#phrenes

[deathlessathanasia]

Core Vocab: phrēn, phrenes - The Kosmos Society

Core Vocab: phrēn, phrenes - The Kosmos Society

This month's Core Vocab word is phrēn, plural phrenes, which is given the definition 'physical localization of the thūmos'—the seat of think

[deathlessathanasia]

“The basic elements of human psychology as understood by Homer: Conscious thoughts and feelings (for gods as well) are in or on the phrenes (mind), the root word for such English words as frenzy, frenetic and phrenic. Phrenes are not in the head and brains as modern science has proven, but rather within the breasts, where the heart and lungs are, above the diaphragm, the muscle that goes through (dia) the phrenes (phram). There are two phrenes, a pair, as there are two breasts and two lungs. Thoughts and feelings occur IN or ON the phrenes.  Phrenes are a CONTAINER, not an active agent of thoughts and feelings. The active agents, aside from the persons themselves, are the cardia (abbreviated car), the etor and the thymus.

The cardia is obviously the heart. It beats and can be stabbed and the phrenes goes around it, as lungs go around the heart. The etor may just be another name for the heart, because it can be stabbed, and only acts exactly like the cardia as an agent. The thymus is a fluid which exists INSIDE the phrenes, as breath does inside the lungs. The cardia, thymus and etor behave alike to the extent of interchangeable as agents of thoughts and feelings within the breasts, and correspond exactly to the modern use of the English word “heart” (in addition to being an organ for pumping blood). There are a few times when the thymus acts like breath. It sometimes blows two ways, and twice when characters faint, they breathe out their life (psyche), but then breathe in and gather thymus into phrenes, bringing consciousness back into mind, as if bringing breath into lungs. The thymus might better be called “spirit,” if the original Latin meaning of “breath” could be conveyed, as in “respire.” But “spirit” in modern English is immaterial and immortal; so it is not suitable for use in Homeric epic.”

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