History
of Music
The word “music” derives from greek mousike, (μουσική), which originally referred to any of the arts governed by nine Muses (or mousa), daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
The Nine Muses of the Greek Mythology
“Sing to me oh muse…” (Homer says…)
The Nine Muses of the Greek Mythology were deities that gave artists, philosophers and individuals the necessary inspiration for creation.
Hesiod reveals that they called Muses or Mouses in Greek (μούσες), as the Greek word “mosis” refers to the desire and wish. The word museum also comes from the Greek Muses.
The Muses in The Greek Mythology
As above mentioned, the 9 muses were daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
Mnemosyne gave the babies to Nymph Eufime and God Apollo. When they grew up they showed their tendency to the arts, taught by God Apollo himself.
They were not interested in anything of the regular human everyday life and they wantd to dedicate their lives to the Arts. Apollo brought them to the big and beautiful Mount Elikonas, where the older Temple of Zeus used to be. Ever since, the Muses supported and encouraged creation, enhancing imagination and inspiration of the artists.
Muses and Arts
According to the Greek Mythology, two Muses invented theory and practice in learning, three Muses invented the musical vibrations in Lyre, four Muses invented the four known dialects in the language – Attica, Ioanian, Aeolian and Dorian – and five Muses the five human senses.
Seven muses invented the seven chords of the lyre, the seven celestial zone, the seven planets and the seven vocals of the Greek Alphabet.
Let’s talk about each muse separately
Kleio (Clio)
Muse of history. Her name is derived by kleō which means “narrate” or “make someone famous” in ancient Greek and kleōs means “glory”. In most illustrations we see her with a book or plates or a roll of parchment with her stories written on it and a trumpet or lyre to recite them. In some of them she has an hourglass next to her, which symbolizes the time flow. It is said that she used it to narrate her stories in the correct time order. Most of the times we see her wearing a red mantle and a bay leaf wreath on the head. She fell in love with Adonis, with whom Aphrodite was in love too. That’s why Aphrodite punished her and made her love Pierrot. It is said that Kleio invented the guitar.
Efterpi (Euterpe)
Muse of music. Her name means “please someone”. She is depicted with a bay leaf wreath on her head, holding or playing a musical flute or double flute. She belonged to the escort of Dionysus.
Thalia
Muse of comedy. Thallo means “bloom” in ancient Greek. It is considered that she discovered geometry, architecture and agriculture. She is depicted holding the comedy mask of theater on the one hand and an ivy wreath on the other.
Melpomene
Muse of drama. Melpo, the first compound of her name, mean “melody” and the second compound comes from menos which means “anger”. She was mother of Sirens, who allured sailors with their songs and drowned them. It is considered that she invented barbiton, an ancient instrument (variation of lyre). She also belonged to the escort of Dionysus. She is depicted either wearing of holding the tragic mask of theater, holding a knife or a rod and looking angry. Mortals invoked her to help them weather the storm.
Terpsichore
Although she is the muse of dance she is depicted mostly sitting and holding a lyre. That is the reason that later she was considered the muse of lyric music. Her name means “the one who pleases with her dance” in Greek. It is a compound word by terpo which means “please” and choro which means “dance”.
Erato
Muse of love, hymenaeum and marriage. Her name comes from the Greek word eros which means “love”. It is considered she invented love poems. She is depicted with a rose wreath on her head, almost naked, holding a lyre. There are some paintings god Eros is sitting next to her. Her beauty is resembled with the one of goddess Aphrodite.
Polymnia
Muse of divine hymns and grammar. Apart from being the muse of divine hymns, in the last years of the Roman Empire, she was also considered the muse of theatrical art. She is always depicted serious and contemplative, looking at the sky, with the finger of the right hand extended. She is mostly wearing a long mantel, veil and bay leaf wreath with pearls on her head. Later on, due to her name, it was considered that she helped with learning and memorize. That is why some people confuse her with her mother Mnemosyne.
Ourania (Urania)
Muse of astronomy and astrology and protector of the celestial bodies. She appears in modern depictions with a crown of stars on her head, a diabetes in one hand and a celestial sphere in the other. There she recorded the galaxies, the suns, the planets and the stars. She was also thought to have psychic abilities. It is said that although living in the celestial dome, in the summers she would descend to the Bardousia Mountains.
Kalliopi (Calliope)
Muse of epic and heroic poetry and rhetoric. Her name means “beautiful in sight” in Greek. It is a compound word by kalli which means “good” and opi (opsi) which means “sight”. She was the eldest of the muses and the kindest of all according to Hesiod. She was invoked by vocalists and minstrels for inspiration. She is depicted young, beautiful, with bay leaf branches in one hand and two books in the other. There are theories that even though she was a virgin she had three sons. Many consider that Homer was her son too.
