This day, July 13th, marks the occasion of being one year since my Learn Something New Every Day blog was launched. It would be a more joyous event except for the fact that I’ve been delinquent on the “every day” part.
After a slow decline, this past month the blog has been silent. You see, unfortunately, I’ve misplaced my muse.
The Muses, from Greek, and later Roman, mythology, were gods. The original Muses were three sisters born to Gaia (“mother earth”). In later stories they were daughters of Zeus. Either way, their roles were the same; to inspire art.
In the time of ancient Greece, the inspiration went deeper. In fact, the Muses were the holders of all wisdom. At the time when all knowledge was passed around by reciting poems, the original poets didn’t claim to write them so much as to act as the voice of the Muses.
The first museums were temples built to worship the Muses. You can imagine the progression to the modern museum which remains a shrine to wisdom and art.
The word music, as well, is named for the Muses with their rhyming and rhythmic way of speaking in the ancient lyrical poetry.
In later years the Muses grew to nine, and each was assigned a specific genre to preside over. Clio was often depicted holding a scroll as she kept watch over the historians. Terpsichore played the lyre (a small harp) as she inspired dance.
Now, seeing as how we no longer believe in giant, all-powerful people who live in the sky and… er… well… since we don’t believe in the Greek mythology anymore, the specific Muse (with a capital M) has become the generic muse. It’s a title gifted to any person who inspires another’s creative work.
Until I figure out the mystery of my muse, I’m afraid this blog will remain sporadic.
- Source: Muse – Wikipedia
