calliope - Calliope in fiction

A steam organ patented by J C Stoddard of Worcester, MA, in 1855. Most calliopes had about 15–30 whistles, operated by a keyboard, but some had many more. They were fitted to the top decks of river showboats, and could be heard for miles around playing popular tunes. They are also heard as part of some merry-go-rounds in amusement parks.

In Greek mythology, Calliope (Kaliope or Kalliope) (Greek: Καλλιόπη, 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 is always seen with a writing tablet in her hand, and sometimes carries a roll of paper or a book or wears a gold crown.

Calliope in fiction

Calliope is a character in the graphic novel Sandman, by Neil Gaiman. 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.

In Jeffrey Eugenides' novel Middlesex the narrator, a hermaphrodite, is named Calliope, is shortened to Cal after adolescence to denote the change in sex.

The Nine Muses / Greek Mythology

Calliope |