Many myths and legends of ancient Greece have survived to this day. The Greek pantheon of gods in itself is quite interesting and entertaining, and stories from the "life" of the celestials capture and amaze the imagination. The ancient Greeks believed that each phenomenon, subject and sphere of human activity is protected by a separate deity or mythical creature. The gods and demigods in the culture of this people are incredible, and sometimes it is difficult to remember the "specialization" of each of them. Is Melpomene a muse or a goddess, whose patroness is she?
Myths of Ancient Greece
According to the beliefs of the ancient Greeks, as a result of the union of the supreme god Zeus and the goddess of memory of Mnemosyne, nine daughters were born. They are muse goddesses who patronize science and art. Each of the sisters was the patroness of a specific sphere or genre: Clio - history, Euterpe - music and poetic words, Thalia - comedy, Melpomene - tragedy (and later theatrical art in general), Terpsichore - dance, Eratu - a love-lyric literary work, Polygymnia - pantomime and hymns, Urania - the study of stars and celestial bodies, Calliope - folk tales and epics. According to some sources, initially Melpomene is the patroness of songs, and subsequently sad tunes. Over time, the muse began to be considered the embodiment of tragedy in theatrical productions, and later the whole theater was “given” to it as a phenomenon.
The appearance and talents of Melpomene
The patroness of tragedy and theater is usually depicted in a wreath of grape leaves and a headband. Melpomene is a muse, always dressed in a mantle and holding a tragic mask in one hand. In the other hand, a woman holds a sword or club as a symbol of retribution, which always overtakes people who went against the divine will. However, it is important to understand that Melpomene is not a punishing goddess, but rather empathizing with people and ready to remind them that playing is appropriate only in the theater. An interesting fact: it is this muse that is the mother of the sirens that she gave birth to from Aheloy. In modern culture, Melpomene is often the patroness of the theater, but it is appropriate to mention her as a deity of tragedy.