Polyhymnia

Roman statue of Polyhymnia, 2nd century AD, depicting her in the act of dancing.

Cast of Polyhymnia, Pushkin Museum, Moscow

Polyhymnia ( /pɒliˈhɪmniə/; Greek: Πολυύμνια, Πολύμνια; "the one of many hymns"), was in Greek mythology the Muse of sacred poetry, sacred hymn and eloquence as well as agriculture and pantomime. She is depicted as very serious, pensive and meditative, and often holding a finger to her mouth, dressed in a long cloak and veil and resting her elbow on a pillar. Polyhymnia is also sometimes accredited as being the Muse of geometry and meditation.^{[citation needed]}

In Bibliotheca historica, Diodorus Siculus wrote, "Polyhymnia, because by her great (polle) praises (humnesis) she brings distinction to writers whose works have won for them immortal fame...".

Literary Appearances

Dante's Divine Comedy: Paradiso. Canto XXIII, line 56.

In popular culture

• Polyhymnia is one of the main characters in the 1955 Tom Puss story De Muzenis.
• In the Danish movie "Mød mig på Cassiopeia" (Meet me on Cassiopeia) from 1951, Polyhymnia appeared before the main character, and inspired him to finish his work.
• American author Madeleine L'Engle named her fictional character Polly O'Keefe after Polyhymnia.

External links

• Facebook Page for Polyhymnia
• Primary sources and basic information concerning Polyhymnia
• Polyhymnia in painting