If you have seen the Disney animated film Hercules, you would know that the film featured a group of bronze-skinned, Gospel-singing divas that sang and commented on whatever was happening in the film. What you may not know, however, is that these singers were no mere cartoon characters inserted by Disney to make the film more entertaining, but were gods themselves. The nine characters you saw were part of a collective of gods known as The Muses. So who are the Nine Muses in Greek Mythology? What role did they play in the overall universe? Let us find out.
Who Are the Nine Muses in Greek Mythology?
The Muses are a collection of 9 goddesses (or nymphs, depending on the story) that had a rather obscure but ancient origin. Much of their stories originate from Boeotia in Greece from which a cult was formed to worship them in Mount Helicon.
In the writings of Homer and Hesiod, the muses are said to be sisters who were born from the union of the god-king Zeus and Mnemosyne, the titan of Memory. It is said that they were born in Pieria, which is at the foot of Mount Olympus. This would indicate that their origins are closely tied to the Olympians and their parent deities, the Titans.
Whatever the case, the Muses were worshipped by their cult through a festival held every four years in Helicon. Aside from that, a contest known as the Museia was held in their honor.
What Were the Muses Known for?
The nine muses in Greek mythology were collectively referred to as the Gods of Inspiration. That simply means that they are the patrons of every creative, scientific, and artistic effort ever exerted in the world. The nine sister gods even took up patronage of a particular artistic field. They can be distinguished from one another by what tool they held.
Calliope was the muse of epics and heroic poems and thus held a tablet.
Clio was the Muse for recorded history and is often seen holding a scroll.
Erato was the Muse of romantic poems and lyrics and is seen holding a lyre.
Euterpe was the Muse of music and is seen playing the flute.
Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy. This is a dramatic genre the Greeks became famous for, and is seen holding a frowning mask.
Polyhymnia was the Muse of sacred poems or alternatively the mimic arts. She does not hold anything but is often depicted with a pensive look.
Terpsichore was the Muse of dances and choirs and is always depicted playing the lyre or dancing. Thalia was the counterpart of Melpomene and is a patron of comedy. Thus, she is depicted holding a smiling mask.
Urania, the last of the nine muses in Greek Mythology, is the Muse of astronomy. As such, she is always portrayed as holding a globe.
What Did the Nine Muses Represent?
Although their dominion is not as crucial to the maintenance of order in the universe, the aspects that the nine muses in Greek mythology hold sway over the clear progression and development of culture. And we must remember that the Greeks place a high value on culture, arts, and science, which means that the muses had a rather profound presence in Greek society.
When the stories of the muses were starting to develop, there were only 3 artistic endeavors deemed to be favored by the muses namely song, tradition, and memory. However, as the arts and sciences further developed, so too did the number of muses and fields that they hold dominion over.
As proof of the prevalence of the muses in ancient Greece, every piece of literary work made by a Greek was offered to the muses. The Greeks do this by invoking the muses as they begin to create their work. Such a prayer is offered to ask for the divine inspiration of the muses. This is so the finished work would be worthy of the attention of the gods.
The shrine of the muses was also symbolic of their dominion over the arts and literature. Unlike the other gods whose shrines were filled with food, fire, and prayers, the shrine of the muses was a veritable collection of scriptures, artworks, and records. These shrines were known collectively as the “Musaion,” which would serve as the inspiration of modern-day museums.
In essence, the nine muses in Greek mythology represented the by-product of order, culture, and progression. It might not be as fantastical as dominion over the earth, sky, and sea. But the preservation of artistic, scientific, and literary expression is quite valuable to the Greeks themselves.
What Powers Do the Nine Muses Have?
Like their Olympian and Titan relatives, the muses are gods themselves. This means that they possess the same physiology and ability of a god. They are immortal and ageless, preferring to be seen in the form of young adult women. Also, they possess a greater degree of Intelligence and foresight compared to mortals. They have knowledge of things that are beyond the sight and comprehension of a mortal man.
However, the power that is unique to the muses is their ability to “inspire” mortals to create, discover, or apply their knowledge. When the muses want something to be expressed in the arts, sciences, or literature, they would plant that seed of thought into the creator.
Thus, if a mortal were to suddenly figure a solution towards a complex question or have a thought that needs to be translated into words, images, sculptures, and other works, then the muses must have had a hand in the inspiration. This power is known as Divine Inspiration. It is a sensation where a mortal suddenly has an original thought as if someone else was whispering it to their ear.
By being the source of inspiration, it can be argued that the nine muses in Greek mythology are responsible for the development of Greek culture as a whole. In turn, this would inspire later civilizations and their cultures including the modern world.
Thus, one could argue that reverence for the Muses still exists to this day. The worship might not be outright as in ancient Greece, but the continued expression of the Arts and Sciences are proof that the influence of the muses remains strong in modern times.
