Clio-History
Erato-Love Poetry
Euterpe-Song and Elegiac Poetry
Melpomene-Tragedy
Polyhymnia-Hymns
Terpsichore-Dance
Thalia-Comedy
Urania-Astronomy
The nine muses, who throughout history, have been invoked to inspire artists and writers. Milton, Chaucer, and Shakespeare have all called upon the muses for divine inspiration. The muses are the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and the Library of Alexandria has a shrine to these daughters that according to the Oxford English Dictionary is where the word museum is derived.
But my personal favorite use of the muses comes from an early 1980's film entitled, Xanadu. This film stars an aging Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John. Newton-John portrays a muse who is inspiring a young artists but in a twist of fate, the artist and the muse fall in love. However, Zeus will allow the lovers to continue their forbidden relationship. This movie is campy and cheesy as it littered with musical numbers and dancing. The culmination of the story is marked with music, dancing, and roller skating. While I am sure this movie would make Ovid turn over in his grave, it has inspired me to sing, dance and smile for many years, and for your viewing pleasure...
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