The Muses in Greek Mythology and Art

Introduction

The muses are goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences, and inspired philosophers and poets. Although the number varies according to the authors, it is generally accepted that there are nine. The muses are therefore granddaughters of Uranus, the sky, and Gaia, the Earth. The Muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, born near the top of Mount Olympus. They are considered as goddesses of music and poetry, who lived on the mountain of the gods and offered fun singing and playing the lyre. The nine muses of antiquity are known as the symbols of art (Aulaire, pp. 10).

In Greek mythology, the Muses are the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne . Goddesses were nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who protected the arts, sciences, and humanities. The muses are easily identifiable in the art, especially when they are nine in number and accompanied by Apollo. The muses are goddesses in Greek mythology presiding over the arts and sciences and inspired philosophers and poets (Gods and goddesses of Greece and Rome, pp. 15).

Discussion and Analysis

According to Greek mythology, the muses were the daughters of the gods, dwelt on Parnassus, which covered and directed by Apollo, protected the arts and sciences. Whatever the origin or the number of the Muses, these are deities, the bright side of life support because everything is beautiful. The Muses were the embodiment and the sponsors of the representations of mousike speeches in verse from which music is the art of the Muses. For the poet and legislator Solon: The Muses was the representation of the good life, it brought both prosperity and friendship. Based on this attempt, Solon perpetuating its political reforms, through the establishment of the recitation of his poetry. In the Homeric poems the Muses are considered as the goddesses of music and poetry who live on Olympus. They sing happy songs for the gods, and funerals of heroes. It is also said that one of their jobs was dancing (The Nine Muses of the Greek Mythology, 2012).

Even as early as the seventh century BCE, the Muses gift the power of truth to their earthly representatives, the poets: 'The Muses and Apollo, he who shoots from far away, bring minstrels to the earth, and players on the lyre; lords are from Zeus. And he is lucky whom the Muses love'. The Mother of the Muses, Mnemosyne, became the protector of poets and those graced with lyrical skills. The house of the Muses is what we now, somewhat forgetfully, call museums. The representation of the Muses present in the arts are:

Calliope: Muse of eloquence and epic poetry. Its different artistic representations are a laurel wreath, a book, a tablet, a stylus and a trumpet. She was the daughter of epic poetry and the most respected of all muses. Homer's epics began with invocation of Calliope. Usually depicted with a gold crown on his head, holding plate and stylus, and often with the Homeric epics on her ...