According to mainstream sources, the Muses – the Hellenic Goddesses of the Arts and Sciences – are either three, or nine, in total. However, in this book – The Greek Origin of Freemasonry, 1956, 2nd edition, p. 122 – there are ten of them:
Urania
Erato
Euterpe
Polymnia
Thalia
Terpsichore
Calliope
Cleo
Melpomene
Hestia
The first Muse – Urania – is the female version of the name of the planet Uranus. He is the God of the Sky: in Hellenic script this name means Sky (Ουρανóς). (Learn more here.) She is the Goddess of Astronomy: a Hellenic word meaning star (Astro) and law (Nomos). She rules Natural Law. (Learn more here.)
On pages 121 and 122 of the book that I have hyperlinked above, there is a poem that was sung to this Goddess in the Masonic Lodges of England during the eighteenth century:
“Wake the lute
and quiv’ring strings,
Mystic Truths
Urania brings;
Friendly visitant,
to thee the Depths
of Masonry;
Fairest of the
virgin choir,
warbling to the
golden Lyre;
welcome here,
The Art prevail
Hail, divine Urania,
Hail.”
Why are these Masonic English dudes singing this ode to a Hellenic Goddess?
The Muses – like other Hellenic Goddesses/Gods – represent forces, or aspects of Nature. It is interesting that in Hellenic lore, it is females that are associated with the sciences.
As I have stated in previous articles, in the beginning, it was the women who were the custodians of the Masonic Mysteries, which in its purest form, was/is Universal Knowledge. This Gnosis was taught at Universities which originated in Hellas.
Learn more in the following articles:
The High Priestess: Keeper of The Logos
The Hellenic (Greek) Origin of Masonry
