

In some representations, Erato also carries a golden arrow in reference to the god Eros (counterpart of the Roman god Cupid) who joined lovers with their arrows. That is why her representation is most idyllic: in one hand she carries myrtle and roses and with the other a lyre or zither (a stringed instrument invented by Hermes). The Muse of poetry and love, Erato, takes her name from the god Eros according to the story of Apollonius Rhodius in Argonautica. She is related to Pierus, king of Macedonia, with whom she had a son. In some representations also appears the globe and time, understanding history as a geographical and temporal concept.

It was Plato who turned the Muses into intermediaries between the intellectual creator and the gods for the production of work. In Greek mythology, the Muses are companions of the retinue of Apollo, god of music, poetry, and arts, and come down to earth to whisper and inspire ideas to those who invoke them. Then they were expanded to nine and Hesiod gave them their name. The Valkyries: Who Were These Female Norse Gods?.The three original muses are Aoide (voice and song), Melete (thought and meditation) and Mneme (memory). Zeus, the father of all gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, conceived for nine consecutive nights nine muses that have the gift of offering inspiration, each in their field. Greek mythology: Muse definition and meaning But who are those muses that whisper in Homer's ear the exciting story of Ulysses' return home? We tell you all about the Greek Muses. Thus begins Homer's Odyssey, a classic work that is considered the founder of Greek mythology and classical civilization. 'Muse, tell me of the man of many wiles.'.
