Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities o ...

, Terpsichore (; grc-gre, Τερψιχόρη, "delight in dancing") is one of the nine

Muses In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

and goddess of

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

and

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

. She lends her name to the word "

terpsichorean In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; grc-gre, Τερψιχόρη, "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word " terpsichorean" which means "of or relating to dance". Appearanc ...

" which means "of or relating to dance".

Appearance

Terpsichore is usually depicted sitting down, holding a

lyre The lyre () is a string instrument, stringed musical instrument that is classified by Hornbostel–Sachs as a member of the History of lute-family instruments, lute-family of instruments. In organology, a lyre is considered a yoke lute, since it ...

, accompanying the dancers' choirs with her music. Her name comes from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

words τέρπω ("delight") and χoρός ("dance").

Family

Tradition portrays Terpsichore as the mother of the Sirens (including Parthenope) by the river-god

Achelous In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. According to Hesiod, he ...

. In some accounts, she bore the

Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...

king

Biston In Greek mythology, Biston ( Ancient Greek: Βίστων or Βιστών) was the son of Ares and Callirrhoe, daughter of river-god Nestus. His two brothers were Odomas and Edonus (eponyms of two Thracian tribes, the Odomanti and the Edoni). A ...

Ares Ares (; grc, Ἄρης, ''Árēs'' ) is the Greek god of war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war ...

. By another river-god, Strymon, Terpsichore mothered the Thracian king Rhesus.

In popular culture

Historical

*The British 32-gun

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed an ...

commanded by Captain Bowen participated in the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1797).

Places

* Terpsichore is the name of a street in New Orleans' historic neighborhoods of

Faubourg Lafayette The neighborhood of Faubourg Lafayette is a division in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is also known as the 10th Ward of New Orleans, and it is one of the city's 17 wards. Faubourg Lafayette was founded with small settlements around steambo ...

and the Lower Garden District. It runs alongside Euterpe and Melpomene streets, also named for Greek muses. * Terpsichorean is the name of the Choreography Society of Hans Raj College,

University of Delhi Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE ...

. * Terpsichore is the name of the Mississippi State University Dance Theatre Company in Starkville Mississippi.

Literature

*Terpsichore figures among her sisters in

Hesiod Hesiod (; grc-gre, Ἡσίοδος ''Hēsíodos'') was an ancient Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. He is generally regarded by western authors as 'the first written poet i ...

's ''

Theogony The ''Theogony'' (, , , i.e. "the genealogy or birth of the gods") is a poem by Hesiod (8th–7th century BC) describing the origins and genealogies of the Greek gods, composed . It is written in the Epic dialect of Ancient Greek and contain ...

''. *When '' The Histories'' of

Herodotus Herodotus ( ; grc, , }; BC) was an ancient Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus, part of the Persian Empire (now Bodrum, Turkey) and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria (Italy). He is known fo ...

were divided by later editors into nine books, each book was named after a Muse. Terpsichore was the name of the fifth book. * The character of Wilkins Micawber, Esq, Jr. is described as a "votary of Terpsichore", in an Australian newspaper brought to London by Dan Peggotty in 1850 novel ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

'' by

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

. * T. S. Eliot in the poem ''Jellicle Cats'' from ''

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' (1939) is a collection of whimsical light poems by T. S. Eliot about feline psychology and sociology, published by Faber and Faber. It serves as the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical ''Cats'' ...

'' (1939), refers to the "terpsichorean powers Jellicle Cats as they dance by the light of the Jellicle Moon. * Terpischore "Choral Dance" is the name of a chapter in Theresa Cha's ''Dictee''. * "Some Terpsichore" is the title of a short story in a 2014 book, ''Thunderstruck and Other Stories'', by Elizabeth McCracken. * Terpsichore is referenced in George Orwell's first novel '' Burmese Days'' (1934) in a dialogue by one of the minor characters, Mr. Macgegror. * Terpsichore Station is the name of a mining facility in the ''Star Wars'' novel ''Phasma'' by Delilah S. Dawson *Terpsichore is the immortal parent of Russian Jewish demigod Lavinia Asimov in Rick Riordan's '' Trials of Apollo'' series.

Music and dance

* ''Terpsichore'' (1612) is the title of a large collection of dance tunes collected by

Michael Praetorius Michael Praetorius (probably 28 September 1571 – 15 February 1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms ba ...

, some originating with Pierre-Francisque Caroubel and some later adapted for wind ensemble by Bob Margolis. *Terpsichore is also found in

François Couperin François Couperin (; 10 November 1668 – 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as ''Couperin le Grand'' ("Couperin the Great") to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented ...

's "Second Ordre" from the ''Pièces de clavecin.'' *The third version (HWV 8c) of

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

's opera '' Il pastor fido'' (1712) includes a new prologue written in 1734 titled ''

Terpsicore ''Terpsicore'' ( HWV)( 8b) is a prologue in the form of an opéra-ballet by George Frideric Handel. Handel composed it in 1734 for a revision of his opera ''Il pastor fido'' which had first been presented in 1712. The revision of ''Il pastor fido' ...

.'' * Terpsichore is a role in

George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze; ka, გიორგი მელიტონის ძე ბალანჩივაძე; January 22, 1904 (O. S. January 9) – April 30, 1983) was ...

's ballet ''

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

''. * The eighteenth century French dancer and courtesan Marie-Madeleine Guimard named the private theater in her private palace (1766) the Temple of Terpsichore. * The German-South African singer and composer Ike Moriz entitled his 2012 Jazz and Swing album "Siren Terpsichore" which includes his song of the same name.

Media

*In the 1947 film '' Down To Earth'',

Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...

plays Terpsichore, who is annoyed and visits Earth to change a musical that depicts her in a bad light. *

Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one s ...

plays the muse Terpsichore as "Kira" in the 1980 film '' Xanadu'', a film inspied by ''Down To Earth''. *Terpsichore is featured as a character in the 1997 Disney animated film ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

''. She appears in the ''Hercules'' animated series and plays an active role in the episode ''Hercules and the Muse of Dance'', where she tutors Hercules on his dancing to pass in phys ed.

Science

* ''Terpsichore'', a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Grammitidoideae named after the Muse

References

External links

*
Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (ca 40 images of Terpsichore)
{{Authority control Greek Muses Music and singing goddesses Women of Ares Women of Apollo Children of Zeus Characters in Greek mythology Thraco-Macedonian mythology Dance in Greek mythology Metamorphoses characters Greek goddesses Dance goddesses Wisdom goddesses Music in Greek mythology