Muses (sacred poetry) is often seen with a pensive expression; Terpsichore (choral dance and song) is often seen dancing and carrying a lyre; Thalia (comedy) is often seen with a comic mask; and Urania (astronomy) carries a pair of compasses and the celestial globe. Greek "mousa" is a common noun as well as a type of goddess: it literally means "art" or "poetry". According to Pindar, to "carry a "mousa"" is "to excel in the arts". The word derives from the Indo-European root "men-", which is also the source of Greek "Mnemosyne" and "mania", English "mind", "mental" and "monitor", Sanskrit "mantra"
Valley of the Muses Valley of the Muses The Valley of the Muses was the site of an ancient Greek sanctuary to the Muses and the "Mouseia" festivals held in their honor. It is an open-air historical site open permanently to the public. It is located at Thespies on the eastern slopes of Mount Helicon in Boeotia, Greece. The recorded history of the valley began in the 6th century BC. Its greatest period started in the 3rd century BC with the establishment of the "Mouseia" festivals (Grk "Μουσεῖα"), organised every fifth year by the Thespians. Poets and musicians from all over Greece participated in