In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; ) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses". Mythology Calliope had two famous sons, Orpheus and Linus, by either Apollo or King Oeagrus of Thrace. She taught Orpheus verses for singing. According to Hesiod, she was also the wisest of the Muses, as well as the most assertive. Calliope married Oeagrus in Pimpleia, a town near Mount Olympus. She is said to have defeated the daughters of Pierus, king of Thessaly, in a singing match, and then, to punish their presumption, turned them into magpies. In some accounts, Calliope is the mother of the Corybantes by her father Zeus. She was sometimes believed to be Homer's muse for the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Roman epic poet Virgil invokes her in the Aeneid. In some cases, she is said to be the mother of Sirens by the river-god Achelous. Another account adds that Calliope bore Rhesus to the river-god Strymon. Depictions Calliope is usually shown with a writing tablet in her hand. At times, she is depicted carrying a roll of paper or a book, or wearing a gold crown. She is also depicted with her children. The Italian poet Dante Alighieri, in his Divine Comedy, refers to Calliope: American songwriter Bob Dylan dedicates the fourth verse of his 2020 song "Mother of Muses" to her: "I’m falling in love with Calliope / She doesn’t belong to anybody - why not give her to me? / She’s speaking to me, speaking with her eyes / I’ve grown so tired of chasing lies / Mother of Muses wherever you are / I’ve already outlived my life by far". In the television programme The Sandman, Calliope was played by Melissanthi Mahut. Honours Calliope Beach in Antarctica is named after the nymph, as is the calliope hummingbird of North and Central America. See also Muses in popular culture Notes References Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. Online version