Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse paintings of Melpoméne, she is represented with a tragic mask and also often holds in her other hand a knife or club. In Greek mythology, she is the daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who had eight other daughters, Melpoméne's sisters and the eight other muses are: Calliope, muse of epic poetry; Clio, muse of history; Euterpe, muse of flute playing; Terpsichore, muse of dancing; Erato, muse of erotic poetry; Thalia muse of comedy; Polyhymnia, muse of hymns; and Urania, muse of astronomy. Reynolds was inspired not only by Sarah Siddons' extreme talent to embody the tragic heroine in Macbeth, but
Goddess I the Classic Period: Goddess I can be depicted with the maize child in a carrying-strap on her back; in amorous embrace with an aged and lecherous old man, probably God N; as part of the 'harem' of God L (Princeton vase); and in encounters, sometimes markedly erotic, with animals such as armadillo, deer, spider monkey, and stinging insects. The combinations with animals are not well understood. They have been interpreted astronomically (on the assumption that goddess I is identical with the moon goddess), but could in principle also be viewed as metaphorical references to marriage; as mythological scenes; or as