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. The word "mnemonic" comes from her name.
Family[]
Mnemosyne is the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, and is a wife of Zeus. She gave birth to the Muses. Their names are:
- Calliope (epic poetry)
- Clio (history)
- Euterpe (music and lyric poetry)
- Erato (love poetry)
- Melpomene (tragedy)
- Polyhymnia (hymns)
- Terpsichore (dance)
- Thalia (comedy)
- Urania (astronomy)
In Greek mythology[]
Birth of the Muses[]
Zeus appeared in front of Mnemosyne in the form of a mortal shepherd to try and woo her. Mnemosyne slept with him for nine days in a row, each day giving birth to a new child. The children are the Muses.
The River Mnemosyne[]
Mnemosyne presided over a river that has the same name as her, that is located in the underworld. The dead who drink the water of the river remembered their past lives, while the dead who drank from the waters of the Lethe, forgot their past lives.
Gallery[]
[]
| Titans | |
|---|---|
| Parents | Ouranós • Gaîa |
| Elder Titans | Coeus • Crius • Cronus • Hyperion • Iapetus • Oceanus |
| Elder Titanesses | Dione • Mnemosyne • Phoebe • Theia • Rhea • Themis • Tethys |
| Coeonides | Asteria • Leto |
| Crionides | Astraeus • Pallas • Perses |
| Hyperionides | Eos • Hḗlios • Selene |
| Iapetonides | Atlas • Epimetheus • Menoetius • Prometheus |
| Oceanides | Potamoi • Rhode • Styx |
| Others | Anemoi • Astra Planeta • Kratos • Eurynome • Hecate • Lelantos • Melisseus • Metis • Nike • Ophion |
| Topics | Overthrowing of Ouranós • Titanomachy |
References[]
- ↑ Harvey, p.277