Helicon

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For other uses, see Helicon (disambiguation).

Helicon is the name of a mountain in the region of Thespiai in Boeotia, Greece (Kerenyi 1951 p 172), made famous in Greek mythology because two springs sacred to the Muses were located here: the Aganippe and the Hippocrene, both of which bear "horse" (hippos) in their toponym. In the late seventh century BCE, the poet Hesiod sang how in his youth he had pastured his sheep on the slopes of Helicon (Theogony, 23), where Eros and the Muses already had sanctuaries and a dancing-ground near the summit, where "their pounding feet awaken desire" (Hesiod, 8). There the Muses inspired him and he began to sing of the origins of the gods, Thus Helicon became an emblem of poetical inspiration. Hesiod mentions other springs that were the haunt of the Muses: "They bathe their lithe bodies in the water of Permessos or of Hippocrene or of god-haunted Olmeios". On Helicon too was the spring where Narcissus was inspired by his own beauty.

In the Homeric Hymn to Poseidon, a brief invocation, the god is hailed as "lord of Helicon".

Helicon was the inspiration for the balls held by Hungarian composer Leó Festetics at his castle near Keszthely. Festetics also named the library he founded Helikon Library, promoting literacy and culture in his home city.

Helicon Arts Cooperative, an arts charity and film production company in Hollywood, is named after Mt. Helicon.