MNEMOSYNE - Greek Titan Goddess of Memory (Roman Moneta) Mnemosyne Mnemosyne, Greco-Roman Antioch mosaic C2nd A.D., Hatay Archeology Museum MNEMOSYNE was Titan goddess of memory and remembrance and the inventress of language and words. As a Titan daughter of Ouranos (Uranus, Heaven), Mnemosyne was also a goddess of time. She represented the rote memorisation required to preserve the stories of history and the sagas of myth before the introduction of writing. In this role she was the mother of the Mousai (Muses) who were originally patron goddesses of poets of the oral tradition. Finally Mnemosyne was a minor oracular goddess like her sister-Titanesses. She presided over the underground oracle of Trophonios (Trophonius) in Boiotia (Boeotia). The Titanis (Titaness) Mnemosyne was sometimes named as one of three Elder Mousai (Muses) , who preceded the nine daughters of Zeus as goddesses of music.

FAMILY OF MNEMOSYNE [1.2] AITHER (or OURANOS ) & GAIA (Hyginus Preface) OFFSPRING [1.1] THE MOUSAI (by Zeus ) (Hesiod Theogony 53, Homeric Hymn IV, Orphic Hymn 76 & 77, Pindar Isthmian Ode 6, Terpander Frag 4, Alcman Frag 8, Apollodorus 1.13, Antoninus Liberalis 9, Hyginus Preface, Cicero De Natura Deorum 3.21) [1.2] THE MOUSAI (by Zeus ) (Pindar Paean 7, Terpander Frag 4, Aristotle Frag 842, Plato Theaetetus 191c) ENCYCLOPEDIA MNEMO′SYNE (Mnêmosunê), i. e. memory, a daughter of Uranus, and one of the Titanides, became by Zeus the mother of the Muses. (Hom. Hymn. in Merc. 429; Hes.

Theog. 54, 915; Diod. v. 67; Orph. Hymn. 76; Cic. De Nat. Deor. iii. 21.) Pausanias (i. 2. § 4) mentions a statue of Mnemosyne at Athens; and near the oracle of Trophonius she had a sacred well and a throne. (Paus. ix. 39. § 4, &c.) MNEME (Mnêmê), i. e. memory, was one of the three Muses that were in early times worshipped at Ascra in Boeotia. (Paus. ix. 29. § 2.) But there seems to have also been a tradition that Mneme was the mother of the Muses, for Ovid (Met. v. 268) calls them Mnemonides; unless this be only an abridged form for the daughters of Mnemosyne. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

ALTERNATE NAME SPELLINGS Mnemosyne goddess of memory, Greco-Roman Antioch mosaic C2nd A.D., Hatay Archeology Museum Hesiod, Theogony 132 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) : "She [Gaia, Earth] lay with Ouranos (Uranus, Sky) and bare deep-swirling Okeanos (Oceanus), Koios (Coeus) and Krios (Crius) and Hyperion and Iapetos (Iapetus), Theia and Rhea, Themis and Mnemosyne and gold-crowned Phoibe (Phoebe) and lovely Tethys. After them was born Kronos (Cronus)." Pindar, Paean 7 (trans. Sandys) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) : "But I pray to Mnamosyna (Mnemosyne), the fair-robed child of Ouranos (Uranus, Heaven)." Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 2 ff (trans.

Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "Ouranos (Uranus, Sky) . . . fathered other sons on Ge (Gaea, Earth), namely the Titanes (Titans) : Okeanos (Oceanus), Koios (Coeus), Hyperion, Kreios (Crius), Iapetos (Iapetus), and Kronos (Cronus) the youngest; also daughters called Titanides (Titanesses) : Tethys, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoibe (Phoebe), Dione, and Theia." Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 66. 1 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) : "The Titanes (Titans) numbered six men and five women, being born, as certain writers of myths relate, of Ouranos (Uranus, Heaven) and Ge (Gaea, Earth), but according to others, of one of the Kouretes (Curetes) and Titaia (Titaea), from whom as their mother they derive the name they have.

The males were Kronos (Cronus), Hyperion, Koios (Coeus), Iapetos (Iapetus), Krios (Crius) and Okeanos (Oceanus), and their sisters were Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoibe (Phoebe) and Tethys. Each one of them was the discover of things of benefit to mankind, and because of the benefaction they conferred upon all men they were accorded honours and everlasting fame." Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 29. 1 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : "The sons of Aloeus (Aloadae) held that the Mousai (Muses) were three in number, and gave them the names Melete (Practice), Mneme (Memory), and Aoide (Aeode, Song). But they say that afterwards Pieros (Pierus), a Makedonian (Macedonian) . . . came to Thespiae [in Boiotia] and established nine Mousai (Muses), changing their names to the present ones . . .

Mimnermos [epic poet C7th B.C.] . . . says in the preface that the elder Mousai (Muses) are the daughters of Ouranos (Uranus, Heaven), and that there are other and younger Mousai, children of Zeus." Pseudo-Hyginus, Preface (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "From Aether and Terra [were born various abstractions] . . . [From Caelum (Ouranos, Sky) and Terra (Gaia, Earth) were born ?] Oceanus, Themis, Tartarus, Pontus; the Titanes : Briareus, Gyes, Steropes, Atlas, Hyperion, and Polus [Koios (Coeus)], Saturnus [Kronos (Cronus)], Ops [Rhea], Moneta [Mnemosyne], Dione." [N.B. Hyginus' Preface survives only in summary.

The Titanes should be listed as children of Ouranos (Caelum) and Gaia (Terra) not Aither and Gaia, but the notation to this effect seems to have been lost in the transcription.] MNEMOSYNE MOTHER OF THE MUSES Symbols of Mnemosyne and the nine Muses, Greek mosaic from Elis C1st B.C., Archaeological Museum of Elis Hesiod, Theogony 915 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) : "And again, he [Zeus, after lying with Demeter] loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and of her the nine gold-crowned Moisai (Muses) were born." Hesiod, Theogony 53 ff : "Them [the Mousai (Muses)] in Pieria did Mnemosyne, who reigns over the hills of Eleuther [in Pieria, near Mount Olympos], bear of union with the father, the son of Kronos (Cronus) [Zeus], a forgetting of ills and a rest from sorrow.

For nine nights did wise Zeus lie with her, entering her holy bed remote from the immortals. And when a year was passed and the seasons came round as the months waned, and many days were accomplished, she bare nine daughters, all of one mind, whose hearts are set upon song and their spirit free from care, a little way from the topmost peak of snowy Olympos (Olympus)." Homeric Hymn 4 to Hermes 428 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th - 4th B.C.) : "First among the gods he [Hermes, inventor of the lyre] honoured Mnemosyne, mother of the Mousai (Muses), in his song; for the son of Maia was of her following." Pindar, Nemean Ode 7. 12 ff (trans. Conway) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) : "If success crowns a man's venture, sweeter then than honey the them he pours into the Moisai's (Muses') stream. But lacking the songs to praise them, the mightiest feats of valour can but find a sorry grave a deep darkness.

But for fine deeds a mirror to establish, one way alone we know if Mnamosyna's (Mnemosyne's, Memory's) shining diadem will grant recompense for their labours, in the glory of music on the tongues of men.". Pindar, Isthmian Ode 6. 74 ff : "The deep-bosomed daughters of golden-robed Mnamosyne (Mnemosyne, Memory)." Pindar, Paean 6 (trans.

Sandys) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) : "Ye Moisai (Muses) know all things, ye have had this ordinance allotted to yourselves along with the cloud-wrapt Father [Zeus], and with Mnamosyna (Mnemosyne, Memory)." Pindar, Paean 7 : "But I pray to Mnamosyna (Mnemosyne, Memory), the fair-robed child of Ouranos (Uranus, Heaven), and to her daughters [the Mousai (Muses)], to grant me ready resource; for the minds of men are blind, whosoever, without the maids of Helikon (Helicon), seeketh the steep path of them that walked it by their wisdom." Terpander, Fragment 4 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric II) (Greek lyric C7th B.C.) : "Let us pour libation to the Mousai (Muses), the daughters of Mnamas (Mnemosyne, Memory), and to the leader of the Mousai, Leto's son [Apollon]." Alcman, Fragment 8 (trans. Campbell, Vol.

Greek Lyric II) (Greek lyric C7th B.C.) : "Blessed Mosai (Muses), whom Mnamosyna (Mnemosyne, Memory) bore to Zeus having lain with him." Bacchylides, Fragment 63 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) : "Servant [bard] of the Pierians [Mousai] . . . (of) the mighty father's daughter [Mnemosyne]." Greek Lyric V Anonymous Scholia, Fragment 917c (trans. Campbell) (Greek lyric B.C.) : "Gentle-eyed mother Mousa (Muse) [Mnemosyne], keep company with the pure family of your children : we bring out a complex song, newly flowering with fresh-built skill." Plato, Theaetetus 191c (trans. Fowler) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) : "Mnemosyne (Memory), the mother of the Mousai (Muses)." Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 13 (trans.

Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "[By] Mnemosyne [Zeus fathered] the Mousai (Muses), the eldest of whom was Kalliope (Calliope), followed by Kleio (Clio), Melpomene, Euterpe, Erato, Terpsikhore (Terpsichore), Ourania (Urania), Thaleia (Thalia), and Polymnia." Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 9 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "Zeus made love to Mnemosyne in Pieria and became father of the Mousai (Muses)." Pseudo-Hyginus, Preface (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "From Jove [Zeus] and Moneta [Mnemosyne] [were born] : Musae (MUses)." Ovid, Metamorphoses 6. 114 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C.

to C1st A.D.) : "As a shepherd [Zeus] snared Mnemosyne." Nonnus, Dionysiaca 31. 168 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) : "Mnemosyne in the old time before us; how he [Zeus] lay by her side for nine whole nights, with eyes ever wakeful, full of passion for many children in that unresting bridal. Another allvanquishing god, winged like Hypnos (Sleep), little Eros (Love), conquered Kronides (Cronides) with a tiny dart." MNEMOSYNE GODDESS OF MEMORY & LANGUAGE Alcman, Fragment 133 (from Etymologicum Gudianum) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric II) (Greek lyric C7th B.C.) : "Mneme (Mnemosyne, Memory) : Alkman (Alcman), they say, calls her big-eyed, since we see the past by our thinking." Plato, Critias (trans.

Bury) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) : "Hermokrates (Hermocrates) : You must go and attack the argument like a man. First invoke Apollon and the Mousai (Muses), and then let us hear you sound the praises and show forth the virtues of your ancient citizens. Kritias (Critias) : Friend Hermokrates . . . But besides the gods and goddesses whom you have mentioned, I would specially invoke Mnemosyne (Memory); for all the important part of my discourse is dependent on her favour, and if I can recollect and recite enough of what was said by the priests and brought hither by Solon, I doubt not that I shall satisfy the requirements of this theatre." Plato, Theaetetus 191c (trans. Fowler) : "Sokrates (Socrates) : Can he [man] learn one thing after another? . . .

Please assume, then, for the sake of argument, that there is in our souls a block of wax, in one case larger, in another smaller, in one case the wax is purer, in another more impure and harder, in some cases softer, and in some of proper quality . . . Let us, then, say that this is the gift of Mnemosyne (Memory), the mother of the Mousai (Muses), and that whenever we wish to remember anything we see or hear or think of in our own minds, we hold this wax under the perceptions and thoughts and imprint them upon it, just as we make impressions from seal rings; and whatever is imprinted we remember and know as long as its image lasts, but whatever is rubbed out or cannot be imprinted we forget and do not know." Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 67. 3 (trans.

Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) : "Of the female Titanes (Titans) they say that Mnemosyne discovered the uses of the power of reason, and that she gave a designation to every object about us by means of the names which we use to express whatever we would and to hold conversation one with another; though there are those who attribute these discoveries to Hermes. And to this goddess is also attributed the power to call things to memory and to remembrance (mneme) which men possess, and it is this power which gave her the name she received." Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 39. 3 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : "[Part of the rituals at the oracle of Trophonios (Trophonius) at Lebadeia in Boiotia (Boeotia) :] He [the supplicant] is taken by the priests, not at once to the oracle, but to fountains of water very near to each other.

Here he must drink water called the water of Lethe (Forgetfulness), that he may forget all that he has been thinking of hitherto, and afterwards he drinks of another water, the water of Mnemosyne (Memory), which causes him to remember what he sees after his descent . . . After his ascent from [the oracle of] Trophonios the inquirer is again taken in hand by the priests, who set him upon a chair called the chair of Mnemosyne (Memory), which stands not far from the shrine, and they ask of him, when seated there, all he has seen or learned. After gaining this information they then entrust him to his relatives." Orphic Hymn 77 to Mnemosyne (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) : "To Mnemosyne (Memory), Fumigation from Frankincense. The consort I invoke of Zeus divine; source of the holy, sweetly speaking Mousai nine; free from the oblivion of the fallen mind, by whom the soul with intellect is joined. Reason's increase and thought to thee belong, all-powerful, pleasant, vigilant, and strong.

‘Tis thine to waken from lethargic rest all thoughts deposited within the breast; and nought neglecting, vigorous to excite the mental eye from dark oblivion's night. Come, blessed power, thy mystics' memory wake to holy rites, and Lethe's (Forgetfulness) fetters break." Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 1. 14 (trans. Conybeare) (Greek biography C1st to C2nd A.D.) : "When he [Apollonios of Tyana, pagan prophet C1st A.D.] reached the age of a hundred, he still surpassed Simonides in point of memory, and he used to chant a hymn addressed to Mnemosyne (Memory), in which it is said that everything is worn and withered away by time, whereas time itself never ages, but remains immortal because of memory." CULT & CULT ART OF MNEMOSYNE I. ATHENS Chief City of Attica (Attika) (Southern Greece) Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 2. 5 (trans.

Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) : "Here [in the shrine of Dionysos at Athens] there are images of Athena Paionia, of Zeus, of Mnemosyne and of the Mousai (Muses), an Apollon." II. TEGEA Town in Arcadia (Arkadia) (Southern Greece) Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 46. 3 : "Represented on the altar [of Athena at Tegea, Arkadia] . . . are also images of the Mousai (Muses) and Mnemosyne." III. HELICON (HELIKON) Mountain Sanctuary in Boeotia (Boiotia) (Central Greece) Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 29. 1 : "The first to sacrifice on Helikon (Helicon) to the Mousai (Muses) and to call the mountain sacred to the Mousai were, they say, Ephialtes and Otos (Otus), who also founded Askra . . .

The sons of Aloeus held that the Mousai were three in number, and gave them the names Melete (Practice), Mneme (Memory), and Aoide (Aeode, Song). But they say that afterwards Pieros (Pierus), a Makedonian (Macedonian) . . . came to Thespiae [in Boiotia] and established nine Mousai, changing their names to the present ones . . . Mimnermos [epic poet C7th B.C.] . . . says in the preface that the elder Mousai (Muses) are the daughters of Ouranos (Uranus), and that there are other and younger Mousai, children of Zeus." IV. LEBADEIA Town in Boeotia (Boiotia) (Central Greece) Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 39. 3 : "[Part of the rituals at the oracle of Trophonios (Trophonius) at Lebadeia, Boiotia (Boeotia):] He [the supplicant] is taken by the priests, not at once to the oracle, but to fountains of water very near to each other.

Here he must drink water called the water of Lethe (Forgetfulness), that he may forget all that he has been thinking of hitherto, and afterwards he drinks of another water, the water of Mnemosyne (Memory), which causes him to remember what he sees after his descent . . . After his ascent from [the oracle of] Trophonios the inquirer is again taken in hand by the priests, who set him upon a chair called the chair of Mnemosyne (Memory), which stands not far from the shrine, and they ask of him, when seated there, all he has seen or learned. After gaining this information they then entrust him to his relatives. These lift him, paralysed with terror and unconscious both of himself and of his surroundings, and carry him to the building where he lodged before with Tykhe (Tyche, Fortune) and the Daimon Agathon (Good Spirit). Afterwards, however, he will recover all his faculties, and the power to laugh will return to him." ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART Z19.1 Mnemosyne Goddess of Memory Greco-Roman Antioch Floor Mosaic C2nd A.D.

Z20.4 Symbols of Mnemosyne & Muses Greek Elis Floor Mosaic C1st B.C. SOURCES Mnemosyne Encyclopedia > Literature and the Arts > Classical Literature, Mythology, and Folklore > Folklore and Mythology Mnemosyne Mnemosyne (nēmŏsˈĭnē, nēmŏzˈ–) [ key ], in Greek mythology, the personification of memory. She was a Titan, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. The Muses were her daughters by Zeus. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. Mnemosyne | Article about Mnemosyne by The Free Dictionary Mnemosyne | Article about Mnemosyne by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Mnemosyne (nēmŏs`ĭnē, nēmŏz`–), in Greek mythology, the personification of memory. She was a Titan, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. The Muses were her daughters by Zeus.

Mnemosyne (religion, spiritualism, and occult) Mnemosyne, asteroid 57 (the 57th asteroid to be discovered, on September 22, 1860), is approximately 116 kilometers in diameter and has an orbital period of 5.5 years. It is named after the Greek goddess of memory, who was the mother of the Muses. The location of Mnemosyne by sign and house indicates something about how one remembers. When involved in inharmonious aspects, this celestial body may indicate a poor memory or unpleasant memories. Sources: Kowal, Charles T. Asteroids: Their Nature and Utilization. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Ellis Horwood Limited, 1988. Room, Adrian. Dictionary of Astronomical Names. London: Routledge, 1988. Schwartz, Jacob. Asteroid Name Encyclopedia. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995. Mnemosyne in ancient Greek mythology, a goddess from the generation of the Titans, the mother of the Muses by Zeus. She was the personification of memory.

In an allegorical sense, Mnemosyne means memory. Mnemosyne Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: References in periodicals archive ? Let us now return to the scenes of instantaneous, immaterial thought transfer--between Apollo and Mnemosyne in "Hyperion. MNEMOSYNE INCREASES SERIES A FINANCING BY $6M While Gombrich looks upon the strangely arranged material of the Mnemosyne panels (15) as on illustrative and practical solutions to represent the interrelations and interactions, Michaud treats the execution as a genre or a construction intentionally created exactly like that, something that is informative in itself. Representability and pathological discipline 5) Demonstrating the "profoundly religious attitude toward nature" that Aleksander Fiut sees in Milosz' work (1990, 2), Milosz' speaker is "[a]mazed that" his "Muse, Mnemosyne, / Has in no way diminished [his] amazement" of the oak forests through which he walks.

Hantman, Clea The music on this CD was originally written about 400 years ago by John Dowland (1563-1626), but as sung by tenor John Potter (of the Hilliard Ensemble), accompanied by Stephen Stubbs (lute), John Surman (soprano saxophone and bass clarinet), Maya Homburger (baroque violin), and Barry Guy (double-bass), this music takes on a timeless quality, a quality that has been the hallmark of many releases from ECM, such as the Jan Garbarek/Hilliard Ensemble recordings Officium and Mnemosyne. Dowland: In Darkness Let Me Dwell (ECM New Series 1697 465 234-2) Under the influence of Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory and mother of the Muses, he wants to peel away the multilayered masks that make up his identity, even as he acknowledges the myriad deformations reflected in the mirrors of the enormous funhouse that is his life. Mnemosyne | Mythology Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share This article about Mnemosyne is a stub .

You can help Mythology Wiki by expanding it . Mnemosyne in Greek mythology was a Titaness , a personification of memory and the mother of the Olympian Muses [1] . She also numbered among the Mousai Titanides, the Muses of the Titans. Mnemosyne (right) aids a man's memory (by symbolically placing her hand on his head). Titans, Cyclopes and Giants Roman Gods Greek Mythology Titans, Cyclopes and Giants The Greek Mythology Titans appeared after Gaia, Mother Earth, lay with her son Uranus and through the union, 18 children were born: 3 Giants - Cottus, Briareus and Gyges. Each of them had 50 head and 100 arms. They will become the mightiest of Gaia's children where even the Titans and Olympians fear them. 3 Cyclopes - Brontes, Sterops and Arges. Each had only one eye, but their enormous size and strong limbs more than made up for it. 12 Titans - There were 6 sons and 6 daughters.

The daughters are: Theia , the early goddess of light Rhea , an earth goddess who would become the mother of the Olympian gods Themis , another earth goddess Oceanus , the eldest of the Titans and god of the primordial river and river itself Coeus , who would become the father of Leto. Crius , who would become the fater Astraeus Hyperion , an early god of the sun Iapetus , who would become the father of Prometheus Cronus , the youngest and most daring of the twelve Titans, who would revolt against Uranus. After the birth of his chidren, Uranus became fearful of their strength and power. He did not want to give up his power. So, as soon as Gaia had given birth to one of these chidren, Uranus would throw the baby back into Gaia's womb. Gaia was very uncomfortable with all her already-born children still stuck in her womb. When she couldn't endure it anymore, she hatched a plan to end the passions of Uranus so that no more children could be produced. Castrating Uranus Gaia needed the help of one of her children, but only one responded, it was Cronus, her youngest child Titan.

She gave Cronus a sharp adamantine sickle. Cronus hid and waited for his father to arrive. When Uranus came at night to lay with Gaia, Cronus struck by surprise. Seizing his fahter's genitals in his left hand, he sliced it off with the sickle on this right hand. He then tossed the organ into the sea. The organ covered with blood splattered over Gaia. From the blood, more children were born: Enrinyes (Furies) - Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megara. The avengers of wrong, who avenge perjury and crimes against one's own family Giants - Born in full armour and with spears in their arms. Also known as Gigantes (monstrous giants). Meliae - The "Ash Tree Nymphs" who would inhabit the forest of Greece. According to Hesiod, the organs bobbing in the sea gave rise to white foam. From the foam, Aphrodite (means "out of white foam"), the goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture arise. Naked and riding on a scallop shell, the sea carried her to Cythera island or Cyprus.

Naturally, Uranus was furious at Cronus and all his children. He cursed them with the name "Titans" which means "Overreachers". Cronus Reign After the Titans were freed, they made Cronus the their king and also freed the Cyclopes and Giants brothers from Tartarus. However, Cronus wasn't as kind a ruler either, before long he once again threw the Cyclopes and Giants back to dungeons in Tartarus. The 12 Titans were still free and eight of them married and had children: Theia and Hyperion - Gave birth to the sun (Helius) and two daughters Selene (the moon) and Eos (the dawn) Phoebe and Coeus - Had two daughers - Leto and Asteria Oceanus and Tethys - Associated with the seas. Their offspring include 3,000 rivers and 3,000 female Ocenanids Cronus and Rhea - The father and mother of the gods produced six children. Three daughers - Hestia, Demeter, and Hera and three sons - Hades, Poseidon and Zeus, who would soon be gods on Mount Olumpus.

As Cronus ruled the immortals, he was even more a tyrant than Uranus. He feared that the Gaia and Uranus' prophecy that he would one day be overthrown by his own son. To prevent this, he swallowed all his newborn whole as soon as they were born, so that they could do no harm. Rhea, grieving for the lost of her children, pleaded with her parents Gaia and Uranus when she conceived her sixth child, Zeus. They sent Rhea to Lyktos in Crete and when she gave birth to Zeus, she gave him to Gaia who hid him in a cave in Mount Dicte and nourished him. Meanwhile, Rhea returned to Cronus giving him a large stone wrapped in swaddling clothes. Cronus thinking that it was the newborn, swalloned the stone. Zeus Battle Against the Titans When Zeus grew up into a young man, he travelled to the oceans and sought the help of Metis, a wise Oceanid. Metis gave him an emetic potion. Zeus returned and disguised as Cronus' cupbearer he gave Cronus the drink.

After Crounus drank the potion, he threw up all his children, including the stone he swallowed. Once Zeus was in control, he battled the nearly invincible Titans with the help of his siblings. The combat continued for 10 years but a stalemate resulted. Gaia foretold that Zeus can only win if they had the help of their uncles, the Cyclopes and Giants still imprisoned in Tartarus, the Underworld. Zeus raced down to Tartarus, killed the jailer (Campe) and freed his six uncles. The Cyclopes showed their gratitude by forging new weapons for their rescuers: For Zeus, thunder and lightning For Hades, the helmet of darkness , which made its' wearer invisible For Poseidon, a trident , which would become the emblem for the future god of the sea The Titans are now led by a new Titan Atlas who was hand-picked by the fellow Titans to replace Cronus. However, they were could not overcome Zeus with the new weapons and the help of the Giants and Cyclopes. Zeus finally overthrew the Titans and locked them deep in the depths of Tartarus, with the three Giants keeping watch.

Only one of the Titans, who had opposed Zeus avoided eternal imprisonment. For the Titan Atlas, Zeus ordered him to lift up the sky and bear the weight of the heavens forever on his head and shoulders. As for his supporters, unlike his father and grandfather, Zeus rewarded them handsomely. This ensured his reign as lord of the gods would last forever. Myth of Mnemosyne Close Who was Mnemosyne in Greek Mythology? Mnemosyne is the personification of memory. She was a Titaness, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia. Zeus coupled with her in Pieria for nine consecutive nights, and she later gave birth to the Nine Muses. There was a spring dedicated to Mnemosyne before the Oracle of Trophonius at Lebadea. The mortals who came to consult the Oracle had a choice afterwards to either keep their Memory and drink from the Spring of Mnemosyne or to forget their past and drink from the Spring of Lethe. The children of Mnemosyne, the Muses, were not only divine singers, whose music delighted Zeus and other gods; they also presided over thought in all its forms: eloquence, persuasion, knowledge, history, mathematics and astronomy.

The oldest song of the Muses is the one sung after the victory of the Olympians over the Titans to celebrate the birth of a new order. They were often referred to as the Pierides in Poetry. The Muses took part as singers in all the great celebrations held by the gods. The Name & Role of the Nine Muses Calliope Mnemosyne (Greek deity) - Credo Reference Topic Page: Mnemosyne (Greek deity) Definition: Mnemosyne from Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable The goddess of memory (Greek mnēmē) and mother by ZEUS of the nine MUSES of Greek mythology. She was the daughter of heaven and earth (URANUS and GAIA). Summary Article: MNEMOSYNE from Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology In Greek myth, Mnemosyne was the personification of memory. She played a personal role in only one story, that of her affair with Zeus, king of the gods, which produced nine offspring—the Muses, the goddesses of the arts. However, Mnemosyne's symbolic significance ensured that she was an important member of the Greek pantheon, since people recognized that storytelling and recorded history were impossible without memory.

Mnemosyne was one of the Titans, the 12 divine beings born from the union between Gaia (earth) and Uranus (sky). Some of the Titans personified aspects of the natural world—Oceanus (the world river), Hyperion (the sun), and Phoebe (the moon). Others represented abstract ideas. Mnemosyne belonged to the latter category, as did her sister Themis (justice), and—possibly, since the sources are not entirely clear—Coeus (intelligence) and Theia (sight). Birth of the Muses Unlike monotheists, who believe that creation was the action of a single god, ancient Greeks believed that the world was generated by a series of divine matings. Zeus, who became king of the gods after the Olympian deities defeated the Titans, fathered numerous divine beings through his affairs with a succession of female Titans, goddesses, and nymphs. He also sired many legendary heroes and demigods through a string of liaisons with mortal women. According to one story, after the Olympians defeated the Titans, they asked Zeus to create deities who would help them to celebrate their victory.

In response to their request, Zeus went from Mount Olympus to nearby Pieria, where he disguised himself as a shepherd and seduced Mnemosyne. The couple slept together for nine consecutive nights. The result of their union was the birth of nine female children. These were the Muses, each of whom held sway over one particular artistic form: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (flute playing), Erato (lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Thalia (comedy), Terpsichore (dancing), Polymnia (music), and Urania (astronomy). The exterior of this sarcophagus, dated about 150 CE, is decorated with bas-reliefs of the Muses, the nine daughters of Mnemosyne. Greek geographer Pausanias (143-176 CE) gives a different account of the origins of the Muses. According to him, the people of Sicyon in the northern Peloponnese believed that there were only three Muses, each of whom had responsibility for a different aspect of art in performance: Melete was the goddess of practice, Mneme of memory, and Aeode of song.

Pausanias further related that it was a man named Pierus, from Macedonia, to the north of Greece, who established belief in nine such goddesses. Pausanias is the only source of this alternative version, and it is likely that for most Greeks the Muses were always nine in number. Abstract concept Except for the story of the birth of the Muses, the character of Mnemosyne does not really figure in Greek mythology. This is perhaps unsurprising, since she was the personification of an abstract quality. Nevertheless, ancient writers occasionally described Mnemosyne's physical appearance. One Greek poet, Hesiod (fl. 800 BCE), wrote that she had "beautiful hair"; another, Pindar (c. 522-c. 438 BCE), described her as "golden-robed." A surviving fragment of poetry by Alcman, a Spartan of the seventh century BCE, refers to Mnemosyne's big eyes, and this has been taken as a reference to the fact that memory allows people to "see" their past. Although Mnemosyne had no other role than mother of the Muses, ancient Greeks still afforded the female Titan much significance.

They believed that she was present in the recollection of every story told, since all narrators need memory to tell their tales. This was particularly true in oral cultures. By the ninth and eighth centuries BCE, writers such as Homer had begun to record stories by writing them down, but many people could still neither read nor write, so they relied on the tradition of oral storytelling to learn about gods and heroes. Many sources reflect the symbolic importance of Mnemosyne, who not only personified memory, but also represented everything that memory made possible. An orphic hymn—from an undated collection of ancient Greek poems used by cult followers of the mythical musician Orpheus—describes how Mnemosyne freed the human mind from oblivion and, as a result, represented the joining of the soul with the intellect. In Critias—the title of which refers to one of the characters who take part in a series of dialogues—Greek philosopher Plato (c. 428-c. 348 BCE) discusses Mnemosyne's role in human intelligence. Critias explains that it is only because of his capacity to remember information and past events that he can participate in rational argument.

Language and history Elsewhere in the work of Plato, Critias goes even further, suggesting that Mnemosyne played a major part in the development of human speech. This role was elaborated by Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (90-21 BCE), according to whom Mnemosyne gave humans the capacity to name and remember everything they saw and felt, which therefore allowed them to hold conversations with each other. Diodorus did, however, acknowledge that not everyone assigned such a role to Mnemosyne. He suggested that some people believed the power of language was a gift to humans from Hermes, divine messenger and god of eloquence. Another source, the undated "Homeric Hymn to Hermes," establishes a connection between the two deities. The hymn relates that Hermes honored Mnemosyne and was one of her followers. Memory, Writing, and Forgetfulness Are books essential for culture and learning? We are brought up to believe that they are, but Greek philosopher Plato questioned this assumption. In his book Phaedrus he acknowledged the importance of memory for speech and intellect, but doubted the benefit of writing to memory.

Phaedrus contains an imaginary conversation between two Egyptian deities, Thamus, the chief god, and Theuth, a god of inventions. In the book, Theuth invents writing and shows it to Thamus, suggesting that the skill should be taught to all Egyptians. Thamus, however, doubts Theuth's assertion that writing will make people wiser and improve their memories. The chief god fears that writing will encourage forgetfulness, since people would no longer use their memory to recall names, events, and ideas, but would instead look things up in books. "You offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom," Thamus says, "for they will read many things without instruction • when for the most part they are ignorant." The importance of Mnemosyne reflects that of the mental capacity she represents. Memory is widely regarded as the foundation of everything that distinguishes humans from animals. It enables people to know who and what they are, and to retain that information. It is important at all times and in all cultures, but it was of particular significance in the ancient world, before scribes began to create and reproduce manuscripts. Memory remained crucial to the transmission of knowledge until the invention of the printing press in the 15th century CE.

Henceforth, authors needed to remember information only until they had written it down. Although memory is no longer so important to the survival and transmission of knowledge, it remains vital to human life. One of the ways in which people commit information to memory is with the aid of mnemonics—systems designed to assist or improve memory. Such aids—still important to modern people—were indispensable to ancient Greeks. Oral poetry was common in ancient Greek life; wandering bards and storytellers were able to entertain the Greek public using mnemonics to string together long recitals of tales they had learned or history they had experienced. In Lysistrata, Greek dramatist Aristophanes (c. 450–c. 388 BCE) invoked Mnemosyne's importance to history with the lines: "Holy Memory, reveal/the glories of yore:/how Spartans and Athenians/won the Persian war." This is a reference to the series of wars between the Greek states and Persia between 492 and 449 BCE. Ancient Greeks believed that the Muses inspired the writing and performance of songs that honored famous events and noble deeds.

Pindar wrote that, if people were successful, they would hope that the Muses would see to it that their success was recorded in song. Like their mother, the Muses—whose name in Greek means "remembrances"—were regarded as patronesses of memory. Honoring Mnemosyne Pausanias, in his travels around Greece in the second century CE, observed images of Mnemosyne and the Muses on the altar of Athena, goddess of arts and war, at Tegea in Arcadia, a mountainous region in the central Peloponnese. This was not the only example of Greeks honoring the female Titan: in his biography of the first-century CE philosopher Apollonius of Tyana, Philostratus (c. 170–c. 245 CE) recounted how Apollonius would chant a hymn to Mnemosyne. The hymn declared that, while everything is worn away by time, time itself does not age because of memory. Pausanias also told of a ritual in honor of Mnemosyne that was held at the oracle of Trophonius in Lebadea, a town of Boeotia in east-central Greece.

Anyone who wished to consult the oracle was taken by priests to two water fountains. Petitioners drank from the first fountain, which contained the waters of Lethe (Forgetfulness); thereafter they drank from the second, which contained the waters of Mnemosyne. They then consulted the oracle itself, and when they had finished they sat on a seat known as the chair of Mnemosyne, where the priests asked them to tell all that they had seen or learned. See also: ATHENA; GAIA; HERMES; MUSES; ORPHEUS; TITANS; URANUS; ZEUS. Further reading Bulfinch, Thomas. Bulfinch's Mythology. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2006. Pausanias, and Peter Levi, trans. Guide to Greece. New York: Viking Press, 1984. Plato, and Robin Waterfield, trans. Phaedrus. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Citation Greek Mythology: Personification. Representation of force and daughter of Pallas and Styx. Caerus Bald god or goddess representing a favorable memories, which should be cherished.

Ceto Mother of the Gorgons, she essentially is a goddess of danger [primarily of the sea]. Chaos A primordial void, nothingness. This god was asexual and had children himself, most notable Erebus and Nyx. The Latin poet Ovid gave "chaos" the meaning of unorder. Cratos Brother of Bia and representation of power. Deimos Along with Phobos, a son of Ares; god of terror and panic. Enyo Either the daughter or sister of Ares and personification of horror. She is known to linger on the battlefield during wars. Epimethus A Titan, brother fof Prometheus. His name means "afterthought". Erebus Son of Chaos and brother of night, he is the personification of darkness. Erinyes [Furies] Born from the castrated Uranus's genitals, 3 sisters, goddesses of vengence and revenge. Tisiphone -the Avenging God personifying lack of restraint, dwelling mostly among mortals. Mostly men are affected—I kid you not! Hygeia Goddess of health and often regarded as Asclepius's daughter.

Hymen Son of Aphrodite and Dionysus and patron of marriage. Hypnos Appropriately, the son of Nyx and Erebus and god of sleep. His twin was Thanatos. Leto A Titaness, mother of the devine twins Apollo and Artemis, and goddess of fruitfulness [earthly]. Lyssa "Frenzy", she was summoned by Hera to afflict madness on Heracles, whereupon he killed his children and, according to Euripedes, his wife Megara. Metis The daughter of Oceanos and Tethys and Zeus's first choice as a wife. She represented counsel. Mnemosyne A daughter of Uranus and Gaea and the mother of the Muses, her name means "memory". Moirae The Fates, 3 sisters who determine man's life: Clotho - the spinner Atropos - the inflexible Momus The sex of this god is unknown, some call Momus the daughter of night and others, such as Hesiod, say he was a son. Regardless, s/he represented mockery and sarcasm. Moros Son of Erebus and Nyx and brother of Thanatos, Moros was appropriately the god of doom.

Muses The daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, they were the arts: Calliope - epic poetry Rumors personified as a goddess. Philotes Another daughter of Nyx and goddess of affection. Ironically, her sisters included Eris and Apate. Phobos A son of Ares and brother of Deimos, he personified fear. Phoebe The daughter of Gaia and Uranus, she represented light. Her name is often used as an epithet for Artemis since she was the mother of Leto. Phospherus The god of the morning [star]. Phthonus no, that is not a typo —that's how you spell it! The son of Dionysus and Nyx, he represented envy. Plutus Often described as the son of Demeter, he was the god of wealth. Porus A son of Metis and husband to Penia, he represented expendiency. Pothos A son of Aphrodite, he was the personification of desire. Priapus

Question: In Greek mythology, the Titan Mnemosyne was the personification of what ?
Answer: MEMORY