The Muses

Calliope - (Calliopeia)

The "Fair Voiced" or "beautiful voice" is the muse of epic poetry. She is the oldest of the Muses and sometimes considered their leader. She is frequently seen holding a writing tablet or a roll of paper or a book, and crowned in gold. She is the mother of Hymenaeus and Ialemus, Linus, and Orpheus (by her husband, Oeagrus).

Clio - (Kleio)

The "Proclaimer" ("famegiver") is the muse of history and is typically seen wearing a laurel wreath on her head and sitting with a scroll and accompanied by a chest of books. Her attributes, though, are the trumpet and the clepsydra. Clio teased Aphrodite about her love of Adonis, provoking Aphrodite's wrath. In retribution, Aphrodite caused Clio to fall in love with Pierus, the king of Macedonia, by whom she is the mother of Hyacinthus. Clio has been credited with introducing the Phoenician alphabet into Greece.

Erato

The "Lovely" ("awakener of desire") is the muse of love poetry and mimicry, and is seen with a lyre and sometimes wears a crown of roses.

Euterpe

The "Giver of Pleasure"("joygiver") is the muse of music and is represented with a flute. It has been said she is the inventor of the double flute. By the river Strymon, she bore Rhesus who was slain at Troy.

Melpomene

The "Songstress" is the Muse of Tragedies and Elegiem in spite of her joyous singing and is represented by the tragic mask. She is sometimes seen with garland, the club of Heracles or a sword. She is often seen wearing wearing a tragic mask, cothurnes or boots traditionally worn by tragic actors, and a crown of cypress. She is the mother, by the river-god Achelous, of the Sirens.

Polyhymnia - (Polymnia)

"She of Many Hymns," ("many hymns") is the muse of Sacred Poetry and is seen with a pensive look upon her face. She brings distinction to writers whose works have won them immortal fame. She has also been called the Muse of geometry, mime, meditation and agriculture. Polyhymnia is often veiled. She is usually depicted in meditation, with a finger on her mouth.

Terpsichore

The "Whirler" ("lover of dancing") is the muse of dancing although she ruled choral song also, and is often seen dancing with her lyre and a plectrum, an instrument used for plucking stringed instruments. By the river god Achelous, she bore the Sirens. Her attribute is the cithara.

Thalia - (Thaleia)

The "Flourishing" ("festive") is the Muse of Comedy and of playful and idyllic poetry, and is usually seen with a comic mask. She is sometimes seen with a crown of ivy and a crook or Shepherd's Staff. By Apollo, Thalia had the Corybantes, priests who castrated themselves in identification with the goddess, Cybele.

Urania - Urania

The "Heavenly" ("heavenly") is the Muse of Astronomy and is represented by a staff pointed at a celestial globe. She foretells the future by the position of the stars. She was often pictured with a globe and a compass.