Class V: Lore Mastery (Grey)
at gatherings as well as producing recordings. Many
of our magickal Bards have also become famous in the
mundane world, and they can be heard in concerts
and on the radio.
Bardcraft has always been so important to the life
of the people that various cultures have even assigned
patron (or matron) deities to inspire (“breathe into”)
their Bards. In ancient Greece these were the Muses,
goddesses of the arts and sciences. Our word “music”
comes from their name. Before any performance, or in
the throes of creation, or when seeking inspiration, Bards
would invoke the appropriate Muse. The movie Xanadu
features Olivia Newton John as a Muse, with the
wonderful theme song, “You’ve got to believe we are
magic!” The Muses were daughters of Zeus, the king of
the gods, and Mnemosyne (NEM-oh-SY-nee), the
goddess of memory. Here are their names and domains:Calliope (kah-LYE-oh-pee) (“beautiful
voice”)— Epic poetry and rhetoric.
She holds a tightly-rolled scroll.
Clio (KLEE-oh) (“to cel-
ebrate fame”)— History.
She is shown
reading from
a half-opened scroll.
Erato (er-AT-oh) (“passionate”) —
Love poetry and marriage feasts. She
is shown playing a lyre.
Euterpe (yu-TER-
pee) (“charming”) — Music and
lyric poetry (songs). She is shown
playing two flutes.
Melpomene (mel-PO-men-ee)
(“to sing”)— Tragedy. She
holds a sad mask, the club of
Hercules, and a wreath of grape
leaves.
Polyhymnia (POL-ee-HIM-nee-ah)
(“many hymns”) — Sacred hymns to the
gods. She is shown singing.
Terpsichore (TERP-si-KOR-ee)
(“rejoicing dance”)— Dancing
and dance music. She holds high
a tambourine as she dances.
Thalia (THA-lee-ah) (“to flourish”)—
Comedy and idyllic poetry. She
holds a happy mask, a shep-
herd’s crook, and a wreath of ivy.
Urania (yu-RAN-ee-ah) (“the heavenly”)— As-
tronomy. She is shown holding a globe and a wand.- Introduction: Lore Mastery
ORE MEANS “TEACHINGS,” AND LORE
Mastery is the primary attribute
of the Wizard. Throughout his-
tory, Wizards have studied and
collected books and writings con-
taining the wisdom of the ages,
and many have assembled impor-
tant libraries and museums. Per-
haps the greatest female Wizard of all time was Hypatia
(YIP-a-TEE-ah), who was a teacher, mathematician,
astronomer, Platonic philosopher, and the last librar-
ian of the great Library of Alexandria, Egypt, before
she was brutally murdered and the library burned
down by a fanatical Christian mob in 415 CE. Her fa-
ther, Theon, also a great Wizard, was the last curator
of the Alexandrian Museum.
Lore mastery is all about knowing arcane secrets
and esoteric mysteries known to very few others. It is
said that “knowledge is power,” and much of a Wizard’s
true power comes from his vast knowledge. This is why
many Wizards have been famed as wise teachers,
mentors, guides and advisors—even to kings and queens.
Lore, however, is more than merely secrets and
mysteries. A very important body of lore concerns
myths and legends; a Lore-Master is also a storyteller,
who can always come up with a tale to make any point.
I have always loved myths, legends and fairy tales.
Before I even entered kindergarten, I had read Greek
myths adapted for children in a set of books called
Childcraft that my parents had gotten for me. I’ll never
forget the very first story I learned to read—the tale of
Persephone and Hades (only they used the Roman
names of Proserpine and Pluto). All these classic
stories have been very important in my life, and I have
drawn upon them continually over the years. I have
even created rituals and mystery plays to enact them
in powerful and transformative ways for many people.Lesson 2. The Bardic Arts
The Bardic Arts include poetry and storytelling, music
and songs. In ancient Celtic tradition, Bards were part
of the magickal Orders that were headed by the Druids.
Bards were the poets, musicians and singers of the
epic songs and tales that conveyed the history and
lore of the People. At a time when very little was written
down, a Bard was expected to memorize enormous
amounts of poetry, songs and stories.
Modern Bards continue this tradition, and Bardic
“Loresingers” are highly respected and honored
throughout the magickal community, performing liveCorrected pages 3rd printing.2.p65 44 6/10/2004, 4:03 PM