Hellas gave the world not only fascinating myths about gods and heroes. Muses Ancient Greece, these images of the daughters of Zeus, have long been associated with art, inspiration, insight, dreams and bright moments. Each of them was endowed with special features and attributes, people turned to them for blessings and opened temples in honor of the muses. Who were these nine muses and what mark did they leave on world culture?
Muses of Ancient Greece. Artist Yannis Stefanidis www.art-book.gr/
9 Muses of Ancient Greece
As the Greeks believed, each of the most important areas of life has its own patroness. And since their mother was Mnemosyne, who personified memory, “muse” is translated as “thinking.” And the habitat of the nine muses was certainly mountains (Helikon or Parnassus) with clear springs and shady forests. Here they danced to the sounds of the lyre of the god Apollo. It is precisely this kind of plot that can often be seen in ancient frescoes and in the paintings of European artists who were inspired by Greek mythology.
Muse Kalliopi
Calliope (Καλλιόπη) patronized epic poetry and rhetoric and was considered the noblest of muses. She was often depicted in a dreamy pose with a stylus (writing stick) and tablets or with a scroll.
Calliope was often perceived by the Greeks as the main of all muses - it was not for nothing that her head was decorated with a laurel or gold wreath. This muse symbolized love for their land, so warriors who went into battle took her images with them. Knowing how to speak fiery speeches and distinguished by her eloquence, Calliope instantly awakened heroism and a sense of sacrifice in a person.
According to some sources, Calliope was considered a virgin; according to other versions, she was the mother of Orpheus, Linus or Iolemus from Apollo. Some even claimed that Homer was her son.
Euterpe (Ευτέρπη) was considered the muse of lyric poetry and music, who was often depicted in the company of forest nymphs. She was called the Giver of Pleasure.
Among other muses, she stood out for her sophistication and femininity, and the gods could enjoy her poems endlessly. Euterpe's attributes were the musical instruments syringa and aulos (progenitors of the flute and oboe), as well as a flower wreath.
From the union of Euterpe and the river god Strymon, the hero Risos was born. He commanded a detachment of Thracians in Trojan War and was killed by Diomedes, as described in Homer’s Iliad.
One of the most famous muses, whose name is familiar to everyone, is Melpomene (Μελπομένη). She was not only the patroness of tragedy, but also the mother of the owners of enchanting voices, who challenged the muses and quite expectedly lost - the gods turned them into sirens.
Then Melpomene, regretting the fate of her daughters, forever acquired her attributes: a tragic mask, a theatrical robe and a sword as a reminder of the inevitability of punishment for those who violate the will of the gods.
Melpomene, along with other muses, accompanied Apollo. She is considered the creator of varvitos - ancient string instrument type of lyre. Through disasters and failures, the muse has experienced tragedy from all sides, but triumph is always born in tragedy. human spirit, which is what Melpomene shows people.
As the opposite of Melpomene - Waist (Θάλεια). This muse of comedy was portrayed with a comic mask. Unlike her sister, she was characterized by optimism and a light disposition, which was the reason for quarrels with Melpomene, and she was closest to Terpsichore.
There is a widespread interpretation that the mask in Talia’s hand symbolized laughter. But more and more often there are versions that the masks of this muse and Melpomene meant the acting of a person in the theater of the gods. Thalia was considered a deity Have a good mood and fun.
As for the muse Erato (Ερατώ), she patronized lyric or love poetry, and was also a defender of love and marriage.
Erato inspired poets to create romantic works, and her constant attributes were the tambourine and the lyre. She was often depicted completely naked.
As a symbol eternal love- roses decorating the head. Inspired by Erato, poets and musicians created such works that any couple in love who heard them immediately felt the desire to be together forever.
And here Polyhymnia (Πολύμνια) in mythology she was considered the muse of pantomime and hymns. She patronized the study of oratory and the writing of hymns. Hence the most ancient interpretation of her name: πολύ + ύμνος . It was for her ancient world was grateful for the ritual dances and songs that glorified olympian gods, and it was by her will that the speaker’s speech became fiery.
This muse was always represented as serious, deep in thought, sometimes with a finger pressed to her lips in a call for silence. Later version of her name πολύ + μνεία meant help in learning, in memorizing, that is, here she approaches Mnemosyne.
With faith in the powers of Polyhymnia, the Greeks went to important performances - they just had to call her in advance so that the muse had time to bestow the person with the necessary oratorical qualities. Polyhymnia was sometimes also considered the muse of geometry, meditation and agriculture.
Muse Terpsichore (Τερψιχόρη), in turn, was “responsible” for choral singing and dancing. She was often depicted playing the lyre or in the pose of a dancer.
It is believed that the art of Terpsichore symbolized the unity of spiritual impulses, natural principles and body movements. It was the expression of the complete unity of man and nature that was the main goal of the dances. If a dancer wanted to learn to move to the rhythm of his heart, he immediately called Terpsichore for help.
In mythology, the patroness of history was Clio (Κλειώ), who was depicted with a spiritual and thoughtful face. In her hands she held either a papyrus scroll or a scroll box. Clio's head was decorated Laurel wreath- a symbol of nobility. She was often depicted with an hourglass or with a bugle, which she blew to announce some glorious event.
The muse inspired a love of the past and history, which was always valuable to the Greeks. Clio included even the smallest events in her scrolls - nothing escaped her attention or was forgotten. She was responsible for the accuracy of the description of events, both verbally and in writing.
Somehow Clio allowed herself irony about Aphrodite’s feelings for Adonis; in retaliation for this, she sent Clio a passion for the hero Pierre (from his name - the Greek region of Pieria). As a result of this relationship, Clio had a son, Iakinthos.
Another, ninth, muse - Urania (Ουρανία). This muse patronized astronomy and astrology and was one of the wisest daughters of Zeus. She always had a compass in her hands to determine the distances between the stars and a globe.
Moreover, the Greeks considered Urania the patroness of other sciences, including. It is interesting that this muse, like the others, did not patronize art, but therefore symbolized the complete harmony of music, poetry and the celestial spheres - one is impossible without the other. Urania was often credited with the qualities of a soothsayer.
Urania's place of residence was the celestial sphere, the sky - ουρανός.
Worship of the Muses in Culture
The muses of Ancient Greece, although they were a figment of the imagination, made a very real contribution to world culture. It is enough to remember how many poems and poems were dedicated to them, not to mention the very name “muse”, which became a household word. Among the poets who sang them were Byron, Yesenin, Fet, Pushkin and, of course, Homer. In honor of them, museums were built - temples that concentrated artistic and cultural life Greece. The most famous was the Alexandria Museum, and later this word gave rise to the name “museum”.
The muses inspired famous artists who portrayed them as they imagined them. For example, Gustave Moreau transferred images of muses to the canvas “Apollo and the 9 Muses,” in which the girls float carefree behind a seated Apollo. Also, Jean-Marc Nattier turned to the images of muses in the film “Thalia” and Eustache Lesueur in the film “The Muses”. Andrea Appiani depicted the muses on Parnassus dancing to the lyre of Apollo. The sculpture also embodies many images of muses. In addition to Greece itself, their statues can be seen in the Hermitage, and the most valuable sarcophagus with bas-reliefs of muses is exhibited in the Louvre.
Elena Meteleva
Muse of dance in Greek mythology. Considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing.Popular image and symbol in art. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art.
Among the other nine muses, the daughter of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne. Sister Calliope - muses of epic poetry; Clio - muses of history; Melpomene - muses of tragedy; Talia - the muses of comedy; Polyhymnia - muses of sacred hymns; Euterpes - muses of poetry and lyricism; Erato - muses of love and wedding poetry; Urania - the muses of science. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the aspiration to heaven (uranos) of those who comprehended her art.
Her epithet is “enjoying round dances.” She was depicted as a young woman with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre. Terpsichore appears in a simple tunic with a lyre in her hands, and an ivy wreath on her head.
This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).
According to one legend, Terpsichore gave birth to sirens from the god of the river Aheloy (as an option: sirens are the children of Melpomene). According to another myth, Terpsichore is the mother of the singer Lin (as an option: his mother is Urania).
The Russian group Splin dedicated an entire song to Terpsichore. The asteroid (81) Terpsichore, discovered in 1864, is named in honor of the muse. There is a mention of the muse in the first chapter of Pushkin's Eugene Onegin.
My goddesses! what do you? Where are you?
Hear my sad voice:
Are you still the same? other maidens,
Having replaced you, they didn’t replace you?
Will I hear your choirs again?
Will I see the Russian Terpsichore
Soul filled flight?
Terpsichore as depicted by artists
Boucher Francois, French painter. "Terpsichore".
Very often in our lives we come across such phrases as: “visited by a muse”, “muse of poetry” and many others in which the word muse is mentioned. However, what does it mean? This concept comes from ancient mythology. The Greek muses are nine sisters, patroness of the arts and sciences. They are the daughters of Zeus himself and each of them has their own unique divine abilities. Let's take a closer look at them.
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So, as stated earlier, the muses are the daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory. The very word muses (muses) comes from the Greek word “thinking”. The muses were usually depicted as young and beautiful women. They possessed the gift of prophecy and were favorably disposed towards creative people: poets, artists, actors, in every possible way encouraging and helping them in their activities. However, for special offenses, the muses could deprive a person of inspiration. To prevent this from happening, the ancient Greeks built special temples in honor of the muses, which were called museions. It is from this word that the word “museum” comes from. The patron saint of the muses themselves was the god Apollo. Let's now take a closer look at each of the muses.
Muse Calliope - muse of epic poetry
The name of this muse from Greek can be translated as “having beautiful voice" According to Diodorus, this name arose at the moment when the “beautiful word” (kalen opa) was pronounced. She happens to be eldest daughter Zeus and Mnemosyne.
Calliope is the mother of Orpheus, the muse of heroic poetry and eloquence. It evokes a feeling of sacrifice, which encourages a person to overcome his selfishness and fear of fate. Calliope wears a golden crown on her brow - a sign that she dominates other muses, thanks to her ability to introduce a person to the first steps on the path to his liberation. Calliope was depicted with a waxed tablet or scroll and a slate stick in her hands - a stylus, which was a bronze rod, the pointed end of which was used to write text on a wax-covered tablet. The opposite end was made flat to erase what was written.
Muse Clio - patroness of history
The accompanying attributes of this muse are a scroll of parchment or a tablet - a board with writing. Clio reminds us of what a person can achieve and helps him find his purpose.
According to Diodorus, the name comes from the word “Kleos” - “glory”. The etymology of the name is “giver of glory.” From Pierre, the Greek muse Clio had a son, Hyakinthos. Love for Pierre was inspired by Aphrodite for condemning her love for Adonis.
Muse Melpomene - muse of tragedy
In Greek mythology, Melpomene is considered the muse of the tragic genre. The name, according to Diodorus, means “melody that pleases listeners.” The image is anthropomorphic - it was described as a woman with a bandage, grape or ivy wreath on her head. Always has permanent attributes in the form of a tragic mask, sword or club. The weapon carries symbolism of the inevitability of divine punishment.
Melpomene is the mother of the sirens - sea creatures who personified the deceptive but charming surface of the sea, under which sharp cliffs or shoals are hidden. Inherited sirens from their mother muse divine voice, which lured sailors.
Muse Thalia - the muse of comedy
Thalia, or in another version Phalia, is in Greek mythology the muse of comedy and light poetry, the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She was depicted with a comic mask in her hands and an ivy wreath on her head.
From Thalia and Apollo were born the Corybantes - the mythical predecessors of the priests of Cybele or Rhea in Phrygia, in wild enthusiasm, with music and dancing, serving the great mother of the gods. According to Diodorus, she received her name from prosperity (talleyn), which was glorified in poetic works for many years.
Zeus, turning into a kite, took Thalia as his wife. Out of fear of Hera's jealousy, the muse hid in the depths of the earth, where demonic creatures were born from her - paliki (in this myth she is called the nymph of Etna).
Muse Polyhymnia - muse of solemn hymns
Polyhymnia is the muse of solemn hymns in Greek mythology. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the creation of many praises (dia polles himneseos) fame to those whose name was immortalized by poetry. She patronizes poets and hymn writers. It is believed that she keeps in memory all the hymns, songs and ritual dances that glorify the Olympian gods, and she is also believed to have invented the lyre.
Polyhymnia is often depicted with a scroll in her hands, in a thoughtful pose. Polyhymnia patronizes people's study of rhetoric and oratory, which turns the speaker into an instrument of truth. She personifies the power of speech and makes a person’s speech life-giving. Polyhymnia helps to understand the mystery of the word as a real force with which you can inspire and revive, but at the same time injure and kill. This power of speech is inspiring on the path to truth.
Muse Terpsichore - muse of dance
Terpsichore is the muse of dance. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses. She is considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.
Characteristic attributes: wreath on the head; in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).
Muse Urania - muse of astronomy
Urania is the muse of astronomy. The attributes of Urania were: a celestial globe and a compass. According to Diodorus, she received her name from the aspiration to heaven (uranos) of those who comprehended her art. According to one version, Urania is the mother of Hymen.
Urania personifies the power of contemplation; she calls us to leave the external chaos in which man exists and to immerse ourselves in the contemplation of the majestic running of the stars, which is a reflection of fate. This is the power of knowledge, the power that pulls towards the mysterious, pulls towards the high and beautiful - towards the Sky and the Stars.
Muse Euterpe - muse of lyric poetry
Euterpe (ancient Greek Εὐτέρπη “pleasure”) - in Greek mythology, one of the nine muses, daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, the muse of lyrical poetry and music. She was depicted with a lyre or flute in her hands.
Mother of Res by the river god Strymon. According to the etymology of Diodorus, she received her name from the pleasure (terpein) of listeners who receive the benefits of education. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.
Muse Erato - muse of love poetry
Erato is the muse of lyrical and love poetry. Her name is derived from the name of the god of love Eros. According to Diodorus, she received her name in honor of the ability to be “eperasta” (desired for love and passion).
Born as a result of the union of Mnemosyne and Zeus. From Mala Erato she gave birth to Cleophema. The attribute of the muse is cithara. This divine heroine of Greek mythology is mentioned quite often in Hellenic legends.
In addition, Virgil and Apollonius of Rhodes resorted to symbolism associated with the image of the Greek muse Erato in their works. She knows how to inspire love for everything living in the soul with her art of transforming everything into beauty hidden beyond the physical.
Based on Wikipedia materials
Today I saw the Muse, the patroness of the art of Dance. The ancient Greeks called it Terpsichore, and this name itself bears the imprint of rhythm and harmony...
But no one pronounces this name anymore, and no one engages in art anymore. All aspects of our lives are marked by traces of decay, and the throne of the Muse of Dance was also captured by the cult of decadence and degeneration, when the mask of dance was put on with clumsy body movements imitating animal instincts.
Terpsichore and dance were not invented by the ancient Greeks for the sake of entertainment and pastime. Muse and dance are the result of thoughtful contemplation of Nature, where everything moves in rhythm according to unwritten laws.
To understand the spirit of the dance, it is enough to immerse yourself in the rustle of dense foliage. Without leaving the branches, the leaves dance and sing, giving birth to a symphony of green shades, enchanting the eye and ear. It is enough to sit on the seashore for a minute, turning your face towards it, and surrender to the will of the tireless rhythm with which the waves rush onto the shore. It is enough to follow the flight of a bird or a falling leaf. autumn time. Just look at how the clouds dance in the sky, alternately taking on thousands of fantastic forms. In the end, it is enough just to be able to read that open book, the pages of which life turns before us every day, but in which we value - and even then not always - only the cover.
If the eyes do not see, then the body cannot dance. The piece of matter that we call the body only thrashes and writhes, as if in painful convulsions, and does not move in a harmonious rhythm. What remains is a creature that unfeignedly craves carnal satisfaction, and not the spiritual pleasure of beauty.
If the eyes do not see, then there are no sounds to compose music from. If beautiful melodies were to sound, they would awaken in our body the desire to move to the beat, in harmony and in proportion. But we are surrounded by screaming, aggressive music, built on dissonance, or cloyingly sweet and slyly tender, and the lyrics are clearly dictated by degenerate fashion or political system, which is also popular today.
Behind all this tinsel the truth is not visible. And it lies in the fact that dance is dead, and its death is the victory of materialism, which promises false freedom that will never be achieved for the simple reason that it does not exist in the worlds where they are trying to find it. This false freedom is promised by the slogan “do what you want, and it will be my way.” Or “be more relaxed” - following the imposed fashion. You are obliged to recognize as beautiful that which causes disgust, and, closing your eyes, spin and jump madly, trampling on the very memory of the sacred Muse of rhythm and harmony. Among all the falsehood and meaninglessness of words, young people are not only hopelessly far from being able to dance; in their jumping and bodily untidiness, they became so depressed and degraded that they completely forgot the grace and grace of movement.
And I called upon Terpsichore. This call was born in the depths of my soul and burst out with force.
And she came to me. Every movement of the Muse breathed grace that clothes could not hide. She walked through time, and her procession was a dance, the movements of which were music itself. No, Terpsichore did not die, because beauty never dies. I thought that no one would notice her presence, but everything that is Genuine is immutable... The vision was fleeting, but at that moment time and space lost their frightening absoluteness, and fashion bowed down bashfully in the face of what eternally was, is and will be.
For just a moment the Muse of Dance was among us. No one knows her name anymore and no one will remember the art that she patronizes, but a vague melancholy has awakened in someone’s wretched body. It lost its wings long ago and can no longer fly or walk. And only it can raise its gaze to a fleeting vision, and the soul begs it to again become the same as before.
After all, the soul can dance. It lives in each of us, and it all depends on how much we ourselves constrain it. If the soul is in awe, the Greeks called it by the name of grace and harmony, Terpsichore. And if she cries, what should we call her?
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 event, even the most insignificant, 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 her little son Eros to shoot two arrows: one, kindling love, at Clio, and the second, killing feelings, at Pieron. Suffering from unrequited love brought the muse to reason; 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, Talia was depicted holding a comedy mask and wearing a wreath of simple ivy. The muse never claimed special attention, but she had a cheerful disposition and was optimistic. 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 dead world Aida. 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 depicted with some kind of cheerful and playful musical instrument: a lyre, a 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.
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 as soon as the name of the muse was uttered before an important performance, Polyhymnia would descend to the requester 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 send daily 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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Very often in our lives we come across such phrases as: “visited by a muse”, “muse of poetry” and many others in which the word muse is mentioned. However, what does it mean? This concept comes from ancient mythology. The Greek muses are nine sisters, patroness of the arts and sciences. They are the daughters of Zeus himself and each of them has their own unique divine abilities. Let's take a closer look at them.
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So, as stated earlier, the muses are the daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory. The very word muses (muses) comes from the Greek word “thinking”. The muses were usually depicted as young and beautiful women. They had a prophetic gift and treated creative people favorably: poets, painters, actors, in every possible way encouraging and helping them in their activities. However, for special offenses, the muses could deprive a person of inspiration. To prevent this from happening, the ancient Greeks built special temples in honor of the muses, which were called museions. It is from this word that the word “museum” comes from. The patron saint of the muses themselves was the god Apollo. Let's now look at each of the muses in more detail.
Muse Calliope - muse of epic poetry
The name of this muse from Greek can be translated as “one with a beautiful voice.” According to Diodorus, this name arose at the moment when the “beautiful word” (kalen opa) was pronounced. She is the eldest daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
Calliope is the mother of Orpheus, the muse of heroic poetry and eloquence. It evokes a feeling of sacrifice, which encourages a person to overcome his selfishness and fear of fate. Calliope wears a golden crown on her brow - a sign that she dominates other muses, thanks to her ability to introduce a person to the first steps on the path to his liberation. Calliope was depicted with a waxed tablet or scroll and a slate stick in her hands - a stylus, which was a bronze rod, the pointed end of which was used to write text on a tablet covered with wax. The opposite end was made flat to erase what was written.
Muse Clio - patroness of history
The accompanying attributes of this muse are a scroll of parchment or a tablet - a board with writing. Clio reminds us of what a person can achieve and helps him find his purpose.
According to Diodorus, the name comes from the word “Kleos” - “glory”. The etymology of the name is “giver of glory.” From Pierre, the Greek muse Clio had a son, Hyakinthos. Love for Pierre was inspired by Aphrodite for condemning her love for Adonis.
Muse Melpomene - muse of tragedy
Melpomene is the mother of the Sirens - sea creatures who personified the deceptive but charming surface of the sea, under which sharp cliffs or shoals are hidden. From their mother-muse, sirens inherited a divine voice with which they lured sailors.
Muse Thalia - the muse of comedy
From Thalia and Apollo were born the Corybantes - the mythical predecessors of the priests of Cybele or Rhea in Phrygia, in wild enthusiasm, with music and dancing, serving the great mother of the gods. According to Diodorus, she received her name from prosperity (talleyn), which was glorified in poetic works for many years.
Zeus, turning into a kite, took Thalia as his wife. Out of fear of Hera's jealousy, the muse hid in the depths of the earth, where demonic creatures were born from her - paliki (in this myth she is called the nymph of Etna).
Muse Polyhymnia - muse of solemn hymns
Polyhymnia is often depicted with a scroll in her hands, in a thoughtful pose. Polyhymnia patronizes people's study of rhetoric and oratory, which turns the speaker into an instrument of truth. She personifies the power of speech and makes a person’s speech life-giving. Polyhymnia helps to understand the mystery of the word as a real force with which you can inspire and revive, but at the same time injure and kill. This power of speech is inspiring on the path to truth.
Muse Terpsichore - muse of dance
Terpsichore is the muse of dance. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses. She is considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.
Characteristic attributes: wreath on the head; in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).
Muse Urania - muse of astronomy
Urania personifies the power of contemplation; she calls us to leave the external chaos in which man exists and to immerse ourselves in the contemplation of the majestic running of the stars, which is a reflection of fate. This is the power of knowledge, the power that pulls towards the mysterious, pulls towards the high and beautiful - towards the Sky and the Stars.
Muse Euterpe - muse of lyric poetry
Euterpe (ancient Greek Εὐτέρπη “pleasure”) - in Greek mythology, one of the nine muses, daughters of Zeus and the Titanide Mnemosyne, the muse of lyrical poetry and music. She was depicted with a lyre or flute in her hands.
Mother of Res by the river god Strymon. According to the etymology of Diodorus, she received her name from the pleasure (terpein) of listeners who receive the benefits of education. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.
Muse of Erato - muse of love poetry
Erato is the muse of lyrical and love poetry. Her name is derived from the name of the god of love Eros. According to Diodorus, she received her name in honor of the ability to be “eperasta” (desired for love and passion).
Born as a result of the union of Mnemosyne and Zeus. From Mala Erato she gave birth to Cleophema. The attribute of the muse is cithara. This divine heroine of Greek mythology is mentioned quite often in Hellenic legends.
In addition, Virgil and Apollonius of Rhodes resorted to symbolism associated with the image of the Greek muse Erato in their works. She knows how to inspire love for everything living in the soul with her art of transforming everything into beauty hidden beyond the physical.
Based on Wikipedia materials
Terpsichore (Greek Τερψιχόρᾱ, lat. Terpsichore) - muse of dance. A character from ancient Greek myths, a popular image and symbol in art. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.
Daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She is considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.The Muses - Terpsichore
Characteristic attributes:
wreath on the head;
in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum.She is considered the mother of the sirens (father is the river god Aheloy) and the singer Lin (according to another version, his mother is another muse Urania). According to Hyginus - mother Eumolpas.
Mentioned by Pindar. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore)
Studiolo di belfiore, tersicore di angelo maccagnino e collaboratori di cosmè tura, museo poldi pezzoli.
Today I saw the Muse, the patroness of the art of Dance. The ancient Greeks called it Terpsichore, and this name itself bears the imprint of rhythm and harmony...
But no one pronounces this name anymore, and no one engages in art anymore. All aspects of our lives are marked by traces of decay, and the throne of the Muse of Dance was also captured by the cult of decadence and degeneration, when the mask of dance was put on with clumsy body movements imitating animal instincts.
Raffaello Sanzio.Stanza della Segnatura im Vatikan für Papst Julius II., Wandfresko, Szene: Der Parnaß, Detail: Terpsichore.1510-1511.Terpsichore and dance were not invented by the ancient Greeks for the sake of entertainment and pastime. Muse and dance are the result of thoughtful contemplation of Nature, where everything moves in rhythm according to unwritten laws.
To understand the spirit of the dance, it is enough to immerse yourself in the rustle of dense foliage. Without leaving the branches, the leaves dance and sing, giving birth to a symphony of green shades, enchanting the eye and ear. It is enough to sit on the seashore for a minute, turning your face towards it, and surrender to the will of the tireless rhythm with which the waves rush onto the shore. It is enough to follow the flight of a bird or a falling leaf in the autumn. Just look at how the clouds dance in the sky, alternately taking on thousands of fantastic forms. In the end, it is enough just to be able to read that open book, the pages of which life turns before us every day, but in which we value - and even then not always - only the cover.Musa-terpsichore
If the eyes do not see, then the body cannot dance. The piece of matter that we call the body only thrashes and writhes, as if in painful convulsions, and does not move in a harmonious rhythm. What remains is a creature that unfeignedly craves carnal satisfaction, and not the spiritual pleasure of beauty.
If the eyes do not see, then there are no sounds to compose music from. If beautiful melodies were to sound, they would awaken in our body the desire to move to the beat, in harmony and in proportion. But we are surrounded by loud, aggressive music, built on dissonance, or cloyingly sweet and slyly tender, and the lyrics are clearly dictated by degenerating fashion or the political system, which is also popular today.Jean-Marc Nattier Art Reproductions
Terpsichore, Muse of Music and Dance, c.1739
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California, USABehind all this tinsel the truth is not visible. And it lies in the fact that dance is dead, and its death is the victory of materialism, which promises false freedom that will never be achieved for the simple reason that it does not exist in the worlds where they are trying to find it. This false freedom is promised by the slogan “do what you want, and it will be my way.” Or “be more relaxed” - following the imposed fashion. You are obliged to recognize as beautiful that which causes disgust, and, closing your eyes, spin and jump madly, trampling on the very memory of the sacred Muse of rhythm and harmony. Among all the falsehood and meaninglessness of words, young people are not only hopelessly far from being able to dance; in their jumping and bodily untidiness, they became so depressed and degraded that they completely forgot the grace and grace of movement.
And I called upon Terpsichore. This call was born in the depths of my soul and burst out with force.Wolfgang Sauber. Villa Mulini - Kommode Goldbeschlag
And she came to me. Every movement of the Muse breathed grace that clothes could not hide. She walked through time, and her procession was a dance, the movements of which were music itself. No, Terpsichore did not die, because beauty never dies. I thought that no one would notice her presence, but everything that is Genuine is immutable... The vision was fleeting, but at that moment time and space lost their frightening absoluteness, and fashion bowed down bashfully in the face of what eternally was, is and will be.
Terpsichore, created 1816 by Antonio Canova (1757-1822), in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.For just a moment the Muse of Dance was among us. No one knows her name anymore and no one will remember the art that she patronizes, but a vague melancholy has awakened in someone’s wretched body. It lost its wings long ago and can no longer fly or walk. And only it can raise its gaze to a fleeting vision, and the soul begs it to again become the same as before.
After all, the soul can dance. It lives in each of us, and it all depends on how much we ourselves constrain it. If the soul is in awe, the Greeks called it by the name of grace and harmony, Terpsichore. And if she cries, what should we call her?Delia Steinberg Guzman
Muse-Terpsichore at the Hermitage.
Many pictures are clickable.
Ancient Greek mythology is curious about the cult of the gods of Olympus and the veneration of their children, who represent the third generation of exalted beings. Greece was famous for its enlightened minds and artists. Therefore, the muses who inspired creation were especially respected. 9 women, daughters of the supreme god - the Thunderer, represent a harmonious triad. They personified science, crafts and arts. Each of the muses was necessary for the comprehensive development of the state, improvement of education and new achievements in all areas.
History of appearance
The muses were originally considered inspirational nymphs. They are able to bestow talent in a particular direction or a tendency to express themselves in one form or another of art. Over time, the number of muses has changed. The myth says that each of them is the daughter of Zeus.
The first mentions of these creatures tell of Meletus, whose privilege was reflection, Mneme, in charge of memory, and Aeda, whose element was song. The ancient Greek poet Hesiod sang the praises of nine maidens, the children of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. According to legend, girls were born at the foot of Olympus. Beautiful in appearance, they were distinguished by their sincerity and demonstrated wonderful talents.
Hesiod said that if a muse decided to bestow a talent on a mere mortal, she would accompany him from infancy. Girls patronized those who recognized their strength and believed that their talent was not unfounded. The muses punished those prone to insolence. Ancient Greece initially believed in muses who favored the poetic sphere, but later patrons of the exact sciences appeared. Each sister accepted responsibility for the area entrusted to her. They had specific responsibilities and distinctive attributes.
Terpsichore was the muse of dance and choral singing and was often depicted as a dancer with a slight smile. A wreath adorned her head, and in her hands the girl held a lyre and a plectrum. Terpsichore dominated the harmony between the internal and external, creating a strong and conflict-free relationship between the soul and the human body. IN literary works Terpsichore is described as "enjoying round dances."
Herodotus described the appearance of the patroness of music and dance in the fifth book of the Muses cycle. In the work, the historian left descriptions concerning the attitude of the ancient Greeks to various directions scientific activities, crafts and arts, characterizing the image and perception of muses by compatriots.
Muse of dancing and singing
The dance of the ancient era was based on strict adherence to rhythm and its combination with movements of the arms and legs. The myth said that Terpsichore accompanied, teaching mortals to combine the spiritual with the physical. According to her behest, in dance one should take exquisite poses and use aesthetic gestures, reflecting thoughts and mood, creating a harmonious action.
The Muse of Dance was an important character for the ancient Greeks and a representative of the divine pantheon. Dance was highly valued in the state and was identified in its degree of seriousness with gymnastics. In gymnasiums there was a separate subject that taught harmonious movement to music.
Terpsichore's biography is ambiguous. According to some sources, she gave birth to the future singer Lin, and according to others, in alliance with the river god Achelous, she gave birth to sirens. Alternative versions report that Lin is the son of Urania, and the sirens are the daughter.
Terpsichore is associated with, drawing attention to the fact that she is often depicted with ivy, which was a symbol of the god of winemaking.
There is evidence that the Pythagorean school had a temple where Pythagoras taught students. Terpsichore, Erato and Thalia, patronesses, were sung here physical origin, elements, flora and fauna.
Contrary to popular belief, the patroness of dancing and singing was not invented by the ancient Greeks in the name of entertainment. The ancient inhabitants believed that dance was an action aimed at contemplating and understanding nature, which had its own laws of movement. Terpsichore advised on pleasure dancing at weddings and taught how to convey emotions and a subtle connection with culture through movement home country and nature. Dance was perceived as a harmonious movement of soul and body in symbiosis. The Greeks knew how to hear and listen to music and associated it with the heartbeat. Lack of talent did not allow everyone to realize their potential in this direction.
Film adaptations
Muses are considered secondary actors ancient Greek pantheon. The image of Terpsichore is rarely used in cinema, but references to it and the use of her name are common. The muse is mentioned in documentaries, describing research in the field of mythology and theology, as well as in artistic films dedicated to the art of music and dance.
Released in 1995, the film "Prisoners of Terpsichore" - shining example mentioning the name of a muse in a movie. This is a Russian-made ballet film describing the interaction between a teacher, Professor Sakharova, and soloist Balakhnicheva. The dramatic plot tells about the period of training of a dancer of the Kremlin Ballet, inspiration and a difficult path accomplished thanks to talent, hard work and love for the art of dance.
Terpsichore (Greek Τερψιχόρᾱ, lat. Terpsichore) - muse of dance. A character from ancient Greek myths, a popular image and symbol in art. According to Diodorus, it received its name from the pleasure (terpein) of spectators in the benefits shown in art. Tsets also names her name among the Muses.
Daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. She is considered the patroness of dancing and choral singing. She was depicted as a young woman, with a smile on her face, sometimes in the pose of a dancer, more often sitting and playing the lyre.This means learning certain dance styles and trying to imitate the teacher. It will be good or bad. Dance can also be seen as non-verbal communication both between people and between animals. Body movement is always also non-verbal communication, and body movement is not communication. Linguistics says that communication is impossible. In this way, the animals also communicate with each other and lead, for example, to dance courts. These are now only dances that are obviously recognized as such.
Rhythmic gymnastics, figure skating and synchronized swimming are sports that also involve dancing. Some combat sports, such as capoeira, also look very dancer-like. When objects move in the wind, they perform a dance. This is just to remind you of the leaves dancing in the wind or the scene from American beauty, in which a white plastic bag is moved by the wind in a dance.
The Muses - Terpsichore
Characteristic attributes:
wreath on the head;
in one hand she held a lyre and in the other a plectrum.She is considered the mother of the sirens (father is the river god Aheloy) and the singer Lin (according to another version, his mother is another muse Urania). According to Hyginus - mother Eumolpa.
Mentioned by Pindar. This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore)
Determining what a dance is depends on basic conditions. Social, cultural, aesthetic, artistic and moral aspects play an important role. The movements can start from very simple, functional movements, as in popular classes, and can rise to virtuoso techniques, such as ballet. A dance can, for example, be such that one can participate in it, one can perform social aspects or be shown as a show for an audience. It can be formal, ceremonial; competition or erotic aspect.
Dance movements are largely meaningless, they serve only aesthetic expression, such as in ballet or European folklore. In many Asian dances, gestures and body movements have their own symbolism. Dance can represent ideas, emotions or history.
Studiolo di belfiore, tersicore di angelo maccagnino e collaboratori di cosmè tura, museo poldi pezzoli.
Today I saw the Muse, the patroness of the art of Dance. The ancient Greeks called it Terpsichore, and this name itself bears the imprint of rhythm and harmony...
But no one pronounces this name anymore, and no one engages in art anymore. All aspects of our lives are marked by traces of decay, and the throne of the Muse of Dance was also captured by the cult of decadence and degeneration, when the mask of dance was put on with clumsy body movements imitating animal instincts.Various styles have developed in dance. African dance is interpretive. Breakdancing and other forms street dance associated with hip-hop culture. Since the dance does not leave any traces or you find any objects such as stone tools, you cannot determine the time when the dance became part of human culture.
Musicologist Joseph Jordania argues that dance, rhythmic music and body painting were seen very early in human development as a tool for moving groups of people into an altered state of consciousness on a battlefield. In this state, a person will lose his individual consciousness and take on a collective character. Jonathan Pislak's research has shown that there are now military units that use loud group singing and dancing to prepare for dangerous combat situations. The ability to enter a trance state through dancing seems, according to Jordania, to be related to the past of human evolution and to be a phenomenon of military exercises, which is also based on rhythmically monotonous action in a group.
Raffaello Sanzio.Stanza della Segnatura im Vatikan für Papst Julius II., Wandfresko, Szene: Der Parnaß, Detail: Terpsichore.1510-1511.
Terpsichore and dance were not invented by the ancient Greeks for the sake of entertainment and pastime. Muse and dance are the result of thoughtful contemplation of Nature, where everything moves in rhythm according to unwritten laws.
To understand the spirit of the dance, it is enough to immerse yourself in the rustle of dense foliage. Without leaving the branches, the leaves dance and sing, giving birth to a symphony of green shades, enchanting the eye and ear. It is enough to sit on the seashore for a minute, turning your face towards it, and surrender to the will of the tireless rhythm with which the waves rush onto the shore. It is enough to follow the flight of a bird or a falling leaf in the autumn. Just look at how the clouds dance in the sky, alternately taking on thousands of fantastic forms. In the end, it is enough just to be able to read that open book, the pages of which life turns before us every day, but in which we value - and even then not always - only the cover.Dance was certainly an important part of ceremonies, rituals, ceremonies and entertainment before the birth of mankind. Shiva is depicted as a nataraj, a cosmic dancer, in very early representations. The earliest form of presenting dance in a structured way was the way myths were told and presented. Dance was also often used by the opposite sex to show affection. It is closely related to the act of love. Before the language of speech, dance was a means of passing stories from one generation to the next.
Dance was used very early to induce a trance-like state in healing rituals. The dance is still used in many cultures, from the Brazilian tropical forest to the Kalahari Desert. Many modern dance styles have their origins in historical, traditional, ceremonial and ethnic dances.
Musa-terpsichore
If the eyes do not see, then the body cannot dance. The piece of matter that we call the body only thrashes and writhes, as if in painful convulsions, and does not move in a harmonious rhythm. What remains is a creature that unfeignedly craves carnal satisfaction, and not the spiritual pleasure of beauty.
If the eyes do not see, then there are no sounds to compose music from. If beautiful melodies were to sound, they would awaken in our body the desire to move to the beat, in harmony and in proportion. But we are surrounded by loud, aggressive music, built on dissonance, or cloyingly sweet and slyly tender, and the lyrics are clearly dictated by degenerating fashion or the political system, which is also popular today.One category is the number of interactive dancers. There is solo dance, partitant and group dance. The dance is performed in different time: in ceremonies, in erotic settings, as a stage show, as a social event, among others. Many early forms of music and dance were created and performed together. Over the years, this second development continued into waltz, tango, disco, salsa, techno and hip-hop styles. Some musical genres have a parallel dance form: baroque music and baroque dance - classical music and classical ballet developed independently.
Jean-Marc Nattier Art Reproductions
Terpsichore, Muse of Music and Dance, c.1739
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California, USABehind all this tinsel the truth is not visible. And it lies in the fact that dance is dead, and its death is the victory of materialism, which promises false freedom that will never be achieved for the simple reason that it does not exist in the worlds where they are trying to find it. This false freedom is promised by the slogan “do what you want, and it will be my way.” Or “be more relaxed” - following the imposed fashion. You are obliged to recognize as beautiful that which causes disgust, and, closing your eyes, spin and jump madly, trampling on the very memory of the sacred Muse of rhythm and harmony. Among all the falsehood and meaninglessness of words, young people are not only hopelessly far from being able to dance; in their jumping and bodily untidiness, they became so depressed and degraded that they completely forgot the grace and grace of movement.
And I called upon Terpsichore. This call was born in the depths of my soul and burst out with force.Although the dance is often accompanied by music, it can also be performed independently or accompanied by one's own musical accompaniment, as in the case of tap-tan. When dancing occurs along with music, the rhythm of the music can be danced or opposed, which depends entirely on the style of dance. When a dance is danced without music, it dances to its own rhythm, which is indifferent to it.
Classification according to ethnic or regional characteristics
In the first century BC, many texts were written that attempted to codify aspects Everyday life. Bharata Munis The text Natyashastra is one of the first texts that tries to explain dance. Although main theme"Natyashastra" is a drama, dance is also widely considered. Since then, these two concepts have always been linked in India. The text describes various hand gestures or mudras and categorizes the movements individual parts bodies, baits and others. The Natyashastra classifies dance into four groups and into four regional distinctions.
Wolfgang Sauber. Villa Mulini - Kommode Goldbeschlag
And she came to me. Every movement of the Muse breathed grace that clothes could not hide. She walked through time, and her procession was a dance, the movements of which were music itself. No, Terpsichore did not die, because beauty never dies. I thought that no one would notice her presence, but everything that is Genuine is immutable... The vision was fleeting, but at that moment time and space lost their frightening absoluteness, and fashion bowed down bashfully in the face of what eternally was, is and will be.
He names groups as profane, ritual, abstract and interpretive. The concepts of different regions have changed and with it the diversity of Indian dance. From these beginnings arise the various classical styles that are now recognized. Classic Indian dances are deeply rooted in Natyashastra and thus rely on the same elements: mudras, some body holdings and dramatic or expressive drama. The tradition of classical Indian music provides the backdrop for the dance, and since percussion is part of the tradition, dancers wear almost every style of music small bells around their ankles to complement the drum music and establish counterpoint.
Terpsichore, created 1816 by Antonio Canova (1757-1822), in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.For just a moment the Muse of Dance was among us. No one knows her name anymore and no one will remember the art that she patronizes, but a vague melancholy has awakened in someone’s wretched body. It lost its wings long ago and can no longer fly or walk. And only it can raise its gaze to a fleeting vision, and the soul begs it to again become the same as before.
After all, the soul can dance. It lives in each of us, and it all depends on how much we ourselves constrain it. If the soul is in awe, the Greeks called it by the name of grace and harmony, Terpsichore. And if she cries, what should we call her?Punjab is an area stretching over parts of India and Pakistan, hence Bhangra. It is known as a music and dance style. It is usually associated with old festivals that are associated with the harvest, love, patriotism or social issues. Bhangra is not only music, but also dancing, a harvest festival in which people play "dol", "bolans" sing and dance. Sri Lankan demon dancers are a carefully prepared ritual that historically dates back to the pre-Buddhist period of Sri Lanka.
They combine ancient Ayurvedic concepts with the idea that diseases are caused by beings that must enter a person's aura and are forced to leave again. The dance combines many aspects including Sinhala cosmology. Dancing influences classical dancing Sri Lanka.
Delia Steinberg Guzman
Muse-Terpsichore at the Hermitage.
Many pictures are clickable.
Goddess of Dance - Terpsichore
According to the legends of the ancient Greeks, the muse of dance was called Terpsichore. She had eight sisters. On summer evenings, they held hands and danced in circles. On Greek frescoes and vases, sister muses hold hands. Dance was closely connected with music, singing, speech, and acting.
Greece The ancient Greeks had a specific dance for each deity that worked with the feelings that expressed the god. Thus, ecstatic dances were performed for Dionysus. Terpsichore, who dances with pleasure in dances, is considered the muse of choir and dance. An important testimony to Greek dance is Homer Ilias, in which he develops dance trochee. From these dances the concept of drama and comedy was introduced, which was usually performed by a chorus, whose movements as "choreography" in pieces were noted.
This led to the development of the concept of choreography. Ballet dance was first developed in Italy and then developed in France according to complex hopes, where music, drama, lyrics, songs, costumes and dance came together. Hofadel took part in demonstrations as a dancer. The amateurs of the noble court were replaced by professional dancers, and ballerinas were licensed by the French parliament.
Terpsichore (Teryicora)- muse of dance and choral singing. In Greek mythology, the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, one of the nine muses, the patroness of dance (sometimes of choral singing). She was depicted as a young woman in the pose of a dancer, with a smile on her face. She had a wreath on her head, in one hand she held a lyre, and in the other a plectrum. She is “enjoying round dances.” The muse reveals to people the harmony between the external and the internal, soul and body.
Ancient dance was based on strict adherence to rhythm, on a combination of rhythmic steps and appropriate hand movements. Dancing was mandatory academic subject in gymnasiums. It was believed that Terpsichore, the companion of the god of harmony Apollo, taught the soul to properly combine with the body. Postures and movements should be beautiful and harmonious, the dance should reflect the mood of thought and feeling.
The attitude towards dance in Ancient Greece is evidenced by the fact that Terpsichore was included in the pantheon of deities. The Greeks understood dance very broadly, viewing it both as gymnastics, a means of healing the body, and as a mimic art.
There is a myth according to which Terpsichore is the mother of the singer Lin (according to another version, his mother is Urania).
According to one version of the myth, Terpsichore gave birth to sirens from the god of the river Aheloy (Apoll. Rhod. IV 892-896; option: sirens are the children of Melpomene).
This muse is associated with Dionysus, attributing to her an attribute of this god - ivy (as stated in the inscription on Helicon dedicated to Terpsichore).
There is evidence that a temple dedicated to the muses existed in the Pythagorean school. In this temple, Pythagoras gave instructions to his disciples. Terpsichore, Erato and Thalia were in charge of earthly physics, the science of elements, stones, plants and animals.Soon after this, the first ballet group was organized, which was associated with the Academy. African American Dance Influences African American dances are those dances that developed in African American communities, more on the streets than in dance studios, schools or companies. This led to tap-tattoo, disco, jazz dance, swing, hip-hop and breakdancing.
At the beginning of the century in dance style an explosive innovation has emerged that is more related to freeriding with dance technique. The connection between music and dance is the basis for eurythmy, invented by Emile Jacquet-Dalcroze, which in turn influences the development modern dance And modern ballet, represented by artists such as Maria Rambert. The film recognizes the unique Primaballerina. For John Cranko it was absolutely clear: or not! After all, he immediately threatened that the 24-year-old dancer from Rio, previously only one of many group dancers in the Marquis de Cuevas ballet, was not immediately engaged - as the first soloist of her company!
Terpsichore and dance were not invented by the ancient Greeks for the sake of entertainment and pastime. Muse and dance are the result of thoughtful contemplation of Nature, where everything moves in rhythm according to unwritten laws.
To understand the spirit of the dance, it is enough to immerse yourself in the rustle of dense foliage. Without leaving the branches, the leaves dance and sing, giving birth to a symphony of green shades, enchanting the eye and ear. It is enough to sit on the seashore for a minute, turning your face towards it, and surrender to the will of the tireless rhythm with which the waves rush onto the shore. It is enough to follow the flight of a bird or a falling leaf in the autumn. Just look at how the clouds dance in the sky, alternately taking on thousands of fantastic forms. In the end, it is enough just to be able to read that open book, the pages of which life turns before us every day, but in which we value - and even then not always - only the cover.
The rest is history: the “ballet miracle of Stuttgart” began for “Heide.” Ten years later, Cranko's dance company was one of the best in the world, and Marcia Heide became one of the best dancers of the century. Her male counterpart on stage, his closest friend and longtime companion, was Richard Cragun, another superstar of the Stuttgart Ballet. They remained on stage, even after 16 years of acquaintance with his homosexuality and thereby plunging Marcia into a deep crisis.
We have made it our goal to support and maintain traditional greek dancing, music and dancing. We also want to create an archive with publications and information about Greek music, dance and customs. The question arises, of course, why this is so important to us, which is why we are creating an association. We are a people - Germans and Greeks - who love dance and worship.
No, Terpsichore did not die, because beauty never dies. Yes, perhaps no one will notice her presence, but everything Genuine is immutable....
The Muse of Dance has always been, is and will be among us. True, few people already know her name and the art that she patronizes. But perhaps a vague melancholy has awakened in someone’s body; it has long ago lost its wings and can no longer fly or walk. And only it can raise its gaze to a fleeting vision, and the soul begs it to again become the same as before.
After all, the soul can dance. It lives in each of us, and it all depends on how much we ourselves constrain it. If the soul is seized with trepidation, the Greeks called it the name of grace and harmony, that is, Terpsichore. And if she cries, what should we call her?Dance has played a very important role in the lives of the Greeks throughout their history. In early Greek societies, dance had a very high reputation. Today, Greece is probably one of the few places in the New World where traditional dance is still alive, intertwined with Greek everyday life.
In fact, traditional dances, as well as music and musical instruments, are passed down from generation to generation. It still continues today because people enjoy it and incorporate this tradition into their celebrations. Based on our association, we would like to contribute to ensure that this culture and tradition can also remain alive and be passed on to future generations.
