The Muses are the Greek goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences and inspire those who excel at these pursuits. Daughters of Zeus, king of the gods, and Mnemosyne ("memory"), they were born at Pieria at the foot of Mount Olympus. Their nurse, Eupheme, raised them along with her son, Crotus the hunter, who was transported into the sky as Sagittarius upon his death. Their name (akin to the Latin mens and English mind) denotes 'memory' or 'a reminder', since in the earlier times poets, having no books to read from, relied on their memories. The Romans identified the Muses with certain obscure Italian water-goddesses, the Camenae.
The original number of muses and their names varies in earlier times as their evolution blossomed in Greek mythology. At first, three muses were worshipped on Mount Helicon in Boeotia: Melete ("meditation"), Mneme ("memory"), and Aoede ("song"). Another three were worshipped at Delphi and their names represented the names of the strings of a lyre: Nete, Mese, and Hypate. Several other versions were worshipped until the Greeks finally established the nine muses in mythology as: Clio (History), Urania (Astronomy), Melpomene (Tragedy), Thalia (Comedy), Terpsichore (Dance), Calliope (Epic Poetry), Erato (Love Poetry), Polyhymnia (Songs to the Gods), Euterpe (Lyric Poetry).
Ephialtes and Otus, who also founded Ascra, were the first to sacrifice on Helicon to the Muses and to call the mountain sacred to the Muses. Sacrifices to the Muses consisted of libations of water, milk, or honey. Their companions are the Charities, the Horae, Eros, Dionysus, Apollo, Aphrodite, Harmonia, and Himerus (Desire). Apollo is the leader of the choir of the Muses and consequently he has the surname Musagetes.
Athena caught and tamed the winged horse Pegasus and gave him to the Muses. Some of their disciples included the Sphinx who learned her riddle from the Muses, Aristaeus, who learned the arts of healing and prophecy from them, and Echo, who was taught by them to play music.
In Plato's Phaedrus, Socrates says the locusts used to be men before the birth of the Muses. When song appeared when the Muses were born, some men were so overcome with delight that they sang constantly, forgetting to eat and drink until they eventually died. These dead men became locusts with a gift from the Muses allowing them to sing continuously from their birth until death without the need of sustenance. When they die, the locust go to the Muses and report which men on earth honors each, endearing a worshipper to the Muse he follows.
The Muses could be vindictive like in the story of the contest with Thamyris. Thamyris who excelled in minstrelsy challenged the Muses to a musical contest at Dorium in Messenia, the agreement being if he won he would take pleasure from all of them. The Muses won the contest, and bereft Thamyris of his eyes and minstrelsy.
In another story, the king of Emathia (Macedonia) and his wife Euippe had nine daughters and named them after the Muses. The daughters entered a contest with the Muses, were defeated and were metamorphosed by the Muses into birds called Colymbas, Iynx, Cenchris, Cissa, Chloris, Acalanthis, Nessa, Pipo, and Dracontis. These names were taken from actual names of birds such as the wryneck, hawk, jay, duck, goldfinch, and four others with no recognizable modern equivalents.
In yet another myth, it was said Hera, queen of the gods, persuaded the Sirens, who were described in early Greek mythology as having the bodies of birds and heads of beautiful women, to enter a singing contest with the Muses. The Muses won the competition and then plucked out all of the Sirens' feathers and made crowns out of them.
Many places were dedicated to the Muses such as the famous Valley of the Muses - Thespies on the eastern slopes of Mt. Helikon began it's "Mouseai" festivals in the 6th c. B.C. It was organized every 5 years by the Thespians. Poets and musicians from all over Greece also participated in various games (epic, poetry, rapsodia, kithara, aulos, satyric poetry, tragedy and comedy). It was common for ancient schools to have a shrine to the Muses called mouseion, the source of the modern word 'museum.' The famous Museum of Alexandria, founded by Ptolemy I, was a temple dedicated to the Muses. Before poets or storytellers recited their work, it was customary for them to invoke the inspiration and protection of the Muses.
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The Goddess speaks:
I am the Great Mother, worshipped by all creation and existent prior to their consciousness. I am the primal female force, boundless and eternal.
I am the chaste Goddess of the Moon, the Lady of all magic. The winds and moving leaves sing My name. I wear the crescent Moon upon My brow and My feet rest among the starry heavens. I am a field untouched by the plow. Rejoice in Me and know the fullness of youth.
I am the blessed Mother, the gracious Lady of the harvest. I am clothed with the deep, cool wonder of the Earth and the gold of the fields heavy with grain. By Me the tides of the Earth are ruled; all things come to fruition according to My season. I am refuge and healing I am the life-giving Mother, wondrously fertile.
Worship Me as the Crone, tender of the unbroken cycle of death and rebirth. I am the wheel, the shadow of the Moon. I rule the tides of women and men and give release and renewal to weary soul. Though the darkness of death is My domain, the joy of birth of My gift.
I am the Goddess of the Moon, the Earth, the Seas. My names and strengths are manifold. I pour forth magic and power, peace and wisdom. I am the eternal Maiden, Mother of all, and Crone of darkness and I send you My blessings of limitless love.
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LAMA is the Sumerian Goddess of intercession and protection. Also known as LAMASSU by the Akkadians, she acted as an intermediary between people and the Gods. Lama was usually depicted in human form, often appearing on seals introducing a king to a God or Goddess. In this form, she wore a long tiered robe and sometimes a horned tiara. As Lamassu, she was more often portrayed as a winged bull or lion with a woman's face, and served to protect temples and palaces. Lamassu is often confused with Lamastu, an Akkadian demon Goddess. Lama's name means "protective spirit."
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"RATI" IS THE HINDU GODDESS OF LOVE, PASSION, DESIRE, AND PLEASURE; HER NAME MEANS SEXUAL DELIGHT, AND HER PASSION INSPIRING POWERS SHARE SIMILARITIES TO THE ROMAN GODDESS OF LOVE, "VENUS", BUT UNLIKE "VENUS, RATI "IS NOT ALWAYS DEPICTED AS THE BEAUTIFUL, PERFECTLY SHAPED WOMAN. INDEED, SHE IS OFTEN SHOWN AS A HEAVILY PREGNANT WOMAN.
SHE IS THE FEMALE COUNTERPART OF "KAMADEVA", THE GOD OF LOVE AND DESIRE; SOME COMPARE HIM TO "CUPID." SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE SUN GOD, "DAKSHA, "YET, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS BORN FROM THE ELEMENT OF FIRE," RATI "IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELEMENT OF WATER AND IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE WATER GODDESSES KNOWN AS THE" APSARAS, "THE NYMPHS OF PARADISE", "WHO ARE RENOWNED FOR THEIR BEWITCHING, SHAPESHIFTING POWERS. IN FACT, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THEY POSSESSED THE POWERS TO SHAPE SHIFT INTO ALMOST ANYTHING THEIR HEART, OR THAT OF THEIR COMPANIONS, DESIRED.
THE "ASPARAS" FREQUENTLY TAKE ON THE APPEARANCE OF SEDUCTIVE WOMAN WITH LONG, DARK HAIR. THEY ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST WITH THEIR IRRESISTIBLE BEAUTY AND SEDUCTIVE TALENTS AND CAN TEMPT THE CELIBATE TO GIVE UP THEIR SOLITARY WAYS. SOME BELIEVE THESE ENCHANTRESSES SERVE AS ATTENDANTS TO "KAMADEVA. "
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