and that was it. She is often showing wearing the cothurnus (ie, boots traditionally worn by tragic actors), and she usually carries or wears the tragic mask. Sometimes she also carries a knife or club.

Terpsichore Rejoicing in the Dance or Whirling

The Muse of dancing and choral singing. She could be recognized because she was the one dancing around with a lyre in her hands. Like her sister Calliope, Terpsichore was a mother. Some say she bore the Sirens with the River God Achelous. The sagas of Thebes call her the mother of Linus by Apollo  (others say Calliope and more ancient texts call Urania the true mother – see Urania for his story), also Hymen (like Calliope).

Thalia Festive or Flourishing

She presided over comedy and pastoral poetry which explains why she holds a comic mask. But Thalia is the “country girl” of the group. She loves to traipse about meadows and forests and rural places that a city girl like me wouldn’t know about. That’s why she carries the shepherd’s crook, as well.

Urania Mountain Queen

Muse of astronomy and astrology. Mother of a son Linus. His father was Amphimarus (a son of Poseidon), and that he became such a beautiful singer that Apollo grew jealous and killed him. For this, Linus is sacrificed to before the Muses as a hero. Urania is often pictured carrying a globe in one hand and a pair of compasses in the other. They say that Urania inspires only chaste love – but that’s really more using Urania as an epithet of Aphrodite’s – and in classical tradition she rests her foot on a turtle (the symbol of silence and retreat).