The poet Hesiod attested that there were nine Muses and, while that became the standard, there was actually great variety to the Muses in ancient times. In the beginning, the Muses were thought to have resided on Mount Olympus, close to their birthplace, though the progression of time situated them instead as residing at their cult center at Mount Helicon, or on Mount Parnassus вЂ“ a location dear to the god Apollo. In lesser-known interpretations of the Muses, their mother is instead recorded to be Harmonia, the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares, the god of war. The nine sisters are oftentimes referred as the Pierian Muses as a result. The Muses are daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, born at the base of Mount Olympus in a region called Pieria. With their blessings, the nine inspirational daughters of Zeus made legends out of common men by granting them incredible gifts of song, dance, intelligence, curiosity, and lyrical prowess. Whether a musician writes a hit new song an astronomer formulates a new star-bound theory or an artist begins their next masterpiece, we can thank the Muses for the bouts of inspiration. In short, it is thanks to these numerous goddesses that mankind has continued to discover and create. After all, there is a reason that not a single piece of Greek poetry has forgone at least an honorable mention of one of the nine Muses, if not more. No other deity was capable of provoking such creative advances. When all is said and done, it was the Muses that enabled inspiration. It is believed that without them, there would be a distinct lack of creation and discovery made by humankind. The nine Muses are ancient Greek personifications of the arts and knowledge. What are the 9 Muses and What Do They Represent? Where do the Muses Appear in Greek Mythology?.What are the 9 Muses and What Do They Represent?.Greek text available from the same website. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press London, William Heinemann Ltd. Pseudo-Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S.John Tzetzes, Book of Histories, Book I translated by Ana Untila from the original Greek of T.Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press London, William Heinemann Ltd. Hesiod, Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G.Online version at the Topos Text Project. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant.Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica.Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press London: William Heinemann, Ltd. Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather.^ Bruce Merry, Encyclopedia of Modern Greek Literature (Santa Barbara CA: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004), 269-70.^ Hyginus, Fabulae Preface, 125 & 141, ed.^ Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.3.4 & Epitome 7.18.^ Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.3.1.

^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 4.7.1.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.) - ' < ОјОО»ПЂОµО№ОЅ to sing, of unknown origin'

Etymological and Pronouncing Dictionary of Difficult Words. ^ Blyth, Charles (1990), Virgilian Tragedy and Troilus, vol.В 24, The Chaucer Review, pp.В 211вЂ“218Д«rewer, Ebenezer Cobham (1882).8 BC), it was commonly auspicious to invoke Melpomene.

In Greek and Latin poetry since Horace (d. She is also the mother of several of the Sirens, the divine handmaidens of Kore (Persephone/Proserpina) who were cursed by her mother, Demeter/ Ceres, when they were unable to prevent the kidnapping of Kore (Persephone/Proserpina) by Hades/ Pluto. Her sisters include Calliope (muse of epic poetry), Clio (muse of history), Euterpe (muse of lyrical poetry), Terpsichore (muse of dancing), Erato (muse of erotic poetry), Thalia (muse of comedy), Polyhymnia (muse of hymns), and Urania (muse of astronomy). Melpomene is the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Often, she also holds a knife or club in one hand and the tragic mask in the other. Melpomene is often represented with a tragic mask and wearing the cothurnus, boots traditionally worn by tragic actors. The Oxford English Dictionary cites ОјОО»ПЂОµО№ОЅ ( melpein - to sing). Melpomene's name is derived from the Greek verb melpГґ or melpomai meaning 'to celebrate with dance and song.'.

Thalia muse