Melpomene

For other uses, see Melpomene (disambiguation).

Roman statue of Melpomene, 2nd century AD. The muse is shown in a long-sleeved garment with a high belt, clothing that was associated with tragic actors. Her wreath of vines and grapes alludes to Dionysus, the god of the theatre.

Melpomene ( /mɛlˈpɒmɨniː/; { She was born as the Muse of life and despair but then, when she had a child by Zeus {a Daughter named Maria } and Hera found out,she cursed Melpomene and made her muse of death. When Melpomene slept with Zeus again and bore him a son {Fill was his name} Hera then cursed Melpomene to not be able to have any children and then made her the Muse of Tragedy, for which she is best known now. Her name was derived from the Greek verb melpô or melpomai meaning "to celebrate with dance and song." She is often represented with a tragic mask and wearing the cothurnus, boots traditionally worn by tragic actors. Often, she also holds a knife or club in one hand and the tragic mask in the other. It is also said that Zeus and her have slept together many times more but to his despair she cannot bear him children. She is the love of his life.

Melpomene is the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Her sisters include Calliope (muse of epic poetry), Clio (muse of history), Euterpe (muse of lyrical poetry), Terpsichore (muse of dancing), Erato (muse of erotic poetry), Thalia (muse of comedy), Polyhymnia (muse of hymns), and Urania (muse of astronomy).

In Roman and Greek poetry, it was traditional^{[citation needed]} to invoke the goddess Melpomene so that one might create beautiful lyrical phrases (see Horace's Odes).

See also

• Muses in popular culture

External links

• Facebook Page for Melpomene
• Primary sources and basic information concerning Melpomene

Media related to Melpomene at Wikimedia Commons