Roman statue of Melpomene, 2nd century AD. The muse is shown in a long-sleeved garment with a high belt, clothing that was associated with tragic actors. Her wreath of vines and grapes alludes to
Dionysus, the god of the theatre.
(Greek Μελπομένη, nowadays ) ("to sing" or "the one that is melodious") , initially the Muse of Singing, she then became the
Muse of Tragedy, for which she is best known now. Her name was derived from the Greek verb melpô or melpomai meaning "to celebrate with dance and song." She is often represented with a tragic mask and wearing the
cothurnus, boots traditionally worn by tragic actors. Often, she also holds a knife or club in one hand and the tragic mask in the other. On her head she is shown wearing a crown of
cypress. Melpomene is the daughter of
Zeus and
Mnemosyne. Her sisters include
Calliope (muse of epic poetry),
Clio (muse of history),
Euterpe (muse of lyrical poetry),
Terpsichore (muse of dancing),
Erato (muse of erotic poetry),
Thalia (muse of comedy),
Polyhymnia (muse of hymns), and
Urania (muse of astronomy).
In Roman and Greek poetry, it was traditional to invoke the goddess Melpomene so that one might create beautiful lyrical phrases (see
Horace's Odes).
See also
Category:Arts goddessesCategory:Greek goddessesCategory:MusesCategory:Greek mythologyCategory:Offspring of ZeusCategory:Ancient Greek theatreCategory:Music in Greek mythologyCategory:Articles lacking sources (Erik9bot)ar:ميلبومينيbn:মেল্পোমেনেbs:Melpomenabr:Melpomenebg:Мелпоменаca:Melpòmenecs:Melpomenéda:Melpomenede:Melpomeneel:Μελπομένηes:Melpómeneeo:Melpomenoeu:Melpomenefr:Melpomènegl:Melpómeneko:멜포메네hr:Melpomenait:Melpomenehe:מלפומנהla:Melpomenelb:Melpomenelt:Melpomenėlij:Melpomenehu:Melpomenénl:Melpomeneja:メルポメネーno:Melpomenends:Melpomene (Mythologie)pl:Melpomenept:Melpômenero:Melpomeneru:Мельпоменаsk:Melpomenasl:Melpomenasr:Мелпоменаsh:Melpomenafi:Melpomenesv:Melpomenetl:Melpomenetr:Melpomeneuk:Мельпоменаzh:墨爾波墨涅
