77. Μνημοσύνης, θυμίαμα λίβανον.
To Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory
Divine connection: libanon (frankincense)
Μνημοσύνην καλέω, Ζηνὸς σύλλεκτρον, ἄνασσαν,
Queen[1] Mnemosyne[2] I call, Zenos’[3] marriage partner,
ἣ Μούσας τέκνωσ’ ἱεράς, ὁσίας, λιγυφώνους,
The Muses’[4] holy mother, hallowed, clear-voiced,
ἐκτὸς ἐοῦσα κακῆς λήθης βλαψίφρονος αἰεί,
Removed from the essence of evil[5] Lethe’s[6] harming of the mind eternal.
πάντα νόον συνέχουσα βροτῶν ψυχαῖσι σύνοικον,
All mind together contained, mortal souls together housed,
εὐδύνατον κρατερὸν θνητῶν αὔξουσα λογισμόν,
Kindly, mighty ruler, augmentor of mortal reasoning,
ἡδυτάτη, φιλάγρυπνος ὑπομνήσκουσά τε πάντα,
Sweetly extend the loving grip underlying memory to all,
ὧν ἂν ἕκαστος ἀεὶ στέρνοις γνώμην κατάθηται,
Bring forth each eternal heart’s pure, sacred knowledge,
οὔτι παρεκβαίνουσ’, ἐπεγείρουσα φρένα πᾶσιν.
In no way step away from awakening all minds.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρα θεά, μύσταις μνήμην ἐπέγειρε
Then, blessed Goddess, mystaes’[7] memories awaken
εὐιέρου τελετῆς, λήθην δ’ ἀπὸ τῶν δ’ ἀπόπεμπε.
From this holy completion rite, Lethe send forth, dispatch.
[1] Anassa means Queen, Lady, ruler.
[2] Mnemosyne is the immortal Goddess of memory: the memory’s (Μνη) + container/house/tower (μοσύν).
Orphic tablets instruct the deceased not to drink from the waters of Lethe (forgetfulness), which will cause them to forget their mortal life and become reincarnated, but to drink from the waters of Memory, and then to continue on into the lands of the blessed in the afterlife.
Interestingly, this hymn seems to suggest that Memory is a collective entity comprising the minds and souls of all mortals.
Μνη- literally means “medium-of (Μ) + tipping-point (ν) + center (η).”
The second and third syllables literally mean “medium-of (μ) + entity (ο) + synchronized (σύν).
The “tipping-point” in many words is the tipping-point between mortality, which is finite and limited, and immortality, which extends beyond mortal boundaries. In the case of memory, our capacity to remember enables us to extend beyond our immediate circumstances as well as to “eternally” remember the deceased, keeping their memory “alive.”
Memory also enables us to build on our experience to create art, science, literature—the provinces of the Muses—that endure past our mortal lives, enabling a kind of immortality through mortal works.
[3] Zenos is another name for Zeus, the immortal God of lightning storms and the spark of fire/spark of life, literally “spark (Ζ) + central (η) + tipping point (ν) + entity (ὸς).”
[4] Muses are immortal Goddesses who divinely inspire individuals to creative endeavors, literally “medium-of the (Μ) + essence; the primary real, the substratum underlying all change and process in nature; immutable realtiy (ούσἱας).” Muses are the daughters of Memory.
[5] Kakees (κακῆς) means wicked, evil, bad, literally “core/seed (κ) + arising-to (α) + core/seed (κ) + center (ῆ) + ς,” in other words, stunted, unfulfilled, unperfected.
[6] Lethe is the river of forgetfulness in the afterlife, literally “release/liberate (λ) + center (ή) + divine (θ) + ης.”
Psyche is the immortal Goddess of the soul, literally “incorporeal (ψ) + pure (υ) + foundation (χ) + αῖσι.”
[7] Mystae are initiates in the Mysteries, literally “medium (μ) + pure (ύ) + in-sync with (σ) + extension (ταις).”
To Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory
Divine connection: libanon (frankincense)
Μνημοσύνην καλέω, Ζηνὸς σύλλεκτρον, ἄνασσαν,
Queen[1] Mnemosyne[2] I call, Zenos’[3] marriage partner,
ἣ Μούσας τέκνωσ’ ἱεράς, ὁσίας, λιγυφώνους,
The Muses’[4] holy mother, hallowed, clear-voiced,
ἐκτὸς ἐοῦσα κακῆς λήθης βλαψίφρονος αἰεί,
Removed from the essence of evil[5] Lethe’s[6] harming of the mind eternal.
πάντα νόον συνέχουσα βροτῶν ψυχαῖσι σύνοικον,
All mind together contained, mortal souls together housed,
εὐδύνατον κρατερὸν θνητῶν αὔξουσα λογισμόν,
Kindly, mighty ruler, augmentor of mortal reasoning,
ἡδυτάτη, φιλάγρυπνος ὑπομνήσκουσά τε πάντα,
Sweetly extend the loving grip underlying memory to all,
ὧν ἂν ἕκαστος ἀεὶ στέρνοις γνώμην κατάθηται,
Bring forth each eternal heart’s pure, sacred knowledge,
οὔτι παρεκβαίνουσ’, ἐπεγείρουσα φρένα πᾶσιν.
In no way step away from awakening all minds.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρα θεά, μύσταις μνήμην ἐπέγειρε
Then, blessed Goddess, mystaes’[7] memories awaken
εὐιέρου τελετῆς, λήθην δ’ ἀπὸ τῶν δ’ ἀπόπεμπε.
From this holy completion rite, Lethe send forth, dispatch.
[1] Anassa means Queen, Lady, ruler.
[2] Mnemosyne is the immortal Goddess of memory: the memory’s (Μνη) + container/house/tower (μοσύν).
Orphic tablets instruct the deceased not to drink from the waters of Lethe (forgetfulness), which will cause them to forget their mortal life and become reincarnated, but to drink from the waters of Memory, and then to continue on into the lands of the blessed in the afterlife.
Interestingly, this hymn seems to suggest that Memory is a collective entity comprising the minds and souls of all mortals.
Μνη- literally means “medium-of (Μ) + tipping-point (ν) + center (η).”
The second and third syllables literally mean “medium-of (μ) + entity (ο) + synchronized (σύν).
The “tipping-point” in many words is the tipping-point between mortality, which is finite and limited, and immortality, which extends beyond mortal boundaries. In the case of memory, our capacity to remember enables us to extend beyond our immediate circumstances as well as to “eternally” remember the deceased, keeping their memory “alive.”
Memory also enables us to build on our experience to create art, science, literature—the provinces of the Muses—that endure past our mortal lives, enabling a kind of immortality through mortal works.
[3] Zenos is another name for Zeus, the immortal God of lightning storms and the spark of fire/spark of life, literally “spark (Ζ) + central (η) + tipping point (ν) + entity (ὸς).”
[4] Muses are immortal Goddesses who divinely inspire individuals to creative endeavors, literally “medium-of the (Μ) + essence; the primary real, the substratum underlying all change and process in nature; immutable realtiy (ούσἱας).” Muses are the daughters of Memory.
[5] Kakees (κακῆς) means wicked, evil, bad, literally “core/seed (κ) + arising-to (α) + core/seed (κ) + center (ῆ) + ς,” in other words, stunted, unfulfilled, unperfected.
[6] Lethe is the river of forgetfulness in the afterlife, literally “release/liberate (λ) + center (ή) + divine (θ) + ης.”
Psyche is the immortal Goddess of the soul, literally “incorporeal (ψ) + pure (υ) + foundation (χ) + αῖσι.”
[7] Mystae are initiates in the Mysteries, literally “medium (μ) + pure (ύ) + in-sync with (σ) + extension (ταις).”
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