The art of memory belonged to rhetoric as a technique by which the orator could improve his memory, which would allow him to deliver long speeches with unfailing accuracy.

 

It was inferred that persons desiring to train this faculty (of memory) must select places and form mental images of the things they wish to remember and store those images in the places, so that the order of the places will preserve the order of the things, and the images of the things will denote the things themselves, and we shall employ the places and images respectively as a wax writing-tablet and the letters written on it.

 

 

 

          

First step of the mnemonic; imprint on the memory a series of loci or places. The most common mnemonic place system used was the architectural type.

In order to form a series of places in memory a building is to be remembered, as spacious and varied a one as possible.

 

 

        

 

 

 

The classical sources describe inner techniques which depend on visual impressions of almost incredible intensity.

 

 

 

 

       

It has been sagaciously discerned by Simonides or else discovered by some other person, that the most complete pictures are formed in our minds of the things that have been conveyed to them and imprinted on them by the senses, but that the keenest of all our senses is the sense of sight, and that consequently perceptions received by the ears or by reflexion can be most easily retained if they are also conveyed to our minds by the mediation of the eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the ancient world, devoid of printing, without paper for note-taking or on which to type lectures, the trained memory was of vital importance. And the ancient memories were trained by an art which reflected the art and architecture of the ancient world, which could depend on faculties of intense visual memorisation which we have lost.

 

‘Now let us turn to the treasure-house of inventions, the custodian of all parts of rhetoric, memory’

 

There are two types of memory, one natural and one artificial. The natural memory is that which is engrafted in our minds, born simultaneously with thought.

The artificial memory is a memory strengthened or confirmed by training .

Every Ars memorativa treatise, with its rules for ‘place’, its rules for ‘images’, its discussion of ‘memory for things’ and ‘memory for words’, is repeating the plan, the subject matter, and as often as not the actual words of Ad Herennium.

 

The artificial memory is established from places and images, the stock definition to be forever repeated down the ages. A locus is a place easily grasped by the memory, such as a house, an intercolumnar space, a corner, an arch, or the like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images are forms, marks or simulacra (formae, notae, simulacra) of what we wish to remember. For instance if we want to recall the genus of a horse, of a lion, of an eagle, we must place their images on definite loci.

The art of memory is like an inner writing…Those who have learned mnemonics can set in places what they have heard and deliver it from memory.

If we wish to remember much material we must equip ourselves with a large number  of places. It is essential that the places should form a series and must be remembered in their order, so that we can start from any locus in the series and move either backwards or forwards from it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If we should see a number of our acquaintances standing in a row, it would make no difference to us whether we should tell their names beginning with the person standing on the head of the line or at the foot or in the middle. So with the memory loci. ‘If these have been arranged in order, the result will be that, reminded by the images, we can repeat orally what we have committed to the loci, proceeding in either direction from any locus we please.

The formation of the loci is of the greatest importance, for the same set of loci can be used again and again for remembering different material.

It is better to form one’s memory loci in a deserted and solitary place for crowds of passing people tend to weaken the impressions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memory loci should not be too much like one another, for instance too many intercolumnar spaces are not good, for their resemblance to one another will be confusing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A person with a relatively large experience can easily equip himself with as many suitable loci  as he pleases, and even a person who thinks he does not possess enough sufficiently good loci can remedy this. ‘For thought can embrace any region whatsoever and in it and at will construct the setting of some locus.’ (That is to say, mnemonics can use what were afterwards called ‘fictitious places’, in contrast to the ‘real places’ of the ordinary method’

 

Memory for things, memory for words.

 

‘Memory for things’ makes images to remind of an argument, a notion, or a ‘thing’.

What are the rules about what kind of images to choose for memorising on the places?

Now nature teaches us what we should do…ordinary things easily slip from the memory while the striking and the novel stay longer in the mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We ought, then, to set up images of a kind that can adhere longest in memory. And we shall do so if we establish similitudes as striking as possible; if we set up images that are not many or vague but active (imagines agents); if we assign to them exceptional beauty or singular ugliness; if we ornament some of them, as with crowns or purple cloaks, so that the similitude may be more distinct to us; or if we somehow disfigure them…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very singular is the art of this invisible art of memory. It reflects ancient architecture but in an unclassical spirit, concentrating its choices on irregular places and avoiding symmetrical orders. It is full of human imagery of a very personal kind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cicero gives a potted version of the rules.

One must employ a large number of places which must be well lighted, clearly set out in order, at moderate intervals apart; and images which are active, sharply defined, unusual, and which have the power of speedily encountering and penetrating the psyche.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For when we return to a place after a considerable absence, we not merely recognise the place itself, but remember things that we did there, and recall the persons whom we met and even the unuttered thoughts which passed through our minds when we were there before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thus, as in most cases, art originates from experiment. Places are chosen, and marked with the upmost possible variety, as a spacious house divided into a number of rooms…when it is time to revive the memory, one begins from the first place to run through all, demanding what has been entrusted to them, of which one will be reminded by the image.

What I have spoken of as being done in a house can also be done in public buildings, or on a long journey, or in going through a city, or with pictures. Or we can imagine such places for ourselves. We require therefore places, either real or imaginary, and images or simulacra which must be invented.

 

 

Select locations and place within those locations the things you wish to remember.

 

Create a series of memory loci, most common used was an architectural type; a spacious and varied building.

 

Visual impressions of incredible intensity. Locations required to be visually powerful.

 

The strongest memories are those imprinted in our minds by our senses, with sight being the keenest sense supporting and enforcing what we experience through other senses such as hearing.

Locations should be a place easily retained by the memory, such as a familiar building.

Locations should form a series so that you can start in any location and move forwards and backwards from it.

Memory locations should be a deserted and solitary place as people tend to weaken the impressions.

Each location should be different and unique so that each space cannot get confused with another.

Imagery should be striking so that it stays longer in the mind.

Images are more memorable if they are either very beautiful or very ugly. Creating images that are pleasing or images that are disjointed will leave a lasting impression.

Memory technique reflects ancient architecture yet works better when focusing away from locations of symmetry. The imagery should be very personal to the person creating it.

Images must be well lighted, clearly set out in order, sharply defined, unusual and which have the ability to rapidly leave an impression on the mind.

When you return to a place we recall all the things that we did there, the people we knew there and the thoughts we had when we were there previously.