An ancient and obscure group of goddesses whose chief cult centre was Mount Helicon in Boeotia. Their festival occurred at four-year intervals at Thespiae, near Helicon. They may have begun life as the patrons of poets, but their influence soon extended to all liberal arts and sciences, and indeed to the encouragement in young children to enjoy and become skilled in the arts, literature and science. In the Odyssey there are said to be nine Muses, and by the time of Hesiod they had names: CLIO, EUTERPE, THALIA, MELPOMENE, TERPISCHORE, ERATO, POLYMNIA, URANIA and chief muse CALLIOPE. Their mother was the Titan MNEMOSYNE (Memory). Though the Muses were often spoken of as being virgins or unmarried, they were also described as being the mothers of mythological characters associated with poetry and song. Attempts were made by later writers to give each Muse responsibility for a distinct field of the arts and sciences; but lists differ widely
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