3.6.3: Hymn to the Muses

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The nine muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory); each one held a different aspect of influence over the arts and science: Calliope–epic poetry; Clio–history; Erato–lyrical choral poetry; Euterpe–the flute; Melpomone–tragedy; Polyhymnia–mime; Terpsichore–light verse and dance; Thalia–comedy; Urania–astronomy. (Samuel Griswold Goodrich, Public domain, via Wikimedia)

In the opening lines of the poem, Hesiod praises the nine Muses, who inspired him while he was tending his sheep on Mount Helicon, and taught him to sing. The Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne [nee-MAHS-ih-nee], (memory), served as divine creative inspiration, those who granted their gifts to favorites. The Muses become his ethereal helpmates, further establishing his link to Zeus and underscoring the poet’s ethos to pen such an epic. Speaking of himself in the third person, and demonstrating his often-plainspoken style, Hesiod employs the voice of the Muses to balance with his own humble origins:

And one day they taught Hesiod glorious song while he was shepherding his lambs under holy Helicon, and this word first the goddesses said to me—the Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus who holds the aegis:

‘Shepherds of the wilderness, wretched things of shame, mere bellies, we know how to speak many false things as though they were true; but we know, when we will, to utter true things.’ (ll. 23-28)

However, Hesiod adds that while man knows enough to make up convincing lies, he still has the skill to speak the truth when needed. The Muses have gifted him a staff from a blooming laurel, the emblem of Apollo, patron of the Muses and of oracles, further validating his position to speak not only the truth, but to elevate the poem to a paeon to Zeus:

. . . and breathed into me a divine voice to celebrate things that shall be and things there were aforetime; and they bade me sing of the race of the blessed gods that are eternally, but ever to sing of themselves both first and last (II. 30-33).

Instructed by the Muses to speak of those who will "live forever," Hesiod pays homage to the gods with a hymn to the nine Muses who edify the poet of times past, before the days of Zeus when the earth was born out of Chaos. They speak of the rise of their father, Zeus, to the throne on Mount Olympus after his defeat of his own father, Kronos (Cronus):

. . . the goddesses sing of Zeus, the father of gods and men, as they begin and end their strain, how much he is the most excellent among the gods and supreme in power. And again, they chant the race of men and strong giants, and gladden the heart of Zeus within Olympus,—the Olympian Muses, daughters of Zeus the aegis-holder (II.47-53).

Hesiod continues describing how the Muses benefit mankind by gifting selected artists–himself included–with song, in addition to celebrating both the "august race of the first-born gods" and Zeus, the father of both the gods and men. They tell him how Zeus eventually defeats Kronos and divides power among the other gods, most significantly with his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Hesiod tells of how Zeus becomes supreme,

And he was reigning in heaven, himself holding the lightning and glowing thunderbolt, when he had overcome by might his father Cronos; and he distributed fairly to the immortals their portions and declared their privileges (II. 72-74).