Inspiration
Behn, borrowing from the classical tradition, begins the poem by addressing the nine Muses, who in the days of ancient Greece were considered to be responsible for dispensing divine inspiration and literary skill. Behn likewise presents Wilmot as a mortal version of a Muse: inspiring others and shedding his godlike wit and literary skill with them. This characterization does have a basis in fact, because Wilmot was known for mentoring other literary figures including Behn herself.
Beauty
Beginning with her characterization of Wilmot as Strephon, Behn presents the deceased man as a larger-than-life representation of male beauty, and as someone who appreciates female beauty. She commands the "Beauties"-- female objects of Wilmot's devotion and romantic attention-- to mourn the loss of one of their most charming and attractive servants.
Divinity
Various minor deities, such as the Muses and the "little gods" or manifestations of Eros or Cupid, are addressed in different sections of the poem. Yet in each address, the god or goddess in question is asked to behave in a fashion opposite to his or her nature. The Muses are not being asked to dispense inspiration, but to mourn the loss of their greatest and most effective tool. The Cupids likewise are being asked to break up their arrows and to leave the pieces as offerings.
Wilmot himself is presented as being like one of the gods of ancient Greece or Rome, dispensing wisdom, with, and insight wherever he goes. According to Behn, if he had been born in the age of Augustus Caesar (Imperial Rome) he would have been the most famous of poets, and would have been formally elevated to god status with temples built in his honor, as was customary for great men and women of the era.
