| When Homer wrote the Illiad, his opening words | | | | their origin from the Muses are music, mosaic, |
| were praises and prayers to the Muses. The Nine | | | | amuse and museum. The English word "muse" is |
| Muses of ancient Greece played an important role | | | | used the meaning of a person who gives |
| in the lives of all artists, musicians, authors, actors, | | | | inspiration to another. |
| philosophers and scientists. The Muses were | | | | A museum was originally a temple or shrine to |
| protectors of specific fields. The ancient Greek | | | | the Muses. The largest museum (temple of the |
| believed the Muses gave them the inspiration and | | | | Muses) was in Alexandria, Egypt. It was a place |
| the creativity to produce their works. Without the | | | | where the greatest minds came to study and |
| Nine Muses culture and fine arts would not | | | | meet with each other. The Museum of Alexandra |
| survive. | | | | had the largest collection of books known in the |
| The Nine Muses were the daughters of Zeus and | | | | Western World. It was rumored there were over |
| Mnemosyne (goddess of memory). The word | | | | half a million books in the library. Today a new |
| "memory" is derived from Mnemosyne. | | | | grand library has been built in Alexandria. It opened |
| Plato, the famous philosopher, had divine respect | | | | in October 2002. |
| for the Nine Muses. He was the founder of the | | | | The famous Nine Muses were named Calliope |
| Academy, which was a highly respected school. | | | | (Epic Poetry), Clio (History), Thalia(Comedy), Erato |
| Plato built an altar to honor the Nine Muses in the | | | | (Lyric Poetry), Euterpe (Music), Polyhymnia |
| library of the Academy. The first thing | | | | (Sacred Poetry), Melpomene (Tragedy), |
| Pythagoras requested when he arrived in Croton | | | | Terpsichore (Dance), and Urania (Astronomy). |
| was that they build a shrine to the Muses as | | | | The law-giver, Solon declared that the Muses |
| quickly as possible. | | | | were the key to the good life. Now it is time for |
| The name Muses comes from the Greek "mousa" | | | | you to find your muse and enjoy the good life! |
| which means song or poetry. Words which have | | | | |