courtyard of the
muses * of Pieria:

clio--the muse of
history

calliope--the muse of
epic song

thalia--the muse of
comedy and bucolic
poetry

melpomene--the
muse of tragedy

euterpe--the muse of
lyric song

erato--the muse of
love poetry

polymnia--the muse
of sacred song

urania--the muse of
astronomy

terpsichore--the
muse of dancing
THE MUSE'S COMFORTING

By Pierre de Ronsard**
Meseems I scarce could live, but for the Muse,
My faithful mate who follows here and there
O'er hills, fields, woods; and charms away my care
With beauteous gifts, and all my woe subdues.


If I am sad, I know no other ruse
To conquer grief, but call my comrade rare,
My Clio; straight she comes, and greets me fair
And graciously, nor ever makes excuse.


Would the nine Sisters might each season please
To make my house with their fair gifts replete,
Which rust can never spoil, nor frost, nor fire!


Thyme blossoms not so sweet for honey-bees
As their fair gifts upon my mouth are sweet,
On which high minds my feed and never tire.
** Translation by Curtis Hidden Page, from Songs & Sonnets of Pierre
de Ronsard, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1924 (reprint of 1903
translation)
* From Harper's Dictionary of Classical Literature and Antiquities; 1897         
                                             Edition

These are the Muses named by Hesiod circa 8th century BC in the
Theogony.   According to him, the Nine Muses are the daughters of Zeus
and Mnemosyne and dwell on Olympus.

For their attributes and the works they represent for Elfinspell's purposes,
see the pages.

Of course, they are not all-inclusive, so we are leaving our options open to
branch out in the future and include the other Muses that were mentioned  
in other years.


The Future might include the Courtyard of the Boeotian Muses--
these came before the Pierian Muses, brought by the Thracians from the
North, who invaded the land of Boeotia--an island on the western coast of
present day Greece.

Then, there is the Court of Apollo Mousagetes--the god of poets, who
has the Muses as his handmaidens