Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Fine arts: muses and the proto-Indo-Euro language

The 9 Muses (Ancient Greek; perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *men- "think"[2]) in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature are the goddesses or spirits who inspire the creation of literature and the arts.

Calliope / Epic poetry / Writing tablet
Clio / History / Scrolls
Erato / Lyric poetry / Cithara (an ancient Greek musical instrument in the lyre family)
Euterpe / Music / Aulos (an ancient Greek musical instrument)
Melpomene / Tragedy / Tragic mask
Polyhymnia / Choral poetry / Veil
Terpsichore / Dance / Lyre
Thalia / Comedy / Comic mask
Urania / Astronomy / Globe and compass

Famously in Louisiana these are 9 street names in historic New Orleans.

The archaic poet Sappho of Lesbos was given the compliment of being called "the tenth Muse" by Plato. The phrase has become a somewhat conventional compliment paid to female poets since.

Proto - first
Indo - refers to India and its Aryan invaders.

It is important to recognize the ancient flow of language (Sanskrit to Farsi to Greek and Latin) from India to Persia to Europe.


Music?

Warhol loved Top 40 such as Motown hits. Eventually he produced the Velvet Underground, a sort of folk-rock group.
Rembrandt lived during the Baroque era. Music by JS Bach would have been his milieu.

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