It should be remembered that I didn't start the thread about the Muse or
even participate much in it. I wanted to contribute to what seemed a topic
of current interest to others here, so I posted a few relevant quotes
(without indicating whether or not I agreed with what they said) and
summarized some philological evidence. I believe it was only in one short
paragraph of my latest posting that I ventured an opinion of my own on the
Muse, and in that case it was more about ancient attitudes towards her than
the figure herself. My justification for offering any of this is that it's
clearly relevant to the discussion taking place. I would hope my comments
are of some value, even if only as things which can fruitfully be disagreed
with, to those interested in the poetry of the past and its sources, a
category which obviously includes a number of members of this list; I have
nothing I care to say one way or the other to people uninterested in these
subjects.
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