The ancient Greek gods were not just formidable celestials. In the ancient world, nothing happened without their knowledge and participation. Without their blessing, it was impossible to conquer the world or to compose a hymn. To win the war, they prayed to the formidable Ares, the inspiration for composing speeches, prayers and pathetic odes was sent to people by the Muse of Polygynia.
This thoughtful and spiritualized woman is one of the nine daughters of Zeus who still give people the joy of creativity.
Patronesses of scientists, poets and musicians
Divine muses are an integral part of the order and harmony of the ancient world. Their number, purpose, description has changed over time. In ancient Greece, occupations requiring inspiration were considered sciences such as philosophy, geometry and astronomy, and painting and sculpture were crafts and did not have their patrons.
The classical retinue of Apollo consisted of nine beautiful maidens, from whom musicians, poets and scientists sought support. These were:
- Calliope is a muse of science, philosophy and epic poetry, the eldest of the sisters, mother of Orpheus.
- Euterpa is the patroness of music and lyric poetry.
- Melpomene is the muse of tragedy.
- Thalia is the personification of light poetry and comedy.
- Erato is the muse of love poetry.
- The Muse Polygymnia patronized many activities, from a modern point of view, unrelated: writing solemn hymns, rhetoric and oratory, as well as pantomime and agriculture.
- Muse of dance and choral singing - Terpsichore.
- Clio is the muse of history.
- The muse of astronomy is Urania.
Those who possessed a talent in poetry or science enjoyed great respect and respect among people. The muses also loved those who sincerely turned to them for support, although they severely punished those who considered themselves superior to the gods for pride.
Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne
The word "muses" came from the ancient Greek language and means "thinking." In addition to designating the concepts of "source of inspiration", "joy of creativity", this word has become the basis for the name of one of the most beautiful and popular arts - music. The one-root word, descended from the "museum" - the "temple of the muses", is now called one of the places where science and art live today - the museum.
Myths and legends of the ancient world considered muses as daughters of the king of gods and people - Zeus. Once he met Mnemosyne from the first generation of the Titans - children of Heaven (Uranus) and Earth (Gaia). By the number of nights she gave Zeus, nine beautiful girls were born. Mnemosyne gave her daughters part of her abilities. She was considered the personification of memory, and those poets, scientists and musicians whom the muses dawned on had access to the treasures of all the knowledge that she kept.
Apollo - Musaget
The favorite habitat of the nine sisters was the mountains - Parnassus and Helikon. There, among the wonderful forests and life-giving sources, above the golden clouds, they sang and danced to the sounds of kiphara, played by the most skilled musician - the god of light, the patron of the arts Apollo. Muses to his accompaniment delighted the ears and eyes of the supreme gods as they gathered on Mount Olympus for feasts and triumph.
Musaget - means "leader of the muses" - this is one of the names of Apollo. He divinely played noble stringed musical instruments. Polygymnia, the muse of sacred hymns, was considered the inventor of one of them - the lyre. She was endowed by mythmakers with great abilities from various fields of art and scientific knowledge. Its main quality was considered to be a memory in which the texts of all solemn songs ever written by poets, all dances and ritual processions in honor of the Olympic gods were stored .
Polyhymnia - the muse of hymns
Many genres of poetry were patronized by many muses. The eldest, Calliope, took care of those who wrote epic poems and songs. Euterpa is the muse of lyric poetry, Thalia is light and comic, Erato is love.
The Muse of Polygymnia "oversaw" serious poetry. Her name is Πολύμνια (another variant is Polymnia) consists of two parts: the first means “many”, the second “praise” or “anthem”. One of the meanings of the name of this muse is “immortal glory”, which gives poets the composition of a large number of divine chants.
The sixth daughter of Mnemosyne was always endowed with a serious character. She was called upon by those who wanted to turn to the gods of Olympus with a request or praise. Only those autumned by her name could count on the gods to hear them. The ancient Greek muse Polyhymnia is the patroness of sacred poetry, sacred music, ritual dances and solemn prayers, full of awareness of the mysteries of being and spirituality. The sixth muse is addressed to those who seek meaning in life.
Pantomime and rhetoric
This companion of Apollo was first given under the protection of dances, the muse of which was Terpsichore, and wise science - history, which Clio then began to “manage”. From the dance art, she was left with the ability to express thoughts and feelings with body movements and gestures: Polygymy in ancient Greek mythology is the pantomime muse. In ancient images, she often appears with her finger pressed to her lips, in a sign of silence - let them say gestures.
But it is difficult to speak to heaven without words. And those to whom Polygymy favored gained inspiration in speeches. Those who wanted to impress the audience with oratory, those who studied rhetoric appealed to the muse of solemn hymns. Polygymy was addressed before an important public appearance.
Geometry and Agriculture
Surprisingly versatile were the "interests" of Polygynia. She is called the inventor of grammar, who taught people how to express thoughts on paper. They turned to her for help in school, asked to help faster remember something important. And the true daughter of Mnemosyne - the guardian of memory - came to the rescue in this. Ancient mathematicians dedicated their works to this muse. She owed her birth to a great and exact science - geometry, which has acquired great importance in the world of Pythagoras and Archimedes.
According to one legend, Polygymnia became the mother of Orpheus and invented the lyre; according to another, the sixth-born daughter of Mnemosyne and Zeus became the mother of Triptolemus, whom the goddess of fertility Demeter taught the basics of agriculture. On this basis, the Muse Polygymnia is considered the patroness of agriculture. To her, among other deities, the ancient poet Hesiod addressed in 700 BC in the work "Works and Days", where the recommendations for cultivating the land were first placed.
Description and Attributes
Each muse corresponds to the attributes and external signs inherent only to it. Kalliope was always depicted with a wax tablet and a stylus - a writing stick. Euterpa held a flute in her hands, Erato - a kifaru, Thalia was always with a comic theater mask, Melpomene - with a tragic one. Clio holds a scroll in her hands, Urania holds a globe or a compass.
Although it is believed that the patroness of solemn hymns and ritual dances invented the divine lyre, this instrument is not always included in the description of the muse. Polygynia does not have a generally accepted attribute, although it was often depicted with a poetic scroll in hand full of high wisdom. She always stood out from the Apollo environment, among the shady forests of Parnassus, with her brooding look, close to meditation. The figure of Polygymnia is always densely draped, often with the head. She rests on a rock, and her eyes are directed upwards, because it is the skies inspired by her creations that are addressed.
Antique harmony
The legends and myths of ancient times expressed a surprisingly harmonious world order, where gods and people, animals and plants exist together. Muses of Ancient Greece took their special place in this world. Polyhymnia is a muse of hymns and prayers, divine rituals and everyday work on arable land. She taught a person to compose divine verses, to speak with fiery speech to others, and to express her feelings with an expressive gesture.
Muses were first mentioned by Homer. In the immortal Iliad and Odyssey, he calls on the Muses to help him at the beginning of a long journey. And still poets and musicians, scientists and artists are looking for spiritual support and inspiration from them. And in space, the asteroid Polyhymnia, named after the ancient Greek muse of solemn hymns, flies as a symbol of hope in such support.