Calliope, a Muse apart. Some Remarks on the Tradition of Memory as a Vehicle of Oral Justice

Abstract

Our analysis of the special role of Calliope, the Muse of “the beautiful voice”, is based on four ancient Greek poetic texts: an extract from Hesiod’s Theogony, an elegy of Solon, a Pindar’s ode and a fragment of Empedocles. Indeed, Calliope is connected with a particular kind of speech. This speech embraces the notions of eloquence and persuasion, and therefore contributes to the application of justice and the peaceful settlement of social conflicts.

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