Calliope – The Muse of Epic Poetry
Q. Pomponius Musa. 56 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.88 g, 7h). Laureate head of Apollo right; plectrum behind / Calliope, the Muse of Epic Poetry, standing right, playing lyre which rests on column to right; Q · POMPONIVS to right, MVSA to left. Crawford 410/2a; Sydenham 811; BMCRR Rome 3606; Kestner 3374; Pomponia 9; RBW –. Deeply toned, some weakness to strike, minor roughness, die breaks on reverse. VF.
Ex Carol Ross Collection; Stack's (10 December 1987), lot 3380.
The Muses were nine divine maidens, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory), who embodied the human arts and sciences. They were Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (erotic poetry), Euterpe (music, lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (hymns), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), and Urania (astronomy).
