Polyhymnia

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

Polyhymnia (/pɒliˈhɪmniə/; Greek: Πολυύμνια, lit. 'the one of many hymns'), alternatively Polymnia (Πολύμνια) was in Greek mythology the Muse of sacred poetry, sacred hymn, dance, and eloquence as well as agriculture and pantomime.

Etymology[]

Polyhymnia name comes from the Greek words "poly" meaning "many" and "hymnos", which means "praise".[1]

Appearance[]

Polymnia 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 credited as being the Muse of geometry and meditation.[2]

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...".[3]

Family[]

As one of the Muses, Polyhymnia was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Mnemosyne. She was also described as the mother of Triptolemus by , son of Ares,[4] and of the musician Orpheus by Apollo.[5]

Dedications[]

On Mount Parnassus, there was a spring that was sacred to Polyhymnia and the other Muses. It was said to flow between two big rocks above Delphi, then down into a large square basin. The water was used by the Pythia, who were priests and priestesses, for oracular purposes including divination.[2]

In popular culture[]

  • In astronomy, there are nine asteroids named after the Muses. The one named after Polyhymnia is a main belt asteroid discovered by Jean Chacornac, a French astronomer, in 1854.[2]
  • Polymnia appears in Dante's Divine Comedy: Paradiso. Canto XXIII, line 56, and is referenced in modern works of fiction.

Gallery[]

  • Polyhymnia, Friedrich Ochs, 1857

  • Polyhymnia, Milano

  • Polyhymnia, Giovanni Baglione, 1620

  • Polyhymnia, Francesco del Cossa, 1455–1460

  • Polyhymnia, , 1869

  • Cast of Polyhymnia, Pushkin Museum, Moscow

Notes[]

  1. ^ "Polyhymnia". theoi. Retrieved 2016-09-12.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Polyhymnia". talesbeyondbelief. Retrieved 2016-09-12.
  3. ^ Diodorus Siculus Library of History (Books III - VIII). Translated by Oldfather, C. H. Loeb Classical Library Volumes 303 and 340. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1935.
  4. ^ Scholia on Hesiod, Works and Days, 1, p. 28
  5. ^ Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.23

References[]

External links[]

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