MELPOMENE

 MELPOMENE

"Melpomene forgets her dark alarms,
And Polyhymnia lays aside her psalms:

The fair Thalia smiles with brighter grace,

And gay Terpsichore suspends her pace."

H.P. Lovecraft, R. Kleiner, Laureatus, In Heliconem

"MELPOMENE was one of the nine Mousai (Muses), the goddesses of music, song and dance. In the Classical era, when the Mousai were assigned specific artistic and literary spheres, Melpomene was named Muse of tragedy. In this guise she was portrayed holding a tragic mask or sword, and sometimes wearing a wreath of ivy and cothurnus boots."

Aaron J. Atsma, The Theoi Project: Greek Mythology