Editorial: Memory, Muses, Mimesis

Memory Intimations of family ties between memory and narrative go way back, to the ancient Greek myth of Mnemosine, the mother of nine creative daughters known as the Muses. Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory in Greek mythology was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth), and, according to Hesiod, the mother (by Zeus) of the nine Muses. She gave birth to the Muses after Zeus went to Pieria and stayed with her nine consecutive nights. The Muses were goddesses of poetic inspiration, the adored deities of song, dance, and memory, on whose mercy the creativity, wisdom and insight of all artists and thinkers depended.

Calliope was the muse of epic poetry. Clio was the muse of history. Erato was the muse of love poetry. Euterpe was the muse of music. Melpomene was the muse of tragedy. Polyhymnia was the muse of sacred poetry. Terpsichore was the muse of dance. Thalia was the muse of comedy. Urania was the muse of astronomy.