Calliope (or Kalliope) is the muse goddess of epic poetry and eloquence. By Hesiod and Ovid, she was called "The Chief of All Muses".
Role and Significance[]
She is one of The Nine Muses, a sisterhood of goddesses of literature, science, memory, the arts and creative inspiration who were believed to bless mortals with artistic gifts, help them in their creative endeavours and bring comfort and healing to the ill and heartbroken . Calliope's speciality is in Epic Poetry and Eloquence.
She and her Muse sisters had temples and shrines across Ancient Greece, but their strongest cults were in Mount Helikon and Pieria in Makedonia. The Castalian Spring near Delphoi was also sacred to The Nine Muses.
Genealogy and Family[]
Calliope was born the oldest daughter of the Olympian god, Zeus and Mnemosyne, Titan goddess of Memory. She and her sisters were lead and taught by their elder half-brother, Apollo.
Calliope wed Oeagrus, a mortal King of Thrace in Pimpleia and became the mother of Orpheus and Linus by either Oeagrus or the sun god, Apollo, depending on which account.
According to Strabo, she is mother of The Corybantes by Zeus and according to Apollodorus, she is the mother of Rhesus, King of Thrace by Strymon, a river god.
Fan Art of The Nine Muses.
Appearance and Personality[]
She was the leader and most confident of the Nine Muses and was considered to have an "ecstatic harmony" to her voice. Hesiod also mentioned her to be the wisest Muse.
In art, Calliope is shown as a beautiful, young woman, often with a writing tablet in her hand. She has also been depicted carrying a roll of paper or a book, or wearing a gold crown and is sometimes depicted with her children.
The Italian poet Dante Alighieri, in his Divine Comedy, refers to Calliope:
Here rise to life again, dead poetry!
Let it, O holy Muses, for I am yours,
And here Calliope, strike a higher key,
Accompanying my song with that sweet air
which made the wretched Magpies feel a blow
that turned all hope of pardon to despair
—
Myths[]
Calliope and her sisters were conceived in nine days and birthed nine months later by their mother, Mnemosyne, but in another account The Nine Muses emerged from the springs of Mount Helicon, after Pegasus, stamped his hooves on the ground, making them also classified as water nymphs.
The Nine Muses lived on the summits of Mounts Helicon, Parnassus, Pindus, or Olympus, haunting the wells, springs and fountains of rocky summits, which were sacred to them and to poetic inspiration. Their leader and teacher was the Olympian god, Apollo, also their elder half-brother, who helped them develop their skills and talents.
In one myth, the Muses judged a contest between Apollo and Marsyas. Calliope and her sisters also gathered the pieces of the dead body of Orpheus, her son, burying them in Leivithra.
In a later myth, Thamyris challenged them to a singing contest. They won and punished Thamyris by blinding him and robbing him of his singing ability.
According to a myth from Ovid's Metamorphoses—alluding to the connection of Pieria with the Muses—Pierus, king of Macedon, had nine daughters he named after the nine Muses, believing that their skills were a great match to the Muses. He thus challenged the Muses to a match, resulting in his daughters, the Pierides, being turned into chattering jays (with κίσσα often erroneously translated as 'magpies') for their presumption.
Relationships[]
Skills and Abilities[]
As a muse goddess, Calliope has eternal youth, immortality and perfect health, she is immune to tiredness, disease, illnesses and old age.
An inspirational figure, she can also bless people with artistic gifts and help them in their creative endeavours.
Symbols[]
Calliope's symbols are the Lyre, Tablet and Stylus.
Titles and Epithets[]
Like the other Muses, Calliope was given epithets based on where she lived, these included: Aganippides, Aonides, Camenae, Castaliae, Libethrides, Mnemonides, Pimpleae or Pimpleides, Ilisides, Meones, Pegasides, Pierides, Ardalides, Cytherides, Ianthiae, Partheniai.
Modern Depictions[]
Calliope (centre) in the animated Disney movie, Hercules (1997).
The Muse Calliope is a supporting character in Disney's 1997 movie, Hercules, voiced by Lillias White and animated by Michael Show, she is depicted as the leader and tallest of the Five Muses shown with high hair.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
Her name means 'beautiful voiced' and is spelt Καλλιοπη in Greek.
She was also called Kalliopeia spelt Καλλιοπεια in Greek.