§2#1Περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν.
Remaining is to speak about recollection.
Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ὅσα ἐν τοῖς ἐπιχειρηματικοῖς λόγοις ἐστὶν ἀληθῆ, δεῖ τίθεσθαι ὡς ὑπάρχοντα.
First, then, all those things that are true in inquiry-based arguments must be assumed as underlying facts.
Οὔτε γὰρ μνήμης ἐστὶν ἀνάληψις ἡ ἀνάμνησις οὔτε λῆψις· ὅταν γὰρ τὸ πρῶτον ἢ μάθῃ ἢ πάθῃ, οὔτ’ ἀναλαμβάνει μνήμην οὐδεμίαν (οὐδεμία γὰρ προγέγονεν) οὔτ’ ἐξ ἀρχῆς λαμβάνει· ὅταν δὲ ἐγγένηται ἡ ἕξις καὶ τὸ πάθος, τότε ἡ μνήμη ἐστίν.
For recollection is neither a recovery of memory nor its acquisition; for when one first learns or experiences something, one neither recovers any memory (since none has previously existed) nor acquires it from the beginning; but when the state and the affection have arisen, then there is memory.
Ὥστε μετὰ τοῦ πάθους ἐγγινομένου οὐκ ἐγγίνεται.
Consequently, memory does not arise along with the arising of the affection.
Ἔτι δ’ ὅτε τὸ πρῶτον ἐγγέγονε τῷ ἀτόμῳ καὶ ἐσχάτῳ, τὸ μὲν πάθος ἐνυπάρχει ἤδη τῷ παθόντι καὶ ἡ ἐπιστήμη, εἰ δεῖ καλεῖν ἐπιστήμην τὴν ἕξιν ἢ τὸ πάθος (οὐθὲν δὲ κωλύει κατὰ συμβεβηκὸς βεβηκὸς καὶ μνημονεύειν ἔνια ὧν ἐπιστάμεθα)· τὸ δὲ μνημονεύειν καθ’ αὑτὸ οὐχ ὑπάρχει πρὶν χρονισθῆναι· μνημονεύει γὰρ νῦν ὃ εἶδεν ἢ ἔπαθε πρότερον, οὐχ ὃ νῦν ἔπαθε, νῦν μνημονεύει.
Furthermore, when it has first arisen in the individual and ultimate, the affection is already present in the affected subject, as is the knowledge, if indeed one should call the state or the affection knowledge (and nothing prevents us from accidentally remembering some of the things we know); but remembering in itself does not exist until time has elapsed; for one remembers now what one saw or experienced before, not what one experiences now, one remembers now.
Ἔτι δὲ φανερὸν ὅτι μνημονεύειν ἐστὶ μὴ νῦν ἀναμνησθέντα, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ἀρχῆς αἰσθόμενον ἢ παθόντα.
And further, it is clear that to remember is not to have just now recollected, but to be in the state of having perceived or experienced it from the beginning.
Ἀλλ’ ὅταν ἀναλαμβάνῃ ἣν πρότερον εἶχεν ἐπιστήμην ἢ αἴσθησιν ἢ οὗ ποτὲ τὴν ἕξιν ἐλέγομεν μνήμην, τοῦτ’ ἐστὶ καὶ τότε τὸ ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι τῶν εἰρημένων τι.
But when one recovers the knowledge or perception which one previously had, or that of which we said the state is memory, this is, and is at that time, the recollecting of one of the things mentioned.
Τὸ δὲ μνημονεύειν συμβαίνει, καὶ μνήμη ἀκολουθεῖ.
And remembering happens, and memory follows.
Οὐδὲ δὴ ταῦτα ἁπλῶς, ἐὰν ἔμπροσθεν ὑπάρξαντα πάλιν ἐγγένηται, ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ὡς, ἔστι δ’ ὡς οὔ.
Nor indeed are these things unqualifiedly so, if what previously existed arises again, but in one way they are, and in another way they are not.
Δὶς γὰρ μαθεῖν καὶ εὑρεῖν ἐνδέχεται τὸν αὐτὸν τὸ αὐτό· δεῖ οὖν διαφέρειν τὸ ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι τούτων, καὶ ἐνούσης πλείονος ἀρχῆς ἢ ἐξ ἧς μανθάνουσιν ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι.
For it is possible for the same person to learn and discover the same thing twice; therefore, recollecting must differ from these, and one must recollect from a greater principle inherent within than that from which they learn.
Συμβαίνουσι δ’ αἱ ἀναμνήσεις, ἐπειδὴ πέφυκεν ἡ κίνησις ἥδε γενέσθαι μετὰ τήνδε· εἰ μὲν ἐξ ἀνάγκης, δῆλον ὡς ὅταν ἐκείνη κινηθῇ, τήνδε κινηθήσεται· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀλλ’ ἔθει, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ κινηθήσεται.
Recollections occur because this movement is naturally adapted to occur after that one; if of necessity, it is clear that when that one is moved, this one will be moved; but if not of necessity but by habit, it will be moved for the most part.
Συμβαίνει δ’ ἐνίους ἅπαξ ἐθισθῆναι μᾶλλον ἢ ἄλλους πολλάκις κινουμένους· διὸ ἔνια ἅπαξ ἰδόντες μᾶλλον μνημονεύομεν ἢ ἕτερα πολλάκις.
But it happens that some people are habituated by a single occurrence more than others who are moved many times; wherefore, having seen some things once, we remember them more than other things seen many times.
Ὅταν οὖν ἀναμιμνησκώμεθα, κινούμεθα τῶν προτέρων τινὰ κινήσεων, ἕως ἂν κινηθῶμεν μεθ’ ἣν ἐκείνη εἴωθεν.
So when we recollect, we spark some of the prior movements, until we are moved to that after which that other one is accustomed to follow.
Διὸ καὶ τὸ ἐφεξῆς θηρεύομεν νοήσαντες ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἢ ἄλλου τινός, καὶ ἀφ’ ὁμοίου ἢ ἐναντίου ἢ τοῦ σύνεγγυς.
Hence we hunt for the next in series, starting our thought from the present or from something else, and from what is similar, or opposite, or neighboring.
Διὰ τοῦτο γίνεται ἡ ἀνάμνησις· αἱ γὰρ κινήσεις τούτων τῶν μὲν αἱ αὐταί, τῶν δ’ ἅμα, τῶν δὲ μέρος ἔχουσιν, ὥστε τὸ λοιπὸν μικρὸν ὃ ἐκινήθη μετ’ ἐκεῖνο.
Through this, recollection occurs; for the movements of these things are in some cases the same, in others simultaneous, and in others they possess a part, so that the remaining portion is small which was moved after that.
Ζητοῦσι μὲν οὖν οὕτω, καὶ μὴ ζητοῦντες δ’ οὕτως ἀναμιμνήσκονται, ὅταν μεθ’ ἑτέραν κίνησιν ἐκείνη γένηται·
They seek, then, in this way, and even when not seeking, they recollect in this way, when that movement arises after another.
ὡς δὲ τὰ πολλὰ ἑτέρων γενομένων κινήσεων οἵων εἴπομεν, ἐγένετο ἐκείνη.
And for the most part, when other movements such as we have spoken of have occurred, that one has arisen.
Οὐδὲν δὲ δεῖ σκοπεῖν τὰ πόρρω, πῶς μεμνήμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὰ σύνεγγυς· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι ὁ αὐτός ἐστι τρόπος, λέγω δὲ τὸ ἐφεξῆς, οὐ προζητήσας οὐδ’ ἀναμνησθείς.
Nor is there any need to examine far-off things to see how we remember, but rather those near at hand; for it is clear that the method is the same—I mean the next in series—without one's having previously sought or recollected.
Τῷ γὰρ ἔθει ἀκολουθοῦσιν αἱ κινήσεις ἀλλήλαις, ἥδε μετὰ τήνδε.
For by habit the movements follow one another, this one after that one.
Καὶ ὅταν τοίνυν ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι βούληται, τοῦτο ποιήσει· ζητήσει λαβεῖν ἀρχὴν κινήσεως, μεθ’ ἣν ἐκείνη ἔσται.
And when, therefore, one wishes to recollect, one will do this: one will seek to grasp a starting-point of a movement, after which that other one will be.
Διὸ τάχιστα καὶ κάλλιστα γίνονται ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αἱ ἀναμνήσεις· ὡς γὰρ ἔχουσι τὰ πράγματα πρὸς ἄλληλα τῷ ἐφεξῆς, οὕτω καὶ αἱ κινήσεις.
Hence recollections from a starting-point occur most quickly and beautifully; for as the things are related to each other in succession, so also are the movements.
Καὶ ἔστιν εὐμνημόνευτα ὅσα τάξιν τινὰ ἔχει, ὥσπερ τὰ μαθήματα· τὰ δὲ φαύλως καὶ χαλεπῶς.
And those things that have a certain order, like mathematical proofs, are easy to remember; but those badly ordered are remembered with difficulty.
Καὶ τούτῳ διαφέρει τὸ ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι τοῦ πάλιν μανθάνειν, ὅτι δυνήσεταί πως δι’ αὑτοῦ κινηθῆναι ἐπὶ τὸ μετὰ τὴν ἀρχήν.
And in this, recollecting differs from relearning, in that one will be able somehow to move by oneself to that which is after the starting-point.
Ὅταν δὲ μή, ἀλλὰ δι’ ἄλλου, οὐκέτι μέμνηται.
But when one does not do so, but rather through another, one no longer remembers.