CALLIOPE

In Greek mythology, 'Calliope' (''Kaliope'' or ''Kalliope'') (in Greek, ''Καλλιόπη'' pronounced Ka-Lye-Oh-Pee. — ''beautiful–voiced'') was the muse of epic poetry, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and is now best known as Homer's muse, the inspiration for the Iliad and the Odyssey.
She had two sons, Orpheus and Linus by either Apollo or the king Oeagrus, of Thrace. She was the oldest and wisest of the Muses, as well as the most assertive. She was the judge in the argument over Adonis between Aphrodite and Persephone, giving each equal time with him. She was represented by a stylus and wax tablets.
She is always seen with a writing tablet in her hand. At times, she is depicted as carrying a roll of paper or a book or as wearing a gold crown.

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Calliope in fiction

Calliope in fiction

Calliope is a character in the graphic novel ''Sandman'', by Neil Gaiman. Her story is in the collection ''Fables & Reflections''. According to the comic's canon, Morpheus was actually the lover and husband of Calliope, and the father of Orpheus. In another deviation from the traditional myths, Calliope is stated as being the youngest of the nine muses, rather than the eldest.
The author Nick Sagan, son of famous author Carl Sagan, also makes reference to Calliope in his debut novel, ''Idlewild''. In his book the main character, Halloween, suffers amnesia after a power surge, referred to as the Calliope Surge. The author also makes reference to Calliope being the daughter of Mnemosyne, the personification of memory.
In Jeffrey Eugenides' novel ''Middlesex'' the narrator, a hermaphrodite, is named Calliope, which is shortened to Cal after adolescence to denote the change in sex.
A magical woman named Calliope acts as a Muse for the protagonist of the novel ''Fool on the Hill'' by Matt Ruff. Though she is never explicitly said to be ''the'' Calliope of Greek Mythology, she is immortal, magical, and is described as enjoying Retsina and Feta, both Greek foods.
Tony Award winner Lillias White provided the voice for the muse Calliope in Walt Disney Pictures film ''Hercules (1997 film)''.
Jackie Hoffman will play the muse Calliope in the musical ''Xanadu'', which opens summer 2007 on Broadway.