Mnemosyne in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Mnemosyne

6 passages from 4 ancient authors that tell of Mnemosyne, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Mnemosyne was one of the Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaea, and goddess of memory. She was also occassionally referred to as Mneme; however, this wa... For the story in one place, read our article on Mnemosyne.

Hesiod (2)

Hesiod, Theogony 35–59The Muses' song of gods and men; their birth (35-59)Hesiod turns from his own story to the song of the Muses, who delight their father Zeus on Olympus by singing first of the race of the gods, then of Zeus himself, then of men and the strong giants. Mnemosyne (Memory) bears them to Zeus in Pieria after nine nights, nine daughters whose hearts are set on song.
Hesiod, Theogony 900–929tZeus's marriages and children; the birth of Athena (900-929)Zeus marries Themis (the Hours and the Fates), Eurynome (the Graces), Demeter (Persephone), Mnemosyne (the Muses), Leto (Apollo and Artemis) and lastly Hera, whose children are Hebe, Ares and Eileithyia. Zeus bears Athena from his own head, and Hera bears Hephaestus without Zeus. The section recounts again how Zeus swallowed Metis, who conceived Athena, and how she was born by the river Trito.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 1.3.1–6Zeus's children, the Muses, Orpheus and the birth of AthenaZeus marries Hera and has children by many goddesses, among them the Seasons, the Fates, the Graces, Persephone and, by Mnemosyne, the nine Muses. The Muses' sons include Linus and Orpheus, who goes down to Hades for Eurydice and loses her by looking back, as well as Hyacinth (loved by Thamyris and by Apollo), Rhesus and the Corybantes; Thamyris is blinded by the Muses and the Sirens are born of Melpomene. Hephaestus is born to Hera (alone, or by Zeus, in Homer's version) and thrown out of heaven, and Athena springs from the head of Zeus after he swallows Metis.

Diodorus Siculus (2)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.6.1–4.7.4Priapus, Hermaphroditus and the MusesThe historian gives an Egyptian myth of Osiris, slain and dismembered by the Titans, to explain Priapus, whom others call the son of Dionysus and Aphrodite, and he adds a short account of Hermaphroditus. He then treats the Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne in the usual account, quotes Homer and Hesiod for their number and names, and offers a reason for each name.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 5.64.1–5.67.5Early Crete: the Dactyls, the Curetes and the TitansThe Cretans claim that the Eteocretans were native to the island, and that the Idaean Dactyls discovered fire and the working of metals. They tell of the Curetes and of the Titans near Cnosus under Cronus' rule, whose age is described with lines of Hesiod, and of Hyperion's observation of the heavens.

Orpheus (attributed) (1)

Orpheus (attributed), Orphic Hymns 77–82Hymns 77-82: Mnemosyne, Aurora, Themis, the North, West and South WindsMnemosyne, the consort of Zeus and source of the Muses, is invoked to wake the memory of the initiate, and Aurora as the goddess whose rising ray leads on the day. Themis is hailed as the illustrious child of heaven. The last three hymns address the winds: Boreas, whose wintry blasts tear the air, Zephyrus of the west, who gives rest to weary labour, and Notus of the south, who drives the rain clouds.