Inspiration (from the Latin
inspirare, meaning "to breathe into") refers to an unconscious burst of
creativity in a literary, musical, or other artistic endeavour. The concept has origins in both
Hellenism and
Hebraism. The
Greeks believed that inspiration or "
enthusiasm" came from the
muses, as well as the gods
Apollo and
Dionysus. Similarly, in the Ancient Norse religions, inspiration derives from the gods, such as
Odin. Inspiration is also a divine matter in
Hebrew poetics. In the
Book of Amos the prophet speaks of being overwhelmed by God's voice and compelled to speak. In
Christianity, inspiration is a gift of the
Holy Spirit.