Ancient Greek muse Polyhymnia

The ancient Greek gods were not just menacing celestials. In the ancient world, nothing happened without their knowledge and participation. Without their blessing, one could neither conquer the world nor compose a hymn. To win the war, they prayed to the terrible Ares, the inspiration for composing speeches, prayers and pathetic odes sent people the polygymnia muse.

This thoughtful and spiritual woman is one of the nine daughters of Zeus, who still give people the joy of creativity.

Patrons of scientists, poets and musicians

Divine Muse is an integral part of the order and harmony of the ancient world. Their number, purpose, description has changed over time. In ancient Greece, studies that required inspiration, were considered such sciences as philosophy, geometry and astronomy, and painting and sculpture related to crafts, and their patronesses did not.

The classical suite of Apollo consisted of nine beautiful maidens, whose musicians, poets and scientists sought support. These were:

• Calliope is the muse of science, philosophy and epic poetry, the eldest of the sisters, the mother of Orpheus.
• Evterpa is the patroness of music and lyrical poetry.
• Melpomene - the muse of tragedy.
• Thalia - the embodiment of light poetry and comedy.
• Erato is a muse of love poetry.
• Muse Polyhimnia patronized many occupations, from a modern point of view unrelated: writing solemn hymns, rhetoric and oratorical art, as well as pantomime and agriculture.
• Muse of dance and choral singing - Terpsichore.
• Clio is the muse of history.
• Muse of astronomy - Urania.

Those who possessed talent in poetry or science enjoyed great respect and respect among people. The Muses also loved those who sincerely appealed to them for support, although they cruelly punished those who considered themselves above the gods for pride.

The Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosynes

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 became the basis for naming 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 today science and art dwell - the museum.

Myths and legends of the ancient world considered the muses the daughters of the king of gods and people - Zeus. One day he met Mnemosyne from the first generation of the Titans - the children of Heaven (Uranus) and the Earth (Gaea). According to the number of nights she gave to Zeus, and nine beautiful girls were born. Mnemosyne gave the daughters some of their abilities. She was considered to be the embodiment of memory, and those poets, scientists and musicians that the muses overshadowed, had access to the treasures of all the knowledge she had stored.

Apollo - Musaget

The favorite habitat of the nine sisters was the mountains - Parnassus and Helikon. There, among the wonderful forests and life-giving springs, above the golden clouds, they sang and danced to the sounds of cithara, played by the most skillful musician - the god of light, the patron of the arts of Apollo. The Muses, under his accompaniment, delighted the ears and eyes of the supreme gods when they gathered on Mount Olympus for feasts and celebrations.

Musaget means "the leader of the Muses" - this is one of the names of Apollo. He was divinely playing the noble stringed musical instruments. The inventor of one of them - lyres - was considered Polyhymnia - the muse of sacred hymns. It was endowed with mythmakers with great abilities from different areas of art and scientific knowledge. Its main quality was memory, which contained the texts of all the solemn songs ever written by poets, all dances and ritual processions in honor of the Olympic gods.

Polyhymnia - muse of hymns

Different genres of poetry were patronized by many muse. The eldest, Calliope, took care of those who wrote epic poems and songs. Yevterpa is a muse of lyrical poetry, Talia is light and comic, Erato is a love story.

Muza Polyhimnia "oversaw" serious poetry. Her name is Πολύμνια (another variant is Polymnia) consists of two parts: the first means "a lot", the second one - "praise" or "hymn". One of the meanings of the name of this muse is "immortal glory", which gives poets the composition of a large number of divine hymns.

The sixth daughter of Mnemosyne was always endowed with a serious character. To her appealed to those who wanted to appeal to the gods of Olympus with a request or praise. Only those who were named after her could count on the gods to hear them. Ancient Greek muse Polyhymnia is the patroness of sacred poetry, spiritual music, ritual dances and solemn prayers full of awareness of the mystery of being and spirituality. The sixth museum is addressed by those who seek meaning in life.

Pantomime and rhetoric

This companion of Apollo was first given the patronage of the dance, whose muse was Terpsichore, and wise science - the story that later became "run" by Clio. From dance art, she left the ability to express thoughts and feelings with body movements and gestures: Polyhymnia in Greek mythology is the muse of pantomime. In ancient images, she often appears with her lips pressed, in a sign of silence, with her finger, let the gestures speak.

But it's hard to turn to heaven without words. And those who were favored by Polyhymnia, found inspiration in their speeches. To the museum of solemn hymns, those who wanted to impress listeners with oratorical skill, those who studied rhetoric, appealed. To Polyhymnia, they addressed an important public appearance.

Geometry and agriculture

The "interests" of Polyhymnia were surprisingly versatile. She is called the inventor of grammar, who taught people to express thoughts on paper. She was approached for help in her studies, asked to help quickly remember something important. And the true daughter of Mnemosyne, the keeper of memory, came to help her. Ancient mathematicians dedicated their works to this museum. She owes her birth to a great and precise science - geometry, which has acquired great importance in the world of Pythagoras and Archimedes.

According to one of the legends Polyhimnia became the mother of Orpheus and invented the lyre, on the other - the sixth daughter of Mnemosyna and Zeus, by birth, became the mother of Triptolem, whom the goddess of fertility Demeter taught the basics of farming. On this basis the muse Polyhymnia 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 for the first time recommendations on cultivation of the earth were placed.

Description and attributes

Each museum corresponds to attributes and external signs inherent only to it. Calliope was always depicted with a wax tablet and a stylus - a wand for writing. Yevterpa held a flute in her hands, Erato-kifaru, Talia was always with a comic theater mask, Melpomene with a tragic one. Clio has a scroll in his hand, Urania holds a globe or a pair of compasses.

Although it is believed that the patroness of solemn hymns and ritual dances invented the divine lyre, this tool does not always go in the description of the muse. Polyhymnia has no generally accepted attribute, although it was often depicted with a poetic scroll in the hands full of high wisdom. She always stood out from the encirclement of Apollo, among the shady forests of Parnassus, with her meditative look, close to meditation. The figure of Polyhymnia is always densely draped, often with the head. It rests on a rock, and its eyes are directed upwards, because it is to the sky that the creatures inspired by it are directed.

Ancient harmony

In the legends and myths of ancient times, there was a surprisingly harmonious world order, where there are gods and people together, animals and plants. The special place in this world was occupied by the muse of Ancient Greece. Polyhymnia is the muse of hymns and prayers, divine rituals and everyday work in the plowed fields. She taught a person to compose divine poems, turn to others with ardent speech and express their feelings through expressive gesture.

For the first time the Muses are mentioned by Homer. In the immortal "Iliad" and "Odyssey" he appeals to the Muses with a request to help him at the beginning of a long journey. And till now poets and musicians, scientists and artists are looking for their spiritual support and inspiration. And in space flies as a symbol of hope in such support asteroid Polyhymnia, named after the ancient Greek muse of solemn hymns.