S26-46 Arts of Memory in Classical and Medieval Cultures
Class | Registration opens 3/2/2026 9:00 AM EST
In our current days’ reliance on cell phones and AI, it is enlightening to learn of the importance to ancient Greeks and Romans of the Art of Memory. In medieval scholasticism, the art and craft of memory gained new importance because they were seen as spiritual aids to virtues, Prudence and Ethics in particular. In three sessions, This course will explore “the eye of the mind” and what came to be known as “artificial memory.” Recommended reading includes Frances Yates’ The Art of Memory, Mary Carruthers’ The Book of Memory, and The Medieval Craft of Memory, edited by Mary Carruthers and Jan Ziolkowski. Jonathan Spence’s The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci is also noteworthy.
Trish O'Leary
Trish O'Leary a former columnist for The Milford-Orange Times, has been writing profiles of notable Orange citizens for over 10 years. In her column "Grave Matters," she focused on people buried in the Orange Cemetery whose tales entwined with town history. She leads memoir-writing courses at The Orange Senior Center and co-authored with Pat Miller "Grave Matters/Early Voices," a play produced in honor of the town's 200th birthday. They are currently collaborating on a sequel.