InGreek mythology,Hypate/ˈhɪpətiː/ (Ὑπάτη) was one of the threeMuses of thelyre who were worshipped atDelphi, where theTemple of Apollo and theOracle were located. Her name was also used to describe the first (lowest) note of the firsttetrachord in ancient Greek music, which was also the tallest string on the lyre. Her sisters who were worshipped along with her wereNete andMese, who also have notes named after them in ancient Greek music theory.[1] These three muses were comparable to the original three,Aoide,Melete, andMneme. Alternatively, they wereCephisso,Apollonis, andBorysthenis, which portrayed them as the daughters ofApollo.
In hisQuaestiones Convivales,Plutarch acknowledged the role ofUrania as the muse of the heavens, but also gave Hypate and her sisters an astronomical role. According to the text, the universe was harmonically divided into three parts: the fixed stars, the planets, and then everything under the moon. Hypate took care of the former.[2]
The name of the ancient city Hypate (nowYpati, a village inPhthiotis west ofLamia) is unrelated to this Muse. It has a different etymology meaning "the height of Oeta (Oiti)".
