Ever since man stood on his legs and began to train his thoughts, he always had a vital need: seek an explanation for the phenomena that surrounded him. In this sense, special wealth achieved the Greek mythology and its creatures, such as the mystical Greek muses and their names.
The ancient Greeks went to great lengths to explain the universe, the good and bad things that happened in their lives. In this way, they opened the doors to the imagination creating endless creatures. From the powerful gods of Olympus, to stranger ones like the Cyclops, the centaurs or the harpies. Special attention deserves in this sense the muses of Greek mythology, delicate, fascinating and inspiring creatures. Today in Supercurioso we present you the names of the Greek muses and their symbols. Join us!
The first thing you should know about the muses of Greek mythology is that for the Greeks they were the source of inspiration, motivation and all achievements in the arts. The head of this group of creatures was one of the main gods of Olympus – Apollo. The main muses recognized by the ancient Greeks were nine. Next, we present them to you.
Meet the muses of Greek mythology
Between the greek mythology creatureswe are powerfully struck by the sensual muses, who triggered, with their mere presence or image, the highest arts. We have placed the nine muses of Greek mythology in alphabetical order: Calliope, Clio, Erató, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polymnia, Thalia, Terpsichore and Urania, Although some were more important than others.
Classical authors do not agree on its origin. Some make them daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. Others contradict this approach, defending that they are older and come from Uranus and Gaia.
A third current, which studies the names of the Greek muses and their symbology, perhaps the most popular, states that there are actually two different generations of muses, daughters of both couples. Their number and name vary according to the time and region of greece to be studied, although their number was later set at nine.
The names of the Greek muses and their symbology
1. Calliope
We begin this journey through the muses of Greek mythology with the sensual Calliope. Her attributes are the wax writing tablet and stiletto, a golden crown, and the lyre. She was the muse of beauty, eloquence, and especially epic poetry. and also the mother of Orpheus. Her name means “the one with a beautiful voice”.
2. Clio
The next among the names of Greek muses that we want to mention to you is that of Clio. She was the muse of history and her attributes are the laurel wreath, a trumpet and an open book. Its function is to keep alive through history the deeds and acts of generosity. Her name means “the one who offers glory”.
3. Erato
Also in the field of poetry we find the next among the muses of Greek mythology, the delicate Erató. Her emblem is the zither and she was the muse of lyrical and love poetry, unlike Calliope who was from the epic. Her name means “the loving one” and she is represented with a crown of roses on her head.
4. Euterpe
If you are a fan of music and the thousand feelings with which we can connect through each melody, you should know that the beautiful Euterpe, the “very pleasant”, is the muse of music and song. Like his partner Erató, he wears a flower crown. Her attribute is a pan flute, an element that represents her and of which she believes she was the creator of it.
5. Thalia
Thalia, among the muses of Greek mythology, is the bestower of gifts. It was she who presided over the banquets and is also the muse of comedy and bucolic poetry. Its name, in line with its activities, means “the festive one”. Its emblems are the comedy mask, a crown of ivy and a “shepherd’s hook or crook” with which the actors were removed from the stage.
6. Melpomene
The next among the muses of Greek mythology is Melpomene. The muse of tragedy has the difficult mission of getting the author to awaken imagination and ingenuity. His attributes are the mask of tragedy, coturns (a type of footwear with cork soles used by actors in tragedies), the sword and the nails (a mace).
7. Polyhymnia
The next among the names of Greek muses is the angelic and innocent Polyhymnia. She is usually dressed in White and her name means “the one of many hymns”. She is the muse of chants and religious poetry. She is also considered the goddess of agriculture. and therefore her attributes are bunches of grapes, also a veil and sometimes a crown of pearls and an organ (in modern versions).
8. Terpsichore
The muse of dance and choral poetry also has a name in keeping with the inspiration she should seek, since it means: “the one who delights in dance”. Its attributes are the garlands of flowers and the pick (plectrum) that is used to play some stringed instruments.
9. Urania
Among the muses of Greek mythology, Urania stands out, the muse of the astronomy. Her name means “the celestial” and in addition to astronomy she reigns over the exact sciences. His emblems are a globe and a compass that he uses to make measurements on the sphere.
The muses were invoked by the artists before starting to create. They requested his help or offered themselves as a “voice” for the muse in question to speak through their art.. In the fourth century, with the implantation of Christianity, their cult disappeared, but artists of all times have spoken of the muses in their works requesting their inspiration.
And you, Did you know all the muses of Greek mythology? Have you ever thought about them when you want to be a little more creative? What other creatures from Greek mythology catch your eye? Feel free to leave us your opinions in a comment. We will be happy to read you! And if you are interested in the legends and myths that this addictive universe contains, we invite you to enjoy the article in which we tell you everything about the wonderful story of Cupid and Psyche. Until next time!
Other Creatures From Greek Mythology You Might Want To Know About
And although the muses, their names and symbols have been fascinating to us, they are only a small part of this great mythological world. There are also legends about other peculiar creatures, about which you may be interested in learning a little more. Let’s see.
See you in a next article!