A message about the Muse Clio of ancient Greece. Euterpe – muse of poetry and lyricism

Blessed is the man if the muses love him:

How pleasant is his voice pouring from his lips!
If unexpected grief suddenly takes over your soul,
If someone is drying up, tormented by sadness, then all he has to do is
A song to hear the servant of the muses, the singer of the glorious
The exploits of ancient people, the blessed Olympic gods,
And he immediately forgets about his grief and worries
He doesn’t remember anymore: he was completely changed by the gift of the goddesses.
Hesiod. "Theogony"

Did you know, Dear friends Where does the word “music” come from? From the Greek word "Muses" (Μοΰσαι), which meant "thinking". So in ancient greek mythology the nine daughters of the main god Zeus and the goddess of memory Mnemosyne were called.

It happened like this. After defeating the Titans olympian gods They asked Zeus to create creatures that could, through singing and dancing, perpetuate the memory of their great deeds. With your wondrous voices and dances muses glorified Zeus, Gaia, Kronos, Ocean, Night, Helios.

Muses were companions and inspirers of the god of harmony and art Apollo (or Musaget, that is, the Music Leader). They dance to the accompaniment of his zither (an ancient musical instrument), sing hymns and are the personification of all that is most beautiful, bright, and wise, including all types of art, science and morality.

They were always depicted as beautiful young women with spiritual faces and were called differently - Pierides, Parnassids, Heliconides, Parnassian sisters, Castalids, Queens of Helicon - depending on the place where they were especially revered. In honor of the muses, temples of Museion (hence “museum” and “music”) were erected throughout Greece.

First muses mentioned in the works of Homer. According to legend, the first to offer sacrifices to them were the terrible loada giants - Ephialtes and Ot. It was they who named the muses, believing that there were only three of them: Mneme (Μνήμη, Memory), Meleta (Mελέτη, Experience), Aioda (Λοιδή, Song).

Some time later, King Pier increased their number to nine and gave them names:

Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, encouraged a person to overcome the feeling of fear of fate, inspired him to exploits and sacrifice.

Clio, the muse of history, reminded us of the heights that a person is capable of achieving and helped him choose his path in life.

Muse of tragedy Melpomene and the muse of comedy Waist embody the theater of life and life experience.

Polyhymnia, the muse of sacred hymns and faith embodied in music is a prayer, an appeal to all that is most sacred and dear.
Muse of dancing Terpsichore gives people harmony between soul and body, between external and internal.

Muse of the starry sky and astronomy Urania represents a thirst for knowledge, a sacred desire for the high and beautiful, for the sky and stars.

Euterpe is the muse of divine music, born of Nature itself and filling a person with the highest feelings.

AND the last muse love and love lyrics Erato personifies Great Love, giving wings and carrying human feelings upward.

Why did people honor these daughters of Zeus so much? According to the legend muses were with a person in all the fateful moments of life - birth and death, love and marriage, choice of path and destiny, in moments of creative insight. They were also believed to have the gift of foreseeing the future.

Personifying all the sciences and arts, the muses symbolized the forces hidden in man that must manifest themselves during his life. Muses discovered in souls the ability to touch Eternity, the Divine, and embody memories of this in poetry, music, hymns and dance.

They patronized all servants of art, giving inspiration to poets, musicians, artists and philosophers. But vanity and deception were severely punished. Therefore, one of the important qualities of a person had to be purity of aspirations and thoughts in order to embody the sacred divine principle in his works.

Hesiod in his ode Theogony says that muses“songs are sung about the laws that govern everything, the good morals of the gods are glorified with lovely voices.”

Thus, muses were considered a link between the divine and man. Since ancient times, the ancient Greeks, and then the ancient Romans, the inhabitants of the Middle Ages and especially the Renaissance, turned to the great principles of the nine muses. Our brilliant poet exclaimed: “O muse of fiery satire! Come to my calling cry!” (Pushkin A.S. “To the Muse”).

But do not think that meeting the muses is the privilege of the elite. The blessed moment, when a still unclear, vague image of desire appears in the mind, the ancient Greeks called a visit to the muse. From that moment on, the desire turns into a dream and remains in the heart, and we understand that we cannot live without it. And then the muses give us the strength to fulfill our desires. But it must be remembered that aspirations must be pure and bright. And then muses they won't leave us.

Clio - historical

Melpomene - tragic muse

Thalia - comic muse

Euterpe - lyrical and poetic muse

Erato - muse of love and poetry

Terpsichore - the muse of dance

Polyhymnia - the muse of hymns

Urania - the muse of astronomy

We have reached this day. The Greek pantheon of gods itself is quite interesting and entertaining, and the stories from the “life” of the celestials are captivating and amazing. The ancient Greeks believed that every phenomenon, object and sphere of human activity is protected by a separate deity or mythical creature. There are an incredible variety of gods and demigods in the culture of this people, and sometimes it is difficult to remember the “specialization” of each of them. Melpomene is a muse or goddess, what is she the patroness of?

Myths of Ancient Greece

According to the beliefs of the ancient Greeks, as a result of the union of the supreme god Zeus and Mnemosyne, nine daughters were born. These are goddess-muses who patronize sciences and art. Each of the sisters was the patroness of a specific area or genre: Clio - history, Euterpe - music and poetry, Thalia - comedy, Melpomene - tragedy (and later in general), Terpsichore - dance, Erat - love-lyrical literary work, Polyhymnia - pantomimes and hymns, Urania - studies of the stars and celestial bodies, Calliope - folk tales and epics. According to some sources, initially Melpomene was the patroness of songs, and later sad melodies. Over time, the muse began to be considered the personification of tragedies in theatrical productions, and later the entire theater as a phenomenon was “given” to her.

Melpomene's appearance and talents

The patroness of tragedy and theater is usually depicted wearing a wreath of grape leaves and a headband. Melpomene is a muse, always dressed in a robe and holding a tragic mask in one hand. In the other hand, the woman holds a sword or club as a symbol of retribution, which always overtakes people who go against the divine will. However, it is important to understand that Melpomene is not a punishing goddess, but rather one who empathizes with people and is ready to remind them that acting is only appropriate in the theater. Interesting fact: precisely the mother of the sirens, whom she gave birth to from Achelous. IN modern culture Melpomene is most often the patroness of the theater, but it is appropriate to mention her as the deity of tragedies.

Every nation has its own legends telling about the origin of the world, the appearance of the first man, the gods and glorious heroes who perform remarkable feats in the name of goodness and justice.

By creating these legends, ancient people tried to understand the world around them. The legends of the ancient Greeks about their gods, spirits and heroes are called myths. The Greeks imagined gods in the form of people, only more perfect, possessing enormous power, beauty and immortality.

In all other respects, the gods of the ancient Greeks were very similar to ordinary people: they fought, quarreled, suffered, loved, had fun, and drank. But the gods themselves, as the Greeks believed, did not appear immediately.

At the beginning of all beginnings, as the myths tell, there was only one infinite Chaos. Born from Chaos Love. and thanks to her great power, the world began to be created.

Nine Muses

Apollo. the adored leader of the nine muses - the daughters of Jupiter and the Titanide Mnemosyne. goddess of memory - had the nickname Musaget.

From time to time all the muses united to sing one grand song. The glorious community of muses gathered on Mount Parnassus or Mount Helicon, where they held learned discussions about poetry, science and music.

Each of the muses had their own responsibilities.

Clio. muse of history, recorded all the great and heroic deeds, as well as the names of those who committed them, and therefore was depicted with a laurel wreath on her head and with a book and pen in her hand, which spoke of her readiness to record everything important that happened in the lives of mortal people or immortal gods.

Euterpe. the graceful goddess of singing, was depicted with a flute and garlands of fragrant flowers in her hands.

Waist. the muse of pastoral poetry, held a shepherd's staff and a mask and wore a wreath of wild flowers.

Her middle sister Melpomene. goddess of tragedy, worn on her head golden crown, and in her hands she held a scepter, and Terpsichore. the light-footed muse of dance was depicted flitting lightly through the air.

Erato. who preferred lyric poetry to all other types of poetry, was depicted with a lyre, and Polyhymnia. the muse of rhetoric, held a scepter in her hand as a sign that no one could resist the power of eloquence.

Calliope. muse of heroic poetry, also worn on her head Laurel wreath, A Urania. the muse of astronomy, held mathematical instruments in her hands - evidence of her love for the exact sciences.

Muses - ancient Greek goddesses of arts and sciences

All muses are daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Their habitat together with their leader, the god Apollo, is Mount Parnassus.

Different sources name different numbers of muses. Some researchers believe that at first among the ancient Greeks one muse was responsible for creativity, then three Hesiod already calls nine music, namely:

Euterpe of music and lyric poetry;

Terpsichore dances;

Clio history;

Comedy Waist;

Melpomene tragedy;

Erato love poetry;

Polyhymnia of eloquence and hymns;

Urania of Astronomy;

Calliope of the heroic epic.

The muses had their own temples, which were called museions, hence the term museum.

In addition to these deities, Hellas created a whole host of secondary gods. Each stream, grove, and valley had its own deity. which sometimes appeared to people had an influence on their affairs and activities. Great transformed gods walked the earth. Zeus himself did not hesitate to take the form of even a bull in order to kidnap his beloved woman; sometimes he descended like a golden shower, sometimes he appeared as a swan, sometimes in the form of a foggy cloud.

Nine Muses

The Greeks believed that all the most important things that accompany a person on life path, belongs to Zeus. In order for people to always be accompanied by beauty and inspiration, Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, gave birth to Zeus nine daughters - the muses.

The muses became the inspiration of talents. “When their chosen one is born, they begin to feed him with tender heavenly dew and words sweet as honey flow from his lips,” says the myth. This means that the stamp of talent marks a person at birth. You just need to notice it.

The daughters of Zeus divided among themselves all the arts and sciences that were considered the main ones by the Greeks. And in order to distinguish the muses from each other, each was given special attributes.

Clio, the muse of history, was depicted holding a scroll of parchment in her hands.

Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, always sat in a dreamy pose, holding a waxed tablet and a sharp stick - a stylus. This stylus could only write in a beautiful style. Calliope inspired Homer to create the Iliad and Odyssey.

A tragic mask in her hands, a laurel wreath on her head and buskins on her feet distinguished Melpomene, the muse of tragedies.

Terpsichore became the patroness of all dances and dancers. She, like Melpomene, is crowned with laurels, and in her hands she holds a harp, the sounds of which are heard only by talented dancers.

Not only tragedy, comedy also had its own muse - Thalia. Instead of a headdress, she had a wreath of ivy, in one hand a comic mask, and in the other a tympanum, a kind of harp.

Erato never parted with the light, sweet-sounding lyre, because she was the muse of love poetry. The Muse of Erato guides us when we say beautiful words of love, press our hand to our heart, or tenderly hug a loved one.

And Euterpe, the muse of lyrical poetry and music, was always depicted with a flute.

Among the muses there is one who has no distinctive attributes. She just stands, leaning against a rock, and looks thoughtfully into the distance. This is the goddess of hymns to the gods and orators for which Ancient Greece was famous, Polyhymnia.

And finally, astronomers and stargazers had their own muse - Urania. At her feet is the circle of the earth, and in her hands is a wooden compass, which astrologers used to determine the place of stars in the firmament.

All the muses loved to live near Mount Helikon. There were beautiful shady groves, cool caves and the Hippocrene spring dedicated to them. Once you swim in its “violet-dark waters,” wonderful songs are born in your soul. This source knocked out with its hoof winged horse Pegasus.

The muses come to Olympus in the retinue of Apollo. He strikes the golden strings of the cithara, and the muses begin to sing and dance. And all the gods start dancing, singing songs and hymns to themselves.

Sources: sashka.inf.ua, www.mifyrima.ru, vikent.ru, legendami.ru, nsportal.ru

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In ancient Greece, they revered not only the gods who made up the host, but also their children, the deities of the third generation of Olympians. Greece was an enlightened country: the sages, scientists, and philosophers of antiquity left a deep mark on the history of the whole world. It is noteworthy that muses in Greece did not always mean a symbol of inspiration for beauty: music, love, poetry.

The nine daughters of the father of the gods, Zeus, clearly demonstrate the triad: a symbol of absolute harmony. They combined three types: science, craft and real art. The triad is symbolic of Greece, where poetry was valued as highly as the ability to read the stars.

Sages and philosophers rightly believed that each of the muses is necessary for prosperity.

Calliope was the mother of Orpheus, from her the son inherited the ability to feel music. The mother taught her son that every word in poetry should bring back to life the soul of a fallen hero, instill faith and cultivate nobility. The scroll and stylus in her hands were not just symbols. Young warriors leaving for battle could swear that they could hear Calliope writing a new work.

The Greeks considered Calliope the queen of all muses, It’s not for nothing that she has a crowned crown or a laurel wreath on her head. Apollo himself did not dare to interrupt the queen of muses when she spoke fiery speeches about honor, nobility, courage and the purity of the soul of a true warrior. The muse can be considered a symbol of love for one’s homeland, one’s land. Therefore, at one time the Greeks ordered miniature images of Calliope before long journeys. They say that Pallas herself gave such a miniature to her favorite Odysseus, so that his heart would always be filled with purity of thoughts and the desire to return to his native shores.

The ancient Greek historian and keeper of mythology Diodorus wrote about her: “The greatest of muses inspires love for the past”. History is priceless for any people, and especially for the people of Greece. Clio, it was believed, wrote down every, even insignificant, event on her scrolls, so that none of the descendants would forget their past.

Mythology describes the conflict between the muse and the beautiful Aphrodite. The muse of history had strict morals, but never knew love. Aphrodite, being the wife of the god Hephaestus, had tender feelings for the young Dionysus. The inexorable muse condemned the goddess for loving a mortal. Aphrodite ordered little son Eros shoots two arrows: one, kindling love, at Clio, and the second, killing feelings, at Pieron. suffering from unrequited love they brought the muse to their senses, and Clio no longer dared to judge anyone for their feelings.

While studying history, we compiled a book in which we tried to take into account all the features of each of the gods.

According to myths, Clio was friends with Calliope, which is understandable: the muse of patriotism is inseparable from the muse of history. They were depicted almost identically; often the Greeks ordered busts of these muses from only one master.

Melpomene is not only the muse of tragedies, as symbolized by the mournful mask in right hand. The muse is the mother of the fatal sirens who almost killed the Argonauts. Although according to another version, the mother of the sirens was Terpsichore.

It is interesting that the origin of the sirens is described extremely poorly, as if they appeared out of thin air. Melpomene's two daughters from birth had wondrous voices, but their pride ruined them: in the absence of their mother, they challenged the muses and lost. They were punished for this: according to one version, the Thunderer himself turned them into sirens, according to another, turning them into birds was the work of Poseidon.

Melpomene vowed to forever mourn the fate of her daughters and those who dare to go against the will of heaven. He is always depicted in the robes of theatergoers, with an invariable mask in his hands. But in the second hand there can be either a sword as a symbol of punishment for disobedience and insolence, or a scroll made of parchment. The mantle on it exactly reflects the spirit of Greece of that era: people are toys in the hands of the gods and only take part in the theater of the gods.

Thalia was closest to the muse of tragedy, Melpomene, but never understood her unconditional belief in the inevitability of punishment. According to Cicero, the muses often quarreled over this.

In contrast to her sister, Thalia was depicted holding a comedic mask and wearing a wreath of simple ivy. The muse never claimed Special attention, but had a cheerful disposition and was distinguished by optimism. According to mythology, it was believed that the comedy mask in her hands was a symbol of laughter, but according to another version, the mask meant about the same thing as the mask in the hands of Melpomene: people’s lives are just acting for the gods.

Thalia was the wife of Apollo, but, according to the myth, the Thunderer kidnapped her to make her his wife. But the muse knew Hera, the wife of Zeus, and understood what awaited her. Horror forced her to seek refuge with the ruler of the dead world, Hades. The gloomy god hid the muse deep underground.

Euterpe stood out among other muses for her special sophistication in the perception of poetry. The entire host of Olympians could listen to her poems for hours, to the quiet accompaniment of Orpheus’ harp. Her attribute is a double flute and a wreath of fresh flowers. She could be depicted surrounded by forest nymphs; according to the records, she became the comforter of the soul of the unfortunate Orpheus after he lost his Eurydice twice.
She was considered the most beautiful of the muses, possessing special sensuality and femininity.

Erato is always portrayed with some kind of cheerful and perky musical instrument: lyre, tambourine. She was glorified by songwriters, calling for inspiration. The muse's head is decorated with beautiful roses as a symbol of the eternity of love.

Erato became a symbol of struggle true love for your rights. The muse sang that even dark kingdom Aida cannot separate loving hearts, they are forever connected by a strong thread. The muse became the creator of a new direction in Greek music - wedding music. Legend has it that the charming Erato became bored at one of the weddings. She handed her lyre to the blind musician and whispered something to him.

It sounded in the huge hall magical music, all the lovers present felt an irresistible desire to be together before and after death. The wondrous music spread farther and farther and now the muse Terpsichore listens to the music, and her chiseled legs beat out a new dance rhythm.

Terpsichore is not just the muse of dances, including wedding ones. Dance should express not just emotions, but a special connection with nature, showing unity with the culture of one’s homeland. The dance of Terpsichore is the absolute perfection of movements of the soul and body. Since ancient times, the Greeks, when learning to dance, learned to listen to music and dance to the rhythm of their heartbeats. Every dancer wanted to learn the perfect movements of the muse, but not everyone was able to do this.

Terpsichore, according to legend, accompanied the god Dionysus everywhere. The god himself was distinguished by the simplicity of his image, so his surroundings also did not stand out with pomp and pretentiousness. The muse appears in a simple tunic with a lyre in her hands, and an ivy wreath on her head.

Polyhymnia, muse of hymns

Polyhymnia was the patroness of speakers; it was in her will to make the speech fiery and life-giving, or people would not hear the speaker’s voice at all. It was believed that it was worth pronouncing the name of the muse before important speech, Polyhymnia will come down to the one asking and spend the whole night instructing and instilling the gift of voice. Without the patronage of the muse of oratory it is impossible to reach hearts, not a single Greek doubted this.

Muse of hymns to the gods. This should be understood as the muse of prayers that people daily send to higher powers, and their fervor also depends on the will of the daughter of Zeus.

The ninth and wisest of all the daughters of the Thunderer, not counting Athena. It is believed that her name was given to her by her father in honor of Uranus, the god of the heavens long before the appearance of Zeus.

The Muse always holds a globe and a compass in her hands. The latter helps her determine the distances between stars. It was she who stood near Piazzi, inspiring him with the discovery of the first asteroid. The Roman did not immediately hear the muse, but the daughter of Zeus always got her way from her scientific wards. The Greeks considered her the patroness of even those sciences that were far from heavenly.
This muse is revered to this day, everywhere. Even in Russia there is a Urania Museum and in some cities there are full-fledged statues.

The religion of ancient Greece is amazing. It is strikingly different from other religions, causing growing interest. A journey into their world always leaves a mark on a person’s memory, no matter whether he is Greek by birth.

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