The Muses are any of nine sister goddesses, from Greek mythology, each of whom was regarded as the protectress of a different art or science.

They were daughters of Zeus (King of the Gods) and Mnemosyne (Goddess of Memory) and were born at Pieria at the foot of Mount Olympus. Their nurse, Eupheme, raised them along with her son, Crotus the hunter, who was transported into the sky as Sagittarius upon his death. Their name (akin to the Latin mens and English mind) denotes 'memory' or 'a reminder', since in the earliest times poets, having no books to read from, relied on their memories.