In Greek mythology, Polyhymnia (also spelled Polymnia; Ancient Greek: Πολύμνια / Πολυύμνια) is one of the nine Muses, the daughters of Zeus and the Titaness Mnemosyne. She presides over sacred poetry and hymn, and is also variously associated with dance, eloquence, agriculture, pantomime, geometry, and meditation. In art she is typically shown as a serious and pensive figure, veiled and cloaked, leaning thoughtfully on a pillar with a finger raised to her mouth.
Adapted from Wikipedia, "Polyhymnia" · CC BY-SA 4.0
I.Family
Like the other Muses, Polyhymnia is named as a daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Mnemosyne (Memory). Her eight sisters are Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Erato, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania, the nine together forming the canonical company of the Muses.
Ancient accounts assign her different children. In one tradition she is named as the mother of Triptolemus by Cheimarrhoos, a son of Ares, and in another she is given as the mother of the legendary musician Orpheus by Apollo.
II.Domain and role
Polyhymnia is most often identified as the Muse of sacred poetry and the sacred hymn, the songs of praise addressed to the gods. Beyond this central role she is connected with a wide range of spheres, including dance and eloquence as well as agriculture and pantomime.
Later tradition further credits her, in some accounts, as the Muse of geometry and of meditation, reflecting the contemplative and reflective character with which she came to be associated.
III.Depiction and legacy
In classical and later art Polyhymnia is portrayed as a serious, pensive, and meditative figure. She is commonly shown dressed in a long cloak and veil, resting her elbow on a pillar and often holding a finger to her mouth, an attitude expressing thought and quiet reflection.
She has remained an influential figure in classical and Renaissance art. Her name was given to the asteroid 33 Polyhymnia, discovered in 1854 by the French astronomer Jean Chacornac.