The most distinguished and important of the muses in Greek mythology is recognized by the laurel wreath combined with the tablet and the stylus that she is holding contemplatively to her lower lip. She had two sons, Orpheus and Linus,by either Apollo or King Oeagrus of Thrace. She is said to have defeated the daughters of Pierus (king of Thessaly) in a singing match, and then turned them into magpies. She is believed to have been Homer’s muse for the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry, c. 1836
by Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) Danish sculptor
Source: thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/en [Public Domain]

According to Greek mythology, the nine muses, the goddesses of music, poetry and other intellectual pursuits such as art, history, philosophy and astronomy were the daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne, born on Mount Olympus.