Blessing:
The Muses preside over the arts and sciences, giving inspiration to all artists, particularly poets, painters, dancers, musicians, philosophers, and astronomers.

Names and symbols:

• Aoide (song) one of the original Muses, no symbols associated with her
• Caliope (fair-voiced), considered the noblest of the Muses, presides over epic song, and was pictured with a wax tablet and pen.
• Clio (she that extols) is the Muse of history, and has a scroll.
• Erato (the lovely one), is the Muse of erotic poetry, with a smaller lyre.
• Euterpe (she that gladdens) is the Muse of lyric song, and has a double flute.
• Hypate one of the original Muses, no symbols associated with her
• Melete (meditation) one of the original Muses, no symbols associated with her
• Melpomene (she that sings) is the Muse of tragedy, and has a tragic mask, ivy wreath, and attributes of hero she is inspiring a song about e.g. the club for Herakles or sword for Perseus.
• Meses one of the original Muses, no symbols associated with her
• Mneme (remembrance) one of the original Muses, no symbols associated with her
• Nete one of the original Muses, no symbols associated with herPolymnia (rich in hymns), is the Muse of serious sacred songs, usually represented as veiled and pensive.
• Terpsichore (she that rejoices in the dance), is the Muse of dancing, with a lyre.
• Thalia (she that flourishes) is the Muse of comedy and bucolic poetry, with the comic mask, the ivy wreath, and the shepherd's staff.
• Urania (the heavenly), the Muse of astronomy, with the celestial globe.

Animal(s): none

Sacrifices:
frankincense

Primary Cult Center(s):
Helicon, Pieria, Castalia, Aganippe, Sparta

Festivals:
Museia every five years in Thespiae

Ways to honor:
Create! Learn a new art form. Go to museums, theaters, dance recitals, and other places of culture. Support artists. Give money to street musicians or painters. Turn a child onto art.

For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.1-4, 3.5.8
Hesiod's Theogony 36-115
Homer's Iliad 2.594-600
Homer's Odyssey 8.63-64, 8.479-481, 24.60-61
Homeric Hymn to Apollo and the Muses 25
Ovid's Metamorphoses 5.273-340, 5.662-678
Pausanias' Description of Greece 9.24.3, 9.29.1-6

Copyright 2002 Sannion
All Rights Reserved
Posted with permission

Pan

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