9 Muses Test

Calliope

epic poetry, holds a laurel and homeric poems, name means "beautiful voice"

Cilo

history, holds a clarion and book, name means "to make famous"

Erato

love poetry, holds a lyre, name means "lovely and desirable"

Euterpe

lyric poetry, holds a double flute, name means "giver of many delights"

Melpomene

tragedy, holds a tragedy mask, name means "to celebrate with song and dance"

Polyhymnia

sacred poetry, holds a lyre, name means "many hymns"

Terpsichore

dance, holds a harp and wears a laurel, name means "delight in dance"

Thalia

muse of comedy and pastoral poetry, holds a Shepard's crook, name means "joyous"

Urania

astronomy, holds celestial globe and compass, name means "heavenly one"

What is the greek word for "muses"?

mouses

Who is the oldest muse?

Calliope

Which muse is the mother to Orpheus the Bard?

Calliope

Which muse was the mother of all sirens?

Melopomene

Who was the god of the largest river in Greece?

Achelous

Which muse introduced the Phoenician alphabet?

Cilo

Which muse was the mother of Hyacinth?

Cilo

Explain the story between Hyacinth and Apollo:

Apollo fell in love with Hyacinth but accidentally killed him with a stray discus throw. When Hyacinth died, his blood soaked into the ground and grew the Hyacinth flower.

What do we call a modern day "cithara"?

gutair

Which muse is often pictured with Eros?

Erato

Which muse is the mother of Linus?

Urania

What happened to Linus?

Apollo considered Linus a rival in musical talent, so Apollo killed him

Who is the muse of mimicry, often associated with parrots and crows?

Erato

Where does Urania rest her feet?

on a turtle

What do we call a modern day "lekythoi"?

an urn

Which muse is credited with inventing the flute?

Euterpe

Explain the competition between Marsyas and Apollo:

Marsyas was a saytr. Athene makes a double flute, but Apollo throws it away. Marsyas learns to play this double flute and competes against Apollo, who plays his kithara. Apollo wins the competition and ties Marsyas to a tree and beats him until he is skinned.

What happened in the musical competition on Mt. Helicon between the muses and the daughters of Pierus?

Pierus had 9 daughters and named each one after the muses. All the daughters could sing so they had a competition between them and the muses. The nymphs where the judges (controlled by Zeus, the muses' father). Pierus' daughters sang about how the Olympians fled from the Titans. The first muse sang, then Calliope sang about the greatness of the gods. The muses won. As punishment, Pierus' daughters were turned into magpies.

Who wrote the story of Pierus' daughters?

Ovid

Why is it ironic that the daughters of Pierus were turned into magpies?

magpies have awful songs

What happened in the competition between Thamryes and the muses?

Thamyres was the mortal grandson of Apollo. Thamryes could sing very well, so he challenged the muses to a competition. Thamryes said if he wins then he wants "his way" with each muse, so the muses agreed if they get to do whatever they want to him if they win. The muses won, so they gouged his eyes out and took away his ability to sing.

Where was Thamryes from?

Thrace

What happened when Hera was able to get the sirens to compete in a singing contest against the muses?

Hera convinces some sirens to sing against the muses and lost. They muses plucked all their beautiful feathers and wore them s crowns. The sirens were so upset that they turned white, went into the ocean and turned into small islands.