Helicon

Helicon hĕlˈĭkŏn [key], Gr. Elikón, mountain group, c.20 mi (30 km) long, central Greece, in Boeotia; it rises to 5,736 ft (1,748 m). Helicon formed part of the border between ancient Boeotia and Phocis. In Greek legend it was the abode of the Muses and sacred to Apollo. The fountains of Hippocrene and Aganippe are on the slopes of Mt. Helicon. The temple of the Muses was situated in the eastern part of the mountain, at the foot of which were Thespiae and Ascra, home of Hesiod.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Greek Physical Geography