The Muses

Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia and Urania are the **Muses**, nine goddesses who preside over inspiration, the sciences, the arts, poetry and literature. Their leader is the god Apollo, who lead them in song.

## The Muses

* Calliope
* Clio
* Erato
* Euterpe
* Melopomene
* Polyhymnia
* Terpsichore
* Thalia
* Urania

## Basic Info

### Alias

Goddesses of Inspiration, Goddesses of Science and the Arts, Goddesses of Poetry and Literature

### Symbols

* Writing tablet, Stylus, Lyre (Calliope)
* Scrolls, Books, Cornett, Laurel wreath (Cilo)
* Cithara (Erato)
* Aulos, panpipes, laurel wreath (Euterpe)
* Tragic mask, Sword, Club, Kothornos (Melpomene)
* Veil, Grapes (Polyhymnia)
* Lyre, Plectrum (Terpsichore)
* Comic mask, Ivy wreath, Shepherd's crook (Thalia)
* Globe and compass (Urania)

### Domain

Inspiration, literature, science, and the arts.

## Family Info

### Siblings

Athena, The Horai, the the Charites, Persephone, Hebe, Enyo, Eris, Eileithyia, Artemis, Britomartis, Angelos, Aletheia, Pandeia, Herse, Agdistis, Herophile, (Half-sisters)Ares, Hermes, Apollo, Dionysus Perseus, Minos, Hercules, Tantalus, Aeacus, Megaros, Lacadaemon, Tityus, Rhadamanthys, Sarpedon, Amphion, Zethus, Dardanos, Iason, Eetion, Epaphus, Demetrius, Akheilos, Caerus (paternal half-brothers)

### Offspring

* Orpheus, Kyra and Cora Williams (Calliope)
* Hymenaeus, Hyacinthus, Historia and Crystal Bay (Clio)
* Cleophema, Elena Agape (Erato)
* Rhesus, Emerald Amanda (Euterpe)
* the Sirens, Makayla Cervantes (Melpomene)
* Paige Abbot (Polyhymnia)
* Biston, the Sirens, Tina Ernest (Terpsichore)
* the Corybantes, Theodora Asimov (Thalia)
* Linus, Hymen, Uma Johnson (Urania)

### Extended Family

* Kronos (paternal grandfather/paternal uncle)
* Rhea (paternal grandmother/maternal aunt)
* Ouranos (maternal grandfather/maternal great-grandfather)
* Gaea (maternal grandmother/paternal great-grandmother)

## History

### Early life

According to Hesiod's *Theogony*, the Muses were born in the region of Pieria, wherein lies Mount Olympus. They were conceived when Zeus appeared before Mnemosyne and lay with her for nine consecutive nights, causing her to get pregnant with nine daughters and give birth to nonuplets.

Some time later, Thamyris challenged the Muses to a singing contest. They won and punished Thamyris by blinding him and robbing him of his singing ability. The center of their cult was Mount Helicon, located in Boeotia.

### Attendants of Apollo

In one myth, the Muses judged a contest between Apollo and the satyr Marsyas. After they declared Apollo the winner, the god flayed Marsyas alive as punishment.

### The Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice

The Muses gathered the pieces of the dead body of Orpheus, son of Calliope and Apollo, and buried them after he was mutilated by the Maenads on Dionysus' orders.

### Punishing the Nine Sisters

Pierus, king of Macedonia, named nine of his daughters after the Muses. They claimed that their skill was a match for the goddesses, and challenged them to a contest. Nymphs were elected to judge the contest, and the Muses defeated the princesses, who were turned into birds for their insolence.

## Members

There are nine Muses:

* **Calliope** - Calliope is the Muse of epic poetry. Her name means "she of a beautiful voice". Some accounts say that Calliope was the lover of Ares and bore him several sons, from whom many Thracian tribes claimed descent. Calliope had two famous sons, Orpheus and Linus by King Oeagrus of Thrace. She is also the mother of Kyra and Cora Williams.
* **Clio** - Clio is the Muse of history. Her name is derived from the Greek word *kleo* ("to make famous, to celebrate"). She has been credited with introducing the Phoenician alphabet into Greece. Her son Hyacinthus was a lover of Apollo. She is the mother of Historia and Crystal Bay
* **Erato** - The Muse of love poetry. Her name is derived from the Greek word *eros* and means "desired, lovely". She is the mother of Elena Agape
* **Euterpe** - Euturpe is the Muse of music and lyric poetry. Her name means "well pleasing". She invented the *aulos* or double-flute, which is her attribute. She lay with the river god Strymon and gave birth to her son Rhesus, who led a band of Thracians and was killed by Diomedes in the Trojan War. Her daughter Marilyn repaired Apollo's combat ukulele after it was damaged in the fight in Tarquin's Tomb. She is the mother of Emerald Amanda
* **Melpomene** - She is the Muse of tragedy. Her name is derived from the Greek verb *melpô* or *melpomai*, meaning “to celebrate with dance and song”. In Roman and Greek poetry, it was traditional to invoke the goddess Melpomene so that one might create beautiful lyrical phrases. She is the mother of Makayla Cervantes
* **Polyhymnia** - The Muse of hymns and oratory. She is the mother of Paige Abbot
* **Terpsichore** - Terpsichore is the Muse of dancing and choral songs. Her name means “delighting in dance.” She is sometimes said to be the mother of the Sirens by Achelous and is the mother of Tina Ernest.
* **Thalia** - Thalia is the Muse of comedy. Her name means “blooming, flourishing”. She was the eighth-born of the nine Muses. She is the mother of Theodora Asimov
* **Urania** - Urania is the Muse of astrology. She was the last of the Muses to be born. Her name means “heavenly, of heaven". She is the mother of Uma Johnson

## Appearance

* **Calliope** is always seen with a writing tablet in her hand. She was depicted carrying a roll of paper/book and wearing a golden crown. In the series, Calliope is described as having short golden blonde hair, light skin, and bright eyes and, wearing a golden and white Greek robe with a Greek meander on it, and golden sandals.
* **Clio** is often represented with a parchment scroll or a set of tablets. In the series, Clio is described as long black hair fading to green, tanned skin, dark eyes, wearing a Greek dress colored lime green, wearing light green sandals, and a laurel wreath on her head
* **Erato** is often depicted with a wreath of myrtle and roses She holds a golden arrow, reminding one of the "eros," the feeling that she inspires in everybody, holding a lyre or a cithara. At times, she is accompanied by Eros, holding a torch. In some representations, she has two turtle-doves eating seeds at her feet. In the series, Erato is described as a woman with light skin but lighter vitiligo patches on her skin, bright and loving eyes, shoulder length curly brown hair that fades to pink and wearing a Greek dress colored pink which has a few roses on it, and lilac sandals
* **Euterpe** is often seen carrying an aulos or double-flute, her main attribute. In the series, Euterpe is often seen with long curly hair colored blue with roses in it, light skin, bright eyes, and wearing a low hanging Greek dress colored light blue, with light red/pink stripes on it and dark blue sandals
* **Melpomene** is often represented with a tragic mask and a crown of cypress, and cothurnus, boots traditionally worn by tragic actors. She often holds a knife or club in one hand and the tragic mask in the other. In the Series, Melpomene is seen with black hair fading to Green tied in dreads and has holly vine leaves in her hair, dark brown skin, dark eyes, wearing a Greek dress colored pastel green and dark green sandals
* **Polyhymnia** is depicted as very serious, pensive and meditative. She often holds a finger to her mouth and rests her elbow on a pillar. She is dressed in a long cloak and veil. In the series, Polyhymnia has black hair with blonde streaks, light skin, bright eyes, wearing her dress which is colored white with golden strips and dark gray sandals. Her veil is clear but then goes from light gray to dark gray.
* **Terpsichore** is usually depicted sitting down, holding a lyre, accompanying the dancers' choirs with her music. In the series, Terpsichore is described with light tanned skin, bright eyes, short brown hair with yellow, pink, and light blue undertones, wearing a yellow colored dress and light blue sandals
* **Thalia** was portrayed as a young woman with a joyous air, crowned with ivy, wearing boots, and holding a comic mask in her hand. Many of her statues hold a bugle and a trumpet (both used to support the actors' voices in ancient comedy) or occasionally a shepherd's staff and a comic mask or a wreath of ivy. In the series, Thalia is described as having dark skin, curly peach colored hair tied up in a bun, bright eyes, and wearing a peach colored dress with a dark green stripe, and dark red sandals
* **Urania** is often seen with a globe and compass. In the series, Urania is described with light skin, long and straight dark purple hair that fades to violet, freckles on her skin that are different shades of purple, wearing a light purple Greek dress, a belt with stars on it and violet sandals.

## Abilities

### Goddess Powers

As daughters of an Olympian (one of the Big Three) and of an Elder Titaness, the Muses are very powerful. They are minor goddesses.

* **Inspiration Manipulation**: As the Goddesses of Inspiration, the Muses have divine authority and absolute control over inspiration.
* **Control of the Arts**: As the Goddesses of Science, Arts, Poetry and Literature, the Muses have divine authority and absolute control over the specific art that each of them represent.
	+ **Musical Aptitude**: All the Muses are exceptional and fond of music, though not to the extent of Apollo. Whenever they touch musical instruments and/or sing, the people who hear their performance hear whatever music they like.

## Children

### Immortal Children

 Apollo and Clio
 Clio and Pierus
 Strymon and Euterpe
 Achelous and Melpomene
 Ares and Terpsichore
 Apollo and Thalia
 Ampimarus and Urania

### Demigod Children

 Miles Bay and Clio
 Pearl Agape and Erato
 Daniel Amanda and Euterpe
 Aaron Cervantes and Melpomene
 Noah Abbot and Polyhymnia
 Denis Ernest and Terpsichore
 Isaac Asimov and Thalia
 Orion Johnson and Urania

## Etymology

The word 'Museum', comes from the Muses.

Muse usually means inspiration, either for an artist or poets.

There respective name meanings:

* Calliope: **"beautiful-voiced"** (from kallos, meaning **"beauty,"** and ops, meaning **"voice"**)
* Clio: **“glory.”**
* Erato: **"desired"** or **"lovely"**
* Euterpe: **"delight"** in Greek, ultimately from *εὖ (eu)* meaning **"good"** and *τέρπω (terpo)* meaning **"to satisfy, to cheer"**
* Melpomene: **"to celebrate with dance and song"**.
* Polyhymnia: Greek words "poly", meaning **"many**", and "hymnos", which means **"praise"**.
* Terpsichore: **"delight in dancing"**
* Thalia: **"flourishing."**
* Urania: **"heavenly".**

## Trivia

1. People would pray to the Muses for inspiration.
2. There is a magazine called *Muse* for ages 9 to 12, and it uses Urania.
3. In some myths, Thalia and Apollo are the parents of the Corybantes.
4. Their Norse equivalent would be Bragi and the Nine Billow Maidens.
5. Calliope is known as the mother of Orpheus
	1. And by Proxy the Grandmother of Ophelia Lyre
6. In some myths, Clio is credited as being the mother of Hyacinthus
7. According to Calliope herself, she and her sisters are nonuplets (nine babies in one birth), with Calliope being the oldest and Urania the youngest

All art by Cetrece on YouTube and Tumblr