The steam calliope was named for the Muse of "beautiful voice" — deeply ironic for an instrument so deafeningly loud it was heard 12 miles away.
A steam-powered organ that produces sound by sending steam through large whistles. Named after Calliope, the Greek Muse of epic poetry.
From Latin Calliopē, from Greek Kalliópē (beautiful-voiced), from kallos (beauty) + ops (voice, face). The steam organ was named after the Muse around 1855 Key roots: kallos (Greek: "beauty"), ops (Greek: "voice, face, eye").
The calliope was named for the Muse of "beautiful voice" — an ironic choice, since the steam calliope is one of the loudest instruments ever created, audible from miles away. Circus calliopes could be heard up to 12 miles distant and had to be played at the rear of the parade because they drowned out every other instrument. The same Greek root kallos (beauty) gives us calligraphy