Category: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

In this installment, we meet Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. Calliope is new at MOA, and as a new student she is anxious and wishes to prove her worth. She used to live with her sisters, but now she wants to show them that she is already mature enough and perfectly able to take care of herself. “She wanted to stand on her own two feet, to have them see her as the almost-teenager she was!” (p. 27). This is of course a universal feeling shared by almost all adolescents; the need to (...)

literary

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Amphitrite Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Calliope Cassandra Dionysus / Dionysos Marsyas Medusa Muses Pandora Persephone Pheme Poseidon Terpsichore Urania Zeus

Franciszek Kobryńczuk

How Apollo Turned Pierus’ Daughters into Magpies [Jak Apollo zamienił w sroki córki Pierosa]

Apollo, the god of beauty, is also the guardian of the nine Muses, for whom he cares deeply. Pierus, the king of Macedonia and father to nine daughters, states they could take the place of the Muses and be better. Apollo immediately turns Pierus’ daughters into magpies when he hears this boast. In the ending, the lyrical I says that he hears magpies outside his house every day at dawn and believes they are the counterparts of Clio and Erato because they bring him facts and rhymes.(...)

literary

YEAR: 2015

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Apollo Calliope Clio Erato Euterpe Macedonia Melpomene Metamorphosis Muses Pierides Pierus Polyhymnia / Polymnia Terpsichore Thalia Urania

Kate O’Hearn

Pegasus and the End of Olympus (Pegasus, 6)

This is the sixth and final book in the Pegasus series, which follows the adventures of Emily, a mortal girl from New York who one day discovers a wounded Pegasus on her rooftop. In the previous book, Emily and her friends went to Hawaii and later Emily and the Xan Riza who lived inside of her were separated into two different bodies. Lorin, the Titan who also inherited part of Riza’s Xan powers returned to Olympus with them and Emily must teach her how to control her powers with comp(...)

literary

YEAR: 2016

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Cupid Diana Hyperion Jupiter Pegasus Saturn Urania Vulcan

Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Persephone the Grateful (Goddess Girls, 26)

This story focuses on Persephone, the goddess girl of plants and nature. While traveling with her friend (and love interest) Hades to the underworld, Persephone meets the naiad Minthe, the caretaker of the river Cocytus. Minthe is a beautiful, green-haired nymph and Persephone thinks she shows too much interest in Hades. Minthe overhears Persephone complaining about the smells coming out of the river and is offended. She then exhibits open resentment to Persephone and complains to Hades that she(...)

literary

YEAR: 2020

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Antheia / Anthea Aphrodite Athena Hades Kydoimos Machai / Makhai Persephone Pirithous / Perithous Urania Zeus

June Epstein , Marjorie Howden

The Nine Muses: Five Plays for Ages 11 to 13

“The Nine Muses” (pp. 80–91) gives the title to the collection but it is the only play in the collection with a classical theme.A playscript about Ancient Greece that brings classical composers to Mount Olympus for child performers and audiences. The work includes plans for stage setting, notes on costume and props and a list of classical music to be performed during the performance. “Suggestions for original work” at the end of the play include dramatisations of on(...)

literary

YEAR: 1951

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Ancient Fashion Apollo Calliope Clio Erato Euterpe Greek Gods Greek Theatre Hermes Melpomene Muses Polyhymnia / Polymnia Terpsichore Thalia Urania