Who were the Greek muses? Zeus, the thunderbolt-wielding king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, had nine daughters, who were referred to as the nine Muses. The Muses were considered goddesses that brought inspiration. They inspired music, poetry, dance, and knowledge. It’s interesting to note that it took the union of Zeus,…

Both Homer’s monumental works of poetry, Iliad and Odyssey, began by invoking them. They can be seen flanking Rome’s greatest literary figure, Virgil, in mosaic tributes to the master. And it was to their shrines that no less than the philosophical likes of Socrates and Plato traveled to pay homage. Such was the weighty cultural…