Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (2024)

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The Muses have inspired art throughout the ages

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By

N.S. Gill

N.S. Gill

Ancient History and Latin Expert

  • M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota
  • B.A., Latin, University of Minnesota

N.S. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise.

Learn about ourEditorial Process

Updated on March 17, 2019

The Muses were the daughters of Zeus, king of gods, and Mnemosyne, goddess of memory. They were born after the pair lay together for nine nights in a row. Each of the Muses is lovely, graceful and alluring, and gifted with a particular artistic talent. The Muses delight the gods and human beings with their songs, dances, and poems and inspire human artists to greater artistic achievements.

In legend, the Muses were variously described as living on Mt. Olympus, Mt. Helicon (in Boeotia), or Mt. Parnassus. While they were beautiful to behold and wonderfully gifted, their talents were not to be challenged. Myths regarding challenges to the Muses inevitably end in the challenger losing the challenge and suffering a terrible punishment. For example, according to one myth, King Pierus of Macedon named his nine daughters after the Muses, believing they were more beautiful and talented. The result: his daughters were turned into magpies.

The Muses appeared in paintings and sculptures throughout Greece and beyond, and were often the subject of the red and black pottery which was popular during the 5th and 4th century BCE. They have appeared, each with her own particular symbol, in paintings, architecture, and sculpture throughout the centuries.

Calliope (or Kalliope)

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (2)

Province: Muse of Epic Poetry, Music, Song, Dance, and Eloquence

Attribute: Wax Tablet or Scroll

Calliope was the eldest of the nine Muses. She had the gift of eloquence, which she was able to bestow upon statesmen and royalty. She was also the mother of Orpheus the bard.

02

of 09

Clio (or Kleio)

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (3)

Province: Muse of History

Attribute: Scroll or Chest of Books

Clio's name comes from the Greek verb kleô, which means "to make famous."

03

of 09

Euterpe

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (4)

Province: Muse of lyric song

Attribute: Double flute

Euterpe's name means "giver of many delights" or "rejoicing well."

Read MoreMystique and Power of Greek GoddessesBy N.S. Gill

04

of 09

Melpomene

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (6)

Province: Muse of Tragedy

Attribute: Tragic mask, ivy wreath

Originally the Muse of Chorus, Melpomene later became the Muse of Tragedy. She often carries both the tragic mask and a sword and wears cothurnus boots which were worn by tragic actors. Her name means "celebrate with song and dance."

05

of 09

Terpsichore

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (7)

Province: Muse of Dance

Attribute: Lyre

Terpsichore's name means "delight in dancing." Despite her name, however, she is usually shown sitting down and playing the stringed instrument called the lyre, a symbol also associated with Apollo.

06

of 09

Erato

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (8)

Province: Muse of Erotic Poetry

Attribute: Smaller lyre

In addition to being the Muse of erotic and love poetry, Erato was also the patron of mime. Her name means "lovely," or "desirable."

07

of 09

Polyhymnia (Polymnia)

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (9)

Province: Muse of Sacred Song

Attribute: Depicted veiled and pensive

Polyhymnia wears a long cloak and veil and often rests her arm on a pillar. Some legends describe her as the mother of Triptolemus by Cheimarrhus, who was the son of Ares. Triptolemus was a priest of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and is sometimes described as the inventor of farming.

08

of 09

Urania (Ourania)

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (10)

Province: Muse of Astronomy

Attribute: Celestial Globe and Compass

Urania wears a cloak covered in stars and looks upward toward the sky. Many observatories around the world bear her name. She is sometimes mentioned as the mother of the musician, Linus.

09

of 09

Thalia

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (11)

Province: Muse of comedy and bucolic poetry

Attribute: Comic mask, ivy wreath, shepherd's staff

Thalia often carries a mask of comedy along with a bugle and trumpet which would have been used in Greek comedies. She is usually portrayed seated, sometimes in humorous or erotic poses. Her name means "joyous," or "flourishing."

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Your Citation

Gill, N.S. "Who Were the 9 Greek Muses?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/the-greek-muses-119788.Gill, N.S. (2020, August 28). Who Were the 9 Greek Muses? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-greek-muses-119788Gill, N.S. "Who Were the 9 Greek Muses?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-greek-muses-119788 (accessed June 13, 2024).

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? (2024)

FAQs

Can You Name All 9 Greek Muses? ›

The nine muses and their roles are: Urania (astronomy), Polyhymnia (hymns), Melpomene (tragic theatre), Thalia (comedic theatre), Clio (history), Calliope (epic poetry), Euterpe (song and elegiac poetry), Terpsichore (dance), and Erato (lyrical poetry).

What are the names of the 9 Greek Muses? ›

Who are the 9 muses ? From the relationship of Mnemósine with Zeus the Muses were born: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polymnia, Terpsichore, Talia and Urania. They often accompanied Apollo, god of the arts. They inhabited Mount Helicon, but were often on Olympus to entertain the gods.

Are there 7 or 9 Muses? ›

The number and names of the Muses differed by region, but from the Classical period the number of Muses was standardized to nine, and their names were generally given as Calliope, Clio, Polyhymnia, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Erato, Melpomene, Thalia, and Urania.

How many Muses are there in total? ›

The nine muses in Greek mythology were goddesses of the arts and sciences, and were daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory.

Who was the leader of the 9 Muses? ›

On Mount Olympus, they entertained their father and other gods with their great artistry. Apollo, the god of music and harmony, became their choir leader, thus earning the name Musagetes, which means leader of the Muses.

Who left 9 Muses? ›

On October 4, 2016, it was revealed that Hyuna wouldn't renew her contract at the end of month and she'd be withdrawing the group after six years. Nine Muses remained as a four-member group due to Sungah taking hiatus to pursue her work as a disk jockey. The group released their sixth extended play Muses Diary Part.

Are the 9 Muses female? ›

The Muses in Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, the muses are goddesses of artistic endeavors that were considered the inspiration of the Greek people. In art, the muses are depicted as beautiful women with wings.

Was there a 10th muse? ›

Called the Tenth Muse by Plato, Sappho was a prolific poet of ancient Greece. She innovated the form of poetry through her first-person narration (instead of writing from the vantage point of the gods) and by refining the lyric meter.

Who is the mother of the 9 muses? ›

Mnemosyne, in Greek mythology, the goddess of memory. A Titaness, she was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth), and, according to Hesiod, the mother (by Zeus) of the nine Muses. She gave birth to the Muses after Zeus went to Pieria and stayed with her nine consecutive nights.

Who is the oldest of the Nine Muses? ›

Calliope is considered the oldest of the Nine Muses and is often credited for being their leader. She is also one of the most frequently mentioned specifically by name.

Are the nine Muses immortal? ›

Nine Muses, like Deities and many other beings are known to be immortal.

Who is the god of dreams? ›

Morpheus, The Primordial Greek god of dreams. He shaped and formed the dreams, through which he could appear to mortals in any form. This talent made Morpheus a messenger of the gods able to communicate divine messages to sleeping mortals.

How many children did Zeus have? ›

(Pun included) According to most accounts, however, Zeus had 41 godly children. Some of them are Artemis, Athena, Persephone, Apollo, Ares, Heracles (No, it's not Hercules. Hercules is Roman. Zeus is Greek) Dionysus, Hermes, Hebe, and many, many more.

Who are Poseidon's daughters? ›

Some of Poseidon's known daughters are Eirene, Lamia, Herophile, Rhode, Charybdis, Kymopoleia, Benthesikyme, Aithousa, Euadne, and Despoena. The nymphs, who are the most famous daughters of Poseidon Roman, include Benthesikyme, Aithousa, Rhode, Kymopoleia, and Herophile.

Were there male Muses? ›

Here are 10 of the world's most significant male muses who inspired masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa. Michelangelo was in his 50s when he met and fell for a young nobleman called Tommaso dei Cavalieri.

Who is the CEO of 9 Muses? ›

Nancy Rance Maben - CEO - 9Muses Management | LinkedIn.

What is the order of the Muses? ›

And when time passed, Mnemosyne gave birth to nine daughters, the MUSES, who some say were born in this order: first Calliope, then Clio 1, Melpomene, Euterpe, Erato 3, Terpsichore 1, Urania 2, Thalia 2, and Polymnia.

What are the daughters of Poseidon called? ›

Some of Poseidon's known daughters are Eirene, Lamia, Herophile, Rhode, Charybdis, Kymopoleia, Benthesikyme, Aithousa, Euadne, and Despoena. The nymphs, who are the most famous daughters of Poseidon Roman, include Benthesikyme, Aithousa, Rhode, Kymopoleia, and Herophile.

What are the Greek muses known for? ›

In Greek mythology, the Muses were the goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were also all sisters and daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, in addition to being romantic companions of Apollo, god of the arts.

Who is the mother of the 9 Muses? ›

Mnemosyne, in Greek mythology, the goddess of memory. A Titaness, she was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth), and, according to Hesiod, the mother (by Zeus) of the nine Muses. She gave birth to the Muses after Zeus went to Pieria and stayed with her nine consecutive nights.

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