Melpomene

Melpomene was one of the nine Muses, the goddesses of music, song and dance.

Residence: Mount Olympus
Symbol: Tragic mask, sword, wreath of ivy and cothurnus boots
Parents: Zeus and Mnemosyne
Siblings: The Muses

Mosaic Detail of Melpomene. Mosaic of the Muses, Vichten Roman Villa, 2nd-3rd c. AD. Luxembourg City History Museum.

In the Classical era, when the Muses were assigned specific artistic and literary spheres, Melpomene was named Muse of tragedy. In this guise she was portrayed holding a tragic mask or sword, and sometimes wearing a wreath of ivy and cothurnus boots. Her name was derived from the Greek verb melpô or melpomai meaning “to celebrate with dance and song.”

Roman statue of Melpomene, 2nd c. AD. (c) Wolfgang Sauber
Roman Mosaic of the Muses. Vichten Roman Villa, 2nd-3rd c. AD. Luxembourg City History Museum.
Hellenistic marble relief of Homer as a god with the Muses seen at the bottom, c. 225-205 BC, from Bovillae. British Museum.

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