In ancient Greek mythology, the Muses were goddesses who inspired poetry, songs, and other literature and art. In Phaedrus, Socrates calls upon the Muses to help him make his speech, and he mentions the Muses’ inspiration of poetry as a praiseworthy form of “madness.”
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Muses Term Timeline in Phaedrus
The timeline below shows where the term Muses appears in Phaedrus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
234d-241d
Socrates calls upon the Muses for help with his speech. He opens by telling the story of a handsome young...
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244a-257b
...arts as “manic,” “thinking madness a fine thing when it comes by divine dispensation.” The Muses represent another type of divine madness, inspiring poetry that educates many generations, whereas if someone...
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257c-274a
...to legend, they used to be humans who sang ceaselessly until they died—will bestow the Muses’ divine gifts on them.
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