Degas on the muses: " Alone and in a state of collectedness, that is how antiquity represents them.
If they get together by chance it is not to talk. Talking degenerates into argument. It is to dance that they gather. They don't mix otherwise."
(text not italicized = copied )
DIODORUS SICULUS - Greek historian who flourished in Sicily in the C1st BC. He wrote a history of the world in 40 books which included large sections devoted to myth, legend and the unusual customs of foreign tribes.
THE MUSES
[4.7.1] As for the Muses, since we have referred to them in connection with the deeds of Dionysus, it may be appropriate to give the facts about them in summary. For the majority of writers of myths and those who enjoy the greatest reputation say that they were daughters of Zeus and Mnemosynê; but a few poets, among whose number is Alcman, sate that they were daughters of Uranus and Gê.
-who was Dionysus mother? more likely
Semele
-Dionysus god of wine, agriculture, and fertility of nature, who is also the patron god of the Greek stage/ described as being womanly
-(Dionysus) fusion of a local Greek nature god, and another more potent god imported rather late in Greek pre-history from Phrygia (the central area of modern day Turkey) or Thrace (where?-importance through time?)
-(Dionysus) also known as Bacchus, the name adopted by the Romans- Bacchus had bad reputation including out of control orgies. `The rising of intoxication, the rising sexual excitement, and the drunk state of full ecstasy followed by release through orgasm and then a moment of peace and “at-one-ment”
-Unborn baby Dionysus sewed into Zeus’ thigh-possibly though Dionysus was sewn into Zeus’ penis rather than into his thigh could explain why Zeus gave a yell when he was born/ Dionysus was twice born- Father Zues killed Dionysus mother and sowed him into his own body
-Mnemosyne was Titan goddess of memory and remembrance and the invented language and words.
-(Mnemosyne was) daughter of Ouranos (Heaven), goddess of time/ represented the rote memorisation required, before the introduction of writing, to preserve the stories - history patron goddesses of the poets of the oral tradition/ oracular goddess like her sister-Titanes- presided over the underground oracle of Trophonios in Boiotia
(copied from)Hesiod, Theogony (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) :
"And again, he [Zeus, after lying with Demeter] loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and of her the nine gold-crowned Moisai (Muses) were born."
[4.7.2] Writers similarly disagree also concerning the number of the Muses; for some say that they are three, and others that they are nine, but the number nine has prevailed since it rests upon the authority of the most distinguished men, such as Homer and Hesiod
-Chaucer theory of music = from the "thrice three" spheres, and they from the Trinity
-music and melody cause of harmony = 3
-heavan hell and earth= 3
-origional 3 =Melete (Practice), Mneme (Memory), and Aoede (Song)
[4.7.3] To each of the Muses men assign her special aptitude for one of the branches of the liberal arts, such as poetry, song, pantomimic dancing, the round dance with music, the study of the stars, and the other liberal arts. They are also believed to be virgins, as most writers of myths say, because men consider that the high attainment which is reached through education is pure and uncontaminated.
-nine = largest one-figure integer/
-there are nine points to a cube -t's eight corners and it's center- the only place where it's seven dimensions intersect each other
- Macedonians festival in honour of Jupiter and the muses. It had been instituted by'king Archelaus ( Jewish leader, ruler of Samaria, Judaea and Idumea between 4 BCE and 6 CE.was deposed- died around 18yrs), and it was celebrated with stage plays, game , and different exhibitions, which continued nine days.
-odd John Lennon & number 9-- songs #9 Dream ( top chart position for #9 Dream in the U.S. was #9), Revolution #9, One after 909. Lennon was born on the ninth as was Sean, Brian Epstein first heard the Beatles play on the 9th day of the month, They got their first record contract on the 9th day of the month and John had met Yoko on the 9th day of that month. It was the 9th of December in the UK when he died. re Cynthia Lennons book "John".
-Is the name Moses related to the name muses?
-story that there were only three origional muses //Memory, meditation and song//- a decscion was made to put sculptures of the muses in the temple of Appolo -but after asking the top three scupltors to make representations of these - the nine resulting statues were so beutiful that all were kept- they were put into the temple and called the nine muses- and six other attributes of poetry were given to the new sisters.
-Why temple of Apollo? Alternative belief that the muses were born from Apollo and Memorie,
-vigins- pure, untainted, naive or inexperienced person- virga ="young shoot"
[4.7.4] Men have given the Muses their name from the word muein, which signifies the teaching of those things which are noble and expedient and are not known by the uneducated.27 For the name of each Muse, they say, men have fond a reason appropriate to her: Cleio is so named because the praise which poets sing in their encomia bestows great glory (kleos) upon those who are praised; Euterpê, because she gives to those who hear her sing delight (terpein) in the blessings which education bestows; Thaleia, because men whose praises have been sung in poems flourish (thallein) through long periods of time; Melpomenê, from the chanting (melodia) by which she charms the souls of her listeners; Terpsichorê, because she delights (terpein) her disciples with the good things which come from education; Erato,28 because the makes those who are instructed by her men who are desired and worthy to be loved; Polymnia, because by her great (polle) praises (humnesis) she brings distinction to writers whose works have won for them immortal fame; Urania, because men who have been instructed of her she raises aloft to heaven (ouranos), for it is a fact that imagination and the power of thought lift men’s souls to heavenly heights; Calliopê, because of her beautiful (kale) voice (ops), that is, by reason of the exceeding beauty of her language she winds the approbation of her auditors.
-The word museum comes from the Muses. It means "place of the Muses"
