Muses "music", and "musing upon". In current literature, the influential role that the Muse plays has been extended to the political sphere. In "Down to Earth", the Muses, espcially Terpsichore (Rita Hayworth), are offended by a vulgar Broadway musical called "Hot Muses", in which they are portrayed as besotted by two American flyers who crash-land on Parnassus. Terpsichore masquerades as a mortal to get the show "improved". All nine Muses appear in the 1980 film "Xanadu", with actress Olivia Newton-John as Terpsichore. Many of the Greek gods, including five of the Muses (Thalia, Clio, Calliope, Melpomene, and Terpsichore) appear in the
Muses medium of delivery was public recitation, were divided by Alexandrian editors into nine books, named after the nine Muses. For poet and "law-giver" Solon, the Muses were "the key to the good life"; since they brought both prosperity and friendship. Solon sought to perpetuate his political reforms by establishing recitations of his poetry—complete with invocations to his practical-minded Muses—by Athenian boys at festivals each year. He believed that the Muses would help inspire people to do their best. Ancient authors and their imitators invoke Muses when writing poetry, hymns or epic history. The invocation occurs near the beginning of their