I’m new to the Art of Memory forum. I noticed that a few years ago, people were asking questions about Giordano Bruno’s Art of Memory. I just finished reading and re-reading Scott Gosnell’s translation of De Umbris Idearum and Ars Memoriae, and I compiled some notes out of them that some of you might find interesting.
Bruno´s Art is a magical practice. A method to organice the mind. He uses mental images as magic talismans, to unify and to communicate with archetypes. If the memory of a man, retains the basic principles of everything (stars, planets, deamons) in images or “shadow of ideas” he can reach and acquire the knowledge of particulars. The system itself is ambitious, and very powerful. I had studied all brunos works and his De imaginum, signorum et idearum compositione translated by Ignacio Gomez de Liaño, in the book he explains some obscure principle´s of the umbris idearum. Sorry for my english, i could explain better in spanish.
No, it’s okay. I understand what you’re saying. However, to understand the magical practice, the technical part of the art is needed. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. It’s hard to tell what Bruno is talking about when he discusses his techniques.
Subjects [locations] and adjects [images] should be related. For instance, if the student chooses to use Bruno’s example adjects based on Greek mythology, the subjects should be Greek architecture. If the student chooses to use the Knights of the Round Table instead, then the subjects should be based on Camelot.
In technical aspects is not quite different of modern mnemonics. One of his own inventions was the use of semimathematic numbers, or objects who animate places. Its an example in “The incantations of circe”. You put images arranged in order (alphabetical,logical) and then, you attach the things that you want to remember to the images. Cesar kills with the sword, borista use the hat as a shell, etc. The images stay still in the locus and they receive passions from the new come images. And of course he was the inventor of PAO. If you keep your studys, the system is like a Thomas
Bradwardine silabic memory.
