Ancient Greek muses. Muse of poetry and legends about her

Peter Kiele

Beautiful marble statues young women, preserved, although in copies, from antiquity, is evidence of the special veneration of the muses by the Greeks. They loved them even more than the gods and goddesses who lived their lives, so to speak, in high society, but not very righteous, not to mention all sorts of disasters and death, about the wars started by the god Ares.

The very first thing that people realized themselves in, from infancy, through joy and sorrow, was a song. It is not for nothing that all nine muses are associated with singing and music, the difference between them is the difference between genres, as they have historically developed, from wedding, funeral, religious, etc., highlighting Euterpe, Erato, Calliope, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia, then Melpomene and Thalia, when the ancient theater was born, and finally, Clio, when the awareness of the historical course of time came, and Urania.

It would seem, why did the Greeks single out the muse of astronomy, but not the muse of architecture or sculpture? The point here is the Hellenes’ special perception of the Cosmos as the most perfect work of art. What was sung in the human soul was perceived as inspired by the gods, that is, the muses, which came to be called inspiration.

“Wrath, goddess, sing of Achilles, son of Peleus...” - Homer begins the Iliad with an address to the muse, and the Odyssey - “Muse, tell me about that experienced man who...”, as if he would begin the story from her words, with the words of Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. Thus, Homer’s Iliad, on which Hellas was brought up, is, as it were, a gift from Calliope to the Hellenes.

The Greeks singled her out, for them she is the first of the muses, and even created a myth about her love story, with the birth of her son from a mortal (more precisely, two sons, two poets, but only one remained in people’s memory - Orpheus). This story is reproduced in the tragedy "Orpheus and Eurydice". The songs of Orpheus were essentially sacred hymns, but no longer of religious, but rather philosophical content. But his love for Eurydice and tragic fate played an exceptional role in the emergence of poetry and theater.

Melpomene, Thalia and Terpsichore are the muses of the ancient theater, for the participation of the Chorus on stage in the events of tragedy or comedy involves both singing and dancing. Singing, especially in the tragedies of Euripides, takes on the form and meaning of hits with their spread throughout the Mediterranean, along with lyrics, the pioneers of which are Sappho and Alcaeus from the island of Lesbos.

The importance of the muse in the life and work of the poet was expressed better than anyone else by Pushkin. At first, in an anthological poem in form and content, with complete immersion in classical antiquity, as Orpheus would have sung, vaguely remembering his mother. Pushkin remembers, without a doubt, Euterpe.

Muse

In my infancy she loved me
And she handed me a seven-barrel weapon;
She listened to me with a smile and slightly
Through the ringing wells of empty reeds
I've already played with weak fingers
And important hymns, inspired by the gods,
And the peaceful songs of the Phrygian shepherds.
From morning to evening in the silent shade of oak trees
I diligently listened to the secret reproaches of the virgin;
And, delighting me with a random reward,
Throwing the curls away from the cute brow,
She took the pipe from my hands:
The reed was revived by divine breath
And filled my heart with holy charm.

Pushkin returns to the theme of the anthological poem a little later, still in the south, before new meeting with a nanny in Mikhailovsky, with the expansion of the content, right up to Russian antiquity and modern life, in full accordance with the aesthetics of the Renaissance, which researchers are not aware of, and the poet may have been slightly embarrassed and left the poem unfinished, but rather, as it were...

Confidant of magical antiquity,
Friend of playful and sad fictions,
I knew you in the days of my spring,
In the days of initial joys and dreams.
I've been waiting for you; in the evening silence
You were a cheerful old lady,
And a shushune sat above me,
With big glasses and a frisky rattle.

You, rocking the baby's cradle,
My young ears were captivated by the melodies
And between the shrouds she left a pipe,
Which she herself fascinated.
Infancy passed like a light dream.
You loved a careless youth.
Among the important muses he only remembered you,
And you visited him quietly;

But was this your image, your attire?
How sweet you are, how quickly you have changed!
With what fire the smile came to life!
What a fire the welcoming gaze flashed!
The cover, swirling like a naughty wave,
Your half-airy figure was slightly overshadowed;
All in curls, entwined with a wreath,
The head of the beauties was fragrant;
Breast white under yellow pearls
She was blushing and quietly trembling...

The airy image of the muse acquired the tremulous features of a young beauty, with the awakening of love and inspiration. That is why muses and painters began to depict them as young women of their time, which is always controversial, although they can be cute. In marble sculptures less life is felt, but plastic expresses the grace of the muses, the charming mystery of classical art, the mystery of love, beauty and inspiration.

We can look into Pavlovsk Park, where Pushkin visited, how he settled in Tsarskoe Selo as a youth, and gazed, no doubt, at the bronze statues of muses with their young friends. Found an excellent post.

In Pavlovsk Park, the area called Old Silvia was laid out by Vincenzo Brenna in 1793. In its center is a large round area, lined with oak trees, from which twelve alley paths, bordered by trimmed acacia, radiate out. Hence the name - Twelve Tracks. There are 12 bronze sculptures on the central platform. In the center is Apollo, the sun god and patron of the muses.

The statue was cast by E. Ghasteklu at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts based on a model made by the outstanding sculptor Fyodor Gordeev from an antique original. In the second photo - the original - a marble statue found in the Vatican Museum - was found at the beginning of the 16th in the vicinity of Capo d'Anzio. It is a Roman copy of an unsurvived Greek bronze statue from the 4th century. BC attributed to Leochares. This park casting was originally located in the Apollo Colonnade and was moved to this location in 1817.
If we consider the sculpture starting from the main alley coming from the Stone Gate, then the statues are located in the following order (counting from the left clockwise):

This is Euterpe - the muse of lyric poetry and music. Connected with this sculpture a real mystery. According to all the books written about Pavlovsk, she is uniquely attributed to Euterpe. And on the foot is engraved: Clio. Consequently - on Clio - Euterpe. And in the hand of our Pavlovian Euterpe there is no pipe, with which she is always depicted. The second photograph, the original in the Vatican Museum, is a Roman copy of an unsurvived Hellenistic statue.

Tragic mask, bacchanalian wreath - distinctive features Melpomene, muses of tragedy. The original - a marble statue located in the Vatican Museum - was found among seven statues of muses in 1774 in the so-called Villa Cassia near Tivoli.

A comic mask, an ivy wreath, a shepherd's crook, and a tympanon (a type of gusli) are the usual attributes of Thalia, the muse of comedy and bucolic poetry. The original is in the Vatican, found among the Seven Muses in 1774.

Terpsichore is the muse of dancing, she is crowned with laurels and strikes the strings of a large lyre like a harp, reviving and inspiring those dancing with these sounds. The original is in the Vatican, found among the Seven Muses in 1774.

Erato is the muse of love poetry and facial expressions; she holds a light, small lyre in her hands; very often Eros (Cupid) was depicted next to her. The original is in the Vatican, found among the Seven Muses in 1774.

Polyhymnia is the muse of hymns and pantomime. The original is a marble statue located in the Vatican Museum. Found among the Seven Muses in 1774. It is a Roman copy of an unsurvived Hellenistic statue from the 3rd century BC.

Calliope, the muse of the epic, in a dreamy pose holds waxed tablets and a sharp stick (stylos) in her hands. The original is in the Vatican Museum, found among the Seven Muses in 1774.

Clio, the muse of history, was depicted with a roll of parchment in her hand. On the foot of Paul's statue is mistakenly engraved: Euterpe. The original is in the Vatican Museum, found among the Seven Muses in 1774.

Urania is the muse of astronomy, in her hands is a radius stick, which was used by ancient astrologers to indicate the stars. The original is in the Vatican Museum.

All sculptures were cast according to Gordeev’s models, and almost all of them decorated the ramp of the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo until 1798. After the death of his mother, Pavel was the first to order the statues to be sent to Pavlovsk, from that time to this day we admire them on the Twelve Paths. During the war, they were buried deep in the ground right next to them, the Nazis looked for them, but did not find them. When they dug them up after the war, at first they didn’t find them, they were scared - they sank so deep into the ground under their weight.
Along the gloomy Philosophical path from the Triple Linden Alley we walk, indulging sad thoughts. Suddenly, we are met by Apollo, surrounded by muses, on a spacious area.
The following materials were used in preparing this post:
Pavlovsk: palace and park. / Comp. album by A. Kuchumov. - Leningrad: Aurora Publishing House, 1976. Also photographs from museums - Sergey Sosnovskiy.
Of course, the photos from the park are fresh.

IN ancient Greece They revered not only the gods who made up the host, but also their children, the deities of the third generation of Olympians. Greece was an enlightened country: the sages, scientists, and philosophers of antiquity left a deep mark on the history of the whole world. It is noteworthy that muses in Greece did not always mean a symbol of inspiration for beauty: music, love, poetry.

The nine daughters of the father of the gods, Zeus, clearly demonstrate the triad: a symbol of absolute harmony. They combined three types: science, craft and real art. The triad is symbolic of Greece, where poetry was valued as highly as the ability to read the stars.

Sages and philosophers rightly believed that each of the muses is necessary for prosperity.

Calliope was the mother of Orpheus, from her the son inherited the ability to feel music. The mother taught her son that every word in poetry should bring back to life the soul of a fallen hero, instill faith and cultivate nobility. The scroll and stylus in her hands were not just symbols. Young warriors leaving for battle could swear that they could hear Calliope writing a new work.

The Greeks considered Calliope the queen of all muses, It’s not for nothing that she has a crowned crown or a laurel wreath on her head. Apollo himself did not dare to interrupt the queen of muses when she spoke fiery speeches about honor, nobility, courage and the purity of the soul of a true warrior. The muse can be considered a symbol of love for one’s homeland, one’s land. Therefore, at one time the Greeks ordered miniature images of Calliope before long journeys. They say that Pallas herself gave such a miniature to her favorite Odysseus, so that his heart would always be filled with purity of thoughts and the desire to return to his native shores.

The ancient Greek historian and keeper of mythology Diodorus wrote about her: “The greatest of muses inspires love for the past”. History is priceless for any people, and especially for the people of Greece. Clio, it was believed, wrote down every event, even the most insignificant, on her scrolls, so that none of the descendants would forget their past.

Mythology describes the conflict between the muse and the beautiful Aphrodite. The muse of history had strict morals, but never knew love. Aphrodite, being the wife of the god Hephaestus, had tender feelings for the young Dionysus. The inexorable muse condemned the goddess for loving a mortal. Aphrodite ordered little son Eros shoots two arrows: one, kindling love, at Clio, and the second, killing feelings, at Pieron. Suffering from unrequited love brought the muse to reason; Clio no longer dared to judge anyone for their feelings.

While studying history, we compiled a book in which we tried to take into account all the features of each of the gods.

According to myths, Clio was friends with Calliope, which is understandable: the muse of patriotism is inseparable from the muse of history. They were depicted almost identically; often the Greeks ordered busts of these muses from only one master.

Melpomene is not only the muse of tragedies, as symbolized by the mournful mask in right hand. The muse is the mother of the fatal sirens who almost killed the Argonauts. Although according to another version, the mother of the sirens was Terpsichore.

It is interesting that the origin of the sirens is described extremely poorly, as if they appeared out of thin air. Melpomene's two daughters had wondrous voices from birth, but their pride ruined them: in the absence of their mother, they challenged the muses and lost. They were punished for this: according to one version, the Thunderer himself turned them into sirens, according to another, turning them into birds was the work of Poseidon.

Melpomene vowed to forever mourn the fate of her daughters and those who dare to go against the will of heaven. He is always depicted in the robes of theatergoers, with an invariable mask in his hands. But in the second hand there can be either a sword as a symbol of punishment for disobedience and insolence, or a scroll made of parchment. The mantle on it exactly reflects the spirit of Greece of that era: people are toys in the hands of the gods and only take part in the theater of the gods.

Thalia was closest to the muse of tragedy, Melpomene, but never understood her unconditional belief in the inevitability of punishment. According to Cicero, the muses often quarreled over this.

In contrast to her sister, Talia was depicted holding a comedy mask and wearing a wreath of simple ivy. The muse never claimed special attention, but had a cheerful disposition and was distinguished by optimism. According to mythology, it was believed that the comedy mask in her hands was a symbol of laughter, but according to another version, the mask meant about the same thing as the mask in the hands of Melpomene: people’s lives are just acting for the gods.

Thalia was the wife of Apollo, but, according to the myth, the Thunderer kidnapped her to make her his wife. But the muse knew Hera, the wife of Zeus, and understood what awaited her. Horror forced her to seek refuge with the ruler of the dead world, Hades. The gloomy god hid the muse deep underground.

Euterpe stood out among other muses for her special sophistication in the perception of poetry. The entire host of Olympians could listen to her poems for hours, to the quiet accompaniment of Orpheus’ harp. Her attribute is a double flute and a wreath of fresh flowers. She could be depicted surrounded by forest nymphs; according to the records, she became the comforter of the soul of the unfortunate Orpheus after he lost his Eurydice twice.
She was considered the most beautiful of the muses, possessing special sensuality and femininity.

Erato is always depicted with some kind of cheerful and playful musical instrument: lyre, tambourine. She was glorified by songwriters, calling for inspiration. The muse's head is decorated with beautiful roses as a symbol of the eternity of love.

Erato became a symbol of struggle true love for your rights. The muse sang that even the dark kingdom of Hades could not separate loving hearts, they are forever connected by a strong thread. The muse became the creator of a new direction in Greek music - wedding music. Legend has it that the charming Erato became bored at one of the weddings. She handed her lyre to the blind musician and whispered something to him.

Magical music began to sound in the huge hall, and all the lovers present felt an irresistible desire to be together before and after death. The wondrous music spread farther and farther and now the muse Terpsichore listens to the music, and her chiseled legs beat out a new dance rhythm.

Terpsichore is not just the muse of dances, including wedding ones. Dance should express not just emotions, but a special connection with nature, showing unity with the culture of one’s homeland. The dance of Terpsichore is the absolute perfection of movements of the soul and body. Since ancient times, the Greeks, when learning to dance, learned to listen to music and dance to the rhythm of their heartbeats. Every dancer wanted to learn the perfect movements of the muse, but not everyone was able to do this.

Terpsichore, according to legend, accompanied the god Dionysus everywhere. The god himself was distinguished by the simplicity of his image, so his surroundings also did not stand out with pomp and pretentiousness. The muse appears in a simple tunic with a lyre in her hands, and an ivy wreath on her head.

Polyhymnia, muse of hymns

Polyhymnia was the patroness of speakers; it was in her will to make the speech fiery and life-giving, or people would not hear the speaker’s voice at all. It was believed that as soon as the name of the muse was uttered before an important performance, Polyhymnia would descend to the requester and spend the whole night instructing and instilling the gift of voice. Without the patronage of the muse of oratory it is impossible to reach hearts, not a single Greek doubted this.

Muse of hymns to the gods. This should be understood as the muse of prayers that people send daily higher powers and their fervor also depends on the will of the daughter of Zeus.

The ninth and wisest of all the daughters of the Thunderer, not counting Athena. It is believed that her name was given to her by her father in honor of Uranus, the god of the heavens long before the appearance of Zeus.

The Muse always holds a globe and a compass in her hands. The latter helps her determine the distances between stars. It was she who stood near Piazzi, inspiring him with the discovery of the first asteroid. The Roman did not immediately hear the muse, but the daughter of Zeus always got her way from her scientific wards. The Greeks considered her the patroness of even those sciences that were far from heavenly.
This muse is revered to this day, everywhere. Even in Russia there is a Urania Museum and in some cities there are full-fledged statues.

The religion of ancient Greece is amazing. It is strikingly different from other religions, causing growing interest. A journey into their world always leaves a mark on a person’s memory, no matter whether he is Greek by birth.

Classmates

Muses, I pray - from the crowd of the sinful human race
Eternally draw the wandering soul to the sacred light.
From an ancient hymn

From time immemorial, the arrival of a muse has been associated with the most beautiful and brightest moments in life - moments of insight and inspiration, the appearance of something new, meeting a dream. Why do they say that meeting a muse can completely change your life? Why did ancient poets and storytellers, when starting to perform their songs, turn to the muses asking for a blessing? Why did the ancient Greeks, seeing off friends in long journey or blessing them for some great deed or new step, often said: “Go, and may the muses be with you!”? And in the center of Athens, in the Acropolis, there has always been a temple dedicated to the muses - the Museion. And the first historian known to us, Herodotus, named his works after the muses (Clio, Euterpe, Calliope, Thalia) and dedicated his documentary records to them. Why did Renaissance poets take vows of fidelity and service to the muses, and why did artists of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries often depict themselves next to the muse? Why do we often hear now: “if inspiration comes”, “if the muse comes”? Who are these mysterious and beautiful strangers, nine sisters dressed in snow-white clothes? Is it just a beautiful myth that has gone into the distant past?

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* Plectrum- a plate with a pointed corner, through which sounds are produced when playing some plucked instruments.

** Castalia(Greek) - nymph, daughter of the river god Achelous. Fleeing from the persecution of Apollo, Kastalia turned into a spring near Mount Parnassus - the Castalian Spring, in the waters of which pilgrims heading to Delphi were purified. The Castalian key is a source of inspiration.

*** Helicon- a mountain in central Greece (in the south of Boeotia), where, according to Greek myths, lived the muses. On Helicon there was a source of Hippocrene, or Hippocrene, which arose from the blow of the hoof of the winged horse Pegasus. Therefore, Helikon is a place of poetic inspiration.

The loving thunderer Zeus had many children. The goddess of memory Mnemosyne had 9 daughters from Zeus - muses. According to another version, their mother was the goddess Harmony.

Nine Muses of Ancient Greece

The muses accompanied the radiant Apollo, sang songs and danced in circles, and were also patronesses of various spheres and arts; they were prescribed the gift of clairvoyance. It was believed that the muses lived on the sacred Mount Parnassus. Muse is translated from Greek as thinking. People worshiped the muses in temples built for them - mousseions, hence the name of the museum. The word “music” is also derived from muse; the term referred to not only the arts, but also the sciences. Always young muses of ancient Greece, their names reflected the areas they patronized.

Names of 9 muses of ancient Greece

IN classic version existed nine muses of ancient Greece names: Calliope, Melpomene, Clio, Thalia, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Erato, Terpsichore, Urania. There are also variations, depending on the sources. For example, Plutarch believed that there were three muses: Hypata, Nesa and Mata.

Calliope is the patroness of epic poetry. The most revered of the seseters, companion and patroness of kings. Calliope is translated as beautiful-voiced. From her union with Apollo, Calliope gave birth to Homer and the sweet-voiced Orpheus. Also considered the mother of sirens. Calliope taught Achilles to sing and administered justice between Aphrodite and Persephone. Calliope holds a wax tablet and a stylus. Each muse has its own special attribute that distinguishes it from its sisters. To form a complete picture, you can type the query in your search engine: “ Muses pictures of ancient Greece" Web resources provide both images of ancient sculptures and handwritten portraits.

Euterpe- muse of lyrical poetry and music. Euterpe's attribute is a flute and a flower wreath. She was the most feminine muse, the inhabitants of Olympus listened to the poems written by Euterpe endlessly, they were so magnificent.

Melpomene - the muse of tragedy. She was depicted in a laurel wreath and dramatic vestments - a mantle, with a tragic mask and a sword in her hands. From the union of Melpomene with Achelous, the sirens were born. According to one legend, two of them decided to compete in the art of singing with the muses, but lost, for which they were executed. Melpomene began to mourn them forever, as well as people who disobeyed the gods. The symbol of this is the sword, and in some images it is replaced by a club - inevitable punishment for those who contradict the Gods.

Waist- muse of light poetry and comedy. She was depicted in sculpture and paintings with a comedic, smiling mask in her hands. Melpomene is the opposite of Thalia. The eternally mourning Melpomene and the cheerful, optimistic Thalia. Both have masks in their hands - a reflection that human life– this is the theater of the gods. seduced by Thalia's beauty and cheerfulness. Knowing that the anger of Hera, the wife of Zeus, was boundless, she asked for refuge from Hades, the cult of the underworld.

Clio- the muse of history. It was believed that Clio preserves on her scrolls any events occurring in the world, even minor ones. Ancient myths describe the conflict between the muse and the goddess Aphrodite. Clio condemned the goddess for love relationship with Dionysus, but the muse herself did not know love. In order to teach her a lesson, Aphrodite ordered her son Eros to shoot a love arrow at Clio, and at Pieron, an arrow that kills love. This is how Clio learned the highest feeling. In the images, the muse of history traditionally holds parchment.

Erato - patroness of love poetry. Depicted with a lyre or tambourine. She was depicted with roses woven into her hair. According to, at one of the weddings Erato got bored, she handed her lyre to a blind musician, he played a melody and everyone present at the wedding felt an irresistible desire to never part. This is how music for wedding celebrations appeared.

Terpsichore -symbolized dancing. Attribute-lyre. The dance of Terpsichore is the unity of the soul and the body.

Polyhymnia- writer and patron of hymns. In the museums, orators laid gifts at the feet of Polyhymnia. It gives the speaker’s text fiery and comprehensible quality.

Urania- Patron of astronomy. In her hands, Urania holds a globe, the distance of which she measures with a compass. Urania patronized not only. She is the wisest daughter of the Thunderer, naturally, after Athena.

Various options for what they were called muses of ancient Greece Wikipedia displays in full. The muses patronized only those who had pure thoughts. They were kind, beautiful and did not refuse to help the suffering. But if they were angered, the wrath of the daughters of Zeus was terrible. There is a legend about nine royal daughters who competed in singing with Calliope. Of course, the mortals lost, but they did not want to admit their loss and started a squabble, for which they were turned into forty.

Muses of Ancient Greece: presentation

Very often in our lives we come across such phrases as: “visited by a muse”, “muse of poetry” and many others in which the word muse is mentioned. However, what does it mean? This concept comes from ancient mythology. The Greek muses are nine sisters, patroness of the arts and sciences. They are the daughters of Zeus himself and each of them has their own unique divine abilities. Let's take a closer look at them.

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So, as stated earlier, the muses are the daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory. The very word muses (muses) comes from the Greek word “thinking”. The Muses were usually depicted as young and beautiful women. They had a prophetic gift and treated creative people favorably: poets, painters, actors, in every possible way encouraging and helping them in their activities. However, for special offenses, the muses could deprive a person of inspiration. To prevent this from happening, the ancient Greeks built special temples in honor of the muses, which were called museions. It is from this word that the word “museum” comes from. The patron saint of the muses themselves was the god Apollo. Let's now take a closer look at each of the muses.

Muse Calliope - muse of epic poetry

The name of this muse from Greek can be translated as “one with a beautiful voice.” According to Diodorus, this name arose at the moment when the “beautiful word” (kalen opa) was pronounced. She is eldest daughter Zeus and Mnemosyne.

Calliope is the mother of Orpheus, the muse of heroic poetry and eloquence. It evokes a feeling of sacrifice, which encourages a person to overcome his selfishness and fear of fate. Calliope is worn on the forehead golden crown- a sign that she dominates other muses, thanks to her ability to introduce a person to the first steps on the path to his liberation. Calliope was depicted with a waxed tablet or scroll and a slate stick in her hands - a stylus, which was a bronze rod, the pointed end of which was used to write text on a tablet covered with wax. The opposite end was made flat to erase what was written.

Muse Clio - patroness of history

The accompanying attributes of this muse are a scroll of parchment or a tablet - a board with writing. Clio reminds us of what a person can achieve and helps him find his purpose.

According to Diodorus, the name comes from the word “Kleos” - “glory”. The etymology of the name is “giver of glory.” From Pierre, the Greek muse Clio had a son, Hyakinthos. Love for Pierre was inspired by Aphrodite for condemning her love for Adonis.

Muse Melpomene - muse of tragedy

IN Greek mythology Melpomene is considered the muse of the tragic genre. The name, according to Diodorus, means “melody that pleases listeners.” The image is anthropomorphic - it was described as a woman with a bandage, grape or ivy wreath on her head. Always has permanent attributes in the form of a tragic mask, sword or club. The weapon carries symbolism of the inevitability of divine punishment.

Melpomene is the mother of the Sirens - sea ​​creatures, personifying the deceptive but charming surface of the sea, under which sharp cliffs or shoals are hidden. From their mother-muse, sirens inherited a divine voice with which they lured sailors.

Muse Talia - muse of comedy

Thalia, or in another version Phalia, is in Greek mythology the muse of comedy and light poetry, the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She was depicted with a comic mask in her hands and an ivy wreath on her head.

From Thalia and Apollo, the Corybantes were born - the mythical predecessors of the priests of Cybele or Rhea in Phrygia, in wild enthusiasm, with music and dancing, serving the great mother of the gods. According to Diodorus, she received her name from prosperity (talleyn), which was glorified in poetic works for many years.

Zeus, turning into a kite, took Thalia as his wife. Out of fear of Hera's jealousy, the muse hid in the depths of the earth, where she gave birth to demonic creatures- paliki (in this myth she is called the nymph of Etna).

Muse Polyhymnia - muse of solemn hymns

Polyhymnia is the muse of solemn hymns in Greek mythology. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the creation of many praises (dia polles himneseos) fame to those whose name was immortalized by poetry. She patronizes poets and hymn writers. It is believed that she keeps in memory all the hymns, songs and ritual dances that glorify the Olympian gods, and she is also believed to have invented the lyre.

Polyhymnia is often depicted with a scroll in her hands, in a thoughtful pose. Polyhymnia patronizes people's study of rhetoric and oratory which turns the speaker into an instrument of truth. She personifies the power of speech and makes a person’s speech life-giving. Polyhymnia helps to understand the mystery of the word as a real force with which you can inspire and revive, but at the same time injure and kill. This power of speech is inspiring on the path to truth.

Muse Terpsichore - muse of dance

Terpsichore is the muse of dance. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses. Considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.

Characteristic attributes: wreath on the head; in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).

Muse Urania - muse of astronomy

Urania is the muse of astronomy. The attributes of Urania were: a celestial globe and a compass. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the aspiration to heaven (uranos) of those who comprehended her art. According to one version, Urania is the mother of Hymen.

Urania personifies the power of contemplation; she calls us to leave the external chaos in which man exists and to immerse ourselves in the contemplation of the majestic running of the stars, which is a reflection of fate. This is the power of knowledge, the power that pulls towards the mysterious, pulls towards the high and beautiful - towards the Sky and the Stars.

Muse Euterpe - muse of lyric poetry

Euterpe (ancient Greek Εὐτέρπη “amusing”) - in Greek mythology, one of the nine muses, daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, the muse of lyrical poetry and music. She was depicted with a lyre or flute in her hands.

Mother of Res by the river god Strymon. According to the etymology of Diodorus, she received her name from the pleasure (terpein) of listeners who receive the benefits of education. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.

Muse Erato - muse of love poetry

Erato is the muse of lyrical and love poetry. Her name is derived from the name of the god of love Eros. According to Diodorus, she received her name in honor of the ability to be “eperasta” (desired for love and passion).

Born as a result of the union of Mnemosyne and Zeus. From Mala Erato she gave birth to Cleophema. The attribute of the muse is the cithara. This divine heroine of Greek mythology is mentioned quite often in Hellenic legends.

In addition, Virgil and Apollonius of Rhodes resorted to symbolism associated with the image of the Greek muse Erato in their works. She knows how to inspire love for everything living in the soul with her art of transforming everything into beauty hidden beyond the physical.

Based on Wikipedia materials