Epic Poetry
Calliope is tired of being the Muse for all the epic poems that human poets compose. He complains, "Like all poets he thinks only of himself. But it is surprising that he hasn't considered how many other men there were like him, every day, all demanding my unwavering attention and support. How much epic poetry does the world need?" All poets who want to come up with poems demand Calliope's attention. They depend on him to sing for them so that they can get words to put in poems. Calliope thinks the poets are selfish because they are not concerned about him.
Offerings
Calliope requires that an offering be presented to him before he can be an unnamed old man's Muse. The gods demand offerings before they grant the wishes of humans. Calliope asserts, "If he wants my help, he will make an offering for it. That is what mortals do…So I will give him his words when he gives me that brooch." The golden brooch is a valuable offering that would impress Calliope. Offering something to Calliope would make their bargain complete. It will be like a payment I return for words to be used in writing epic poetry.
Fire
Fire is symbolic of complete annihilation. Hayes describes how Creusa "caught sight of the flames through the small high window just outside her bedroom door…It was not her home which was ablaze. It was the citadel." The intensity of the fire means destruction will be colossal. The sparks spread rapidly, making it impossible to tame the fire.
