Euphrosyne
One of the three Graces, personification of joyfulness and good cheer
The Myth of Euphrosyne
Euphrosyne was one of the three Charites or Graces, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome. Her name means "mirth" or "good cheer," and she personified the joy that arises from social harmony, festivity, and the arts. Together with her sisters Aglaea and Thalia, she formed a triad representing the qualities that make life graceful and worth living: beauty, joy, and abundance. The three Graces were inseparable in art and worship, typically depicted dancing in a circle, two facing outward and one facing inward. They attended Aphrodite, danced with the gods at feasts, and were invoked at weddings and celebrations. The city of Orchomenus in Boeotia held ancient festivals in their honour, the Charitesia, which included musical and athletic competitions.
Parents
Zeus and Eurynome
Symbols
Fun Fact
The English word "euphoria" traces back through her name to the Greek root for cheerfulness and well-being
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Charites
⚡ godGrace, beauty, and festivity
Collective name for the three Graces who embodied charm, beauty, and creative inspiration
Thalia
⚡ godFestivity and abundance
One of the three Graces, personification of festivity and rich abundance
Aglaea
⚡ godBeauty and splendour
Youngest of the three Graces, personification of beauty and radiance who married Hephaestus
Thalia
⚡ godComedy and pastoral poetry
Muse of comedy and pastoral verse who inspires laughter and rustic song
Euterpe
⚡ godMusic and lyric poetry
Muse of music and flute playing who delights those who hear her melodies
Paidia
⚡ godPlay, amusement, childlike fun
The daimon of playfulness and carefree amusement, representing the lighter side of human experience
Polyhymnia
⚡ godSacred hymns and eloquence
Muse of sacred hymns and meditative poetry, often shown veiled and pensive
Jovial
💭 conceptCheerfulness, good humour, warmth
Cheerful and good-humoured, from Jove (Jupiter/Zeus), whose planet was thought to bring happiness.
Juno
⚡ godMarriage, childbirth, women, the state
Queen of the Roman gods and protector of women and the state, counterpart to the Greek Hera
Melpomene
⚡ godTragedy
Muse of tragedy who inspires dramatic works exploring suffering and fate
Hecate
⚡ godGoddess of crossroads, magic, and the liminal
The triple-formed goddess of crossroads, sorcery, and the boundaries between worlds — honoured by Zeus above all other deities.
Comus
⚡ godFestivity, revelry, nocturnal merrymaking
The god of festive celebration and the joyful excesses of the evening banquet