Search results

1

Mneme w greckich źródłach literackich epoki przedsokratyków. Część I: literatura archaiczna i przedsokratycy

100%

Narecki K.

Roczniki Humanistyczne

|

2018

|

vol. 66

|

issue 3: Filologia klasyczna

207-231

EN

The aim of the article is to trace, in chronological order, the occurrence and the semantic scope of the term mneme (μνήμη) in the preserved Greek literature of the Presocratic period (8th-5th century BC). The noun mneme is an example of the so-called nomina actionis for it designates the activity of „remembering,” i.e. it belongs to the psychological sphere, on the one hand; and „memory”, i.e. the ability or mental power itself by means of which one performs the act of remembering, on the other. Taking into account the preserved context, philological analysis includes 11 instances of using the word mneme in the texts of 10 different authors. The results show that the root *mnā- constituting the word mneme allows for a wide scope of the term – much wider than the contemporary Polish term “pamięć” (memory). The root reveals meanings not recorded by the complete Greek dictionaries, including the largest ones: Greek-English Lexicon (Liddell, Scott, Jones) and The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek (Montanari), as well as the lexicons of individual writers’ works. The meanings deciphered here can be classified in the following order: (1) intellectual “power or ability to remember” (Simonides, Eleg. 14) – such meaning of mneme appears for the first time in the history of the term; (2) “memory/recollection of somebody or something” (Hesiod, B 8 D.-K.; Theognis, Elegiae I, 798; Heraclitus, B 126a D.-K); (3) “admiration, respect, recognition, fame” (Hesiod, B 8 D.-K.; Bias, 10 [73a] Die Sieben Weisen, D.-K.; Epicharmus, B 6 D.-K. / 254 Kaibel) – these are the new semantic meanings of mneme, absent from Greek dictionaries, similarly to the subsequent meanings: (4) “awareness” (Aesop, Proverbium 111); (5) “knowledge” (Anaxagoras, B 21b D.-K.); (6) “thought” (Ion, Jacoby F 3b, 392, F fragment 1; Democritus, B 191 D.-K.); (7) “time” (Democritus, B 191 D.-K.) and (8) “care” (Theognis, Elegiae I, 1114). Thus already at the beginning of its development, the term of mneme was assigned meanings which have remained unknown and unrecognised in modern times. These meanings were widely used both in everyday language and in literature and philosophy of the subsequent periods of Greek culture, especially in Plato’s thought and in the writings of his most distinguished student, Aristotle.

PL

Celem artykułu jest prześledzenie (w porządku chronologicznym) występowania i jednocześnie zbadanie zakresu semantycznego pojęcia mneme (μνήμη) w zachowanej literaturze greckiej epoki przedsokratyków (VIII-V w. przed Chr.). Rzeczownik mneme należy do tzw. nomina actionis, oznacza bowiem z jednej strony czynność (1) „pamiętania” należącą do sfery psychologicznej, jak i (2) „pamięć”, tj. samą ‘zdolność’ czy ‘władzę umysłową’, za pomocą której osoba dokonuje aktu zapamiętywania. Analizie filologicznej, uwzględniającej zachowany kontekst, poddano 11 miejsc użycia mneme w tekstach 10 autorów. Jej wynik pokazuje wyraźnie, iż konstytuujący mneme rdzeń *mnā- nadaje temu pojęciu szerokie pole semantyczne, o wiele bardziej pojemne niż we współczesnym polskim terminie „pamięć”, ujawnia bowiem takie sensy, których nie zarejestrowały jeszcze całościowe słowniki języka greckiego, zwłaszcza dwa największe słowniki: Greek-English Lexicon (Liddell, Scott, Jones) oraz The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek (Montanari), a także leksykony do twórczości poszczególnych pisarzy. Ustalone przez nas znaczenia można uporządkować następująco: (1) intelektualna „władza, zdolność zapamiętywania” (u Simonidesa, Eleg. 14; takie znaczenie mneme pojawia się po raz pierwszy w historii tego terminu); (2) „pamięć o kimś lub o czymś” (Hezjod, B 8 D.-K.; Teognis, Elegiae I, 798; Heraklit, B 126a D.-K.); (3) „podziw, szacunek, uznanie, sława” (Hezjod, B 8 D.-K.; Bias, 10 [73a] Die Sieben Weisen, D.-K.; Epicharm, B 6 D.-K. / 254 Kaibel) – to nowe znaczenia semantyczne mneme, nieobecne w słownikach języka greckiego, podobnie jak kolejne: (4) „świadomość” (u Ezopa, Proverbium 111), (5) „wiedza” (u Anaksagorasa, B 21b D.-K.), (6) „myśl” (u Iona, Jacoby F 3b, 392, F fragment 1; u Demokryta, B 191 D.-K.), (7) „czas” (u Demokryta, B 191 D.-K.) i (8) „troska, dbałość” (u Teognisa, Elegiae I, 1114). Pojęciu mneme, niemal u progu jego rozwoju, zostają zatem nadane nieznane i nieodnotowane w czasach nowożytnych znaczenia, które w kolejnych okresach historii kultury greckiej znalazły szerokie zastosowanie zarówno w języku codziennym, jak również w literaturze i filozofii, zwłaszcza w myśli Platona i w pismach jego najwybitniejszego ucznia Arystotelesa.

2

„Mneme” w „Dziejach” Herodota

100%

Narecki K.

Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium Graecae et Latinae

|

2018

|

vol. 28

|

issue 2

5-25

EN

The word mneme, “memory”, appears 16 times in the Histories of Herodotus. The author, using the philological analysis of all its occurrences, investigates not only its significance in specific contexts but also defines and names functions that the word has in its place of use. Finally, the author classifies the identified meanings of the word mneme (in combination with the accompanying verbs) and compares its functions (as defined by the context).

3

Z badań nad pojęciem pamięci – mneme w dramacie greckim. Część I: Mneme w utworach Ajschylosa i Sofoklesa

100%

Narecki K.

Collectanea Philologica

|

2018

|

issue 21

5-23

EN

The aim of the study, which is a continuation of this type of research (based on Greek literary sources of the Presocratic era), is to determine the meanings of the concept of mneme – “memory” in the works of Aeschylus and Sophocles, as well as to determine the function it plays in a given place. Linguistic and literary analysis of 12 instances of a noun mneme in Aeschylus (3) and Sophocles (9) shows that this concept reveals hitherto unknown semantic shades. Aeschylus gives mneme a new meaning of “worship” (in Suppliants). He also uses the already known: intellectual “power of memory” and for the first time in the history of Greek literature identifies “memory” with the mother of all muses – Mnemosyne (in Prometheus Bound). More often mneme appears in the works of Sophocles, which results from the functions performed there. After all, the intellectual “power of memory” and “memories” as the effects of its actions allow the characters to: (1) do well (and thus keep the moral order), (2) get to know the truth about ourselves (to recognize our own identity) changing the course of dramatic action as part of the peripeteia (the case of Oedipus), (3) lead (as the driving force) to destruction of heroes (Jocasta, Oedipus), (4) drive the action (as “thought”), (5) serve as a moral compass (in a new semantic shade “attention”, in Oedipus at Colonuss), (6) store a resource (memories) as a deposit in collective memory as a warning for posterity. And finally, for the first time in history, the concept of mneme as a tool of mimesis is used in Oedipus Rex in the new sense: “the ability to (re)create” (inspired by Mnemosyne) or otherwise: “poetic art of reconstruction” of dramatic events. Defined meanings (semantic shades) of mneme can be divided into 2 groups. The first group includes those that take rational value: “power / ability to remember”, “thought”, “attention”), while the other holds the expressive meanings: “worship, honour, commemoration”, “(re)creative, poetic reconstruction”. It seems that the Greek tragedians were aware of the role that mneme can play in their works: whether in the depiction of the characters, or as an element that drives the action, or in recalling, in various ways, the past and its cultivation.

4

Z badań nad pojęciem pamięci – mneme w dramacie greckim. Część II: Mneme w utworach Eurypidesa

100%

Narecki K.

Collectanea Philologica

|

2018

|

issue 21

25-38

EN

Study on the concept of mneme – “memory” in the plays of Euripides is a continuation of our research (based on the works of Greek tragedians), whose aim is not only to establish meanings, especially new ones, but also to define the role that this concept plays in the works of Euripides. Linguistic and literary analysis of 8 instances of a noun mneme shows that this concept reveals hitherto unknown semantic values and it also performs functions that are important for the plot. Among the meanings of mneme there are five new ones: (1) “testimony, proof” (Suppliant Women), whose role is a ‘media’ message to guarantee the preservation of memory about Theseus’ feats among descendants, (2) “account, balance” (Heracles), rational argument, which the hero must use in a critical situation caused by divine power, (3) specific “history”, which creates the plot (Ion), (4) “reason, rightness” (Iphigenia at Aulis), i.e. evidence of predominance of the woman over the man (in terms of character), (5) “image”, twice in this sense (Iphigenia at Aulis): 1. as a panorama, vivid memory of panegyric and cognitive nature (Greek expedition), 2. as scenes from Iphigenia’s childhood cited in order to change the decision of Agamemnon. In addition to the new ones, Euripides also uses known meanings: mneme with negation, i.e. the lack of “mentions, memories” (= concealment) becomes an important element of the plot of Helen, guaranteeing its happy ending; in turn mneme as Kreon’s “thought” is a tool for mastering feelings and influencing the development of stage events. All meanings defined by Euripides can be divided into two groups. The first group includes meanings that have rational value: (1) “account, balance”, (2) “thought”, (3) “reason, rightness”. In the other group there are expressive meanings: (1) “testimony, proof”, (2) “mention, memory”, (3) “history”, (4) “image”. Undoubtedly, Euripides not only broadened the semantic scope of the concept of mneme, introducing its new values, but creatively used them in his plays, whether to describe the main characters, or as an element influencing the action, or finally as a testimony of the past that is important for the plot.

5

„Euthymia” we fragmentach Demokryta z Abdery

100%

Narecki K.

Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium Graecae et Latinae

|

2021

|

vol. 31

|

issue 1

179-204

EN

The author carries out a thorough philological analysis of 9 fragments of Democritus, in which both the noun εὐθυμίη and related verbs and adjectives appear. This allows to establish the contextual semantic scope of the basic concept and to define the role it plays in Democritus’ ethical thought.

Refine search results

2 Collectanea Philologica

2 Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium Graecae et Latinae

1 Roczniki Humanistyczne

5 Narecki K.

1 2021

4 2018

Mneme w greckich źródłach literackich epoki przedsokratyków. Część I: literatura archaiczna i przedsokratycy

„Mneme” w „Dziejach” Herodota

Z badań nad pojęciem pamięci – mneme w dramacie greckim. Część I: Mneme w utworach Ajschylosa i Sofoklesa

Z badań nad pojęciem pamięci – mneme w dramacie greckim. Część II: Mneme w utworach Eurypidesa

„Euthymia” we fragmentach Demokryta z Abdery