Note on this edition: this is an electronic version of the 1999 book ...
Note on this edition: this is an electronic version of the 1999 book ...
Note on this edition: this is an electronic version of the 1999 book ...
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70Dem<strong>on</strong>ic Texts <strong>an</strong>d Textual Dem<strong>on</strong>sbetween <strong>the</strong> leader <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Furies (“<strong>the</strong> daim<strong>on</strong>ic emoti<strong>on</strong>s,” in Diam<strong>on</strong>d’sreading), Apollo (<strong>the</strong> god representing c<strong>on</strong>sciousness), 67 <strong>an</strong>d A<strong>the</strong>na (<strong>the</strong>goddess <strong>of</strong> good counsel <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> pers<strong>on</strong>ificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pol<strong>is</strong>) 68 dramat<strong>is</strong>e<strong>th<strong>is</strong></strong> process. Apollo abjures <strong>the</strong> guilt <strong>of</strong> Orestes for matricide <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>grounds that “The wom<strong>an</strong> you call <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> child <strong>is</strong> not <strong>the</strong> parent,just a nurse to <strong>the</strong> seed […]. The m<strong>an</strong> <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> source <strong>of</strong> life – <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>e whomounts.” 69 The rati<strong>on</strong>al<strong>is</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> <strong>is</strong> quite tr<strong>an</strong>sparent, but it <strong>is</strong> <strong>of</strong>fered as <strong>the</strong>mythical expl<strong>an</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> needed to ward <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> taboo <strong>of</strong> blood-polluti<strong>on</strong>. 70 TheFuries, however, go <strong>on</strong> crying for venge<strong>an</strong>ce, unabated. The c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>(here c<strong>on</strong>siderably abridged) <strong>is</strong> <strong>on</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pivotal moments in classic literature:FURIES:You, you younger gods! – you have ridden down<strong>the</strong> <strong>an</strong>cient laws, wrenched <strong>the</strong>m from my grasp –<strong>an</strong>d I, robbed <strong>of</strong> my birthright, suffering, great with wrath,I loose my po<strong>is</strong><strong>on</strong> over <strong>the</strong> soil, aiee! – […]ATHENA:Let me persuade you.The lethal spell <strong>of</strong> your voice, never cast itdown <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> l<strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>d blight its harvest home.Lull asleep that salt black wave <strong>of</strong> <strong>an</strong>ger –awesome, proud with reverence, live with me.The l<strong>an</strong>d <strong>is</strong> rich, <strong>an</strong>d more, when its first fruits,<strong>of</strong>fered for heirs <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> marriage rites, are yoursto hold forever, you will pra<strong>is</strong>e my words. […]LEADER:Queen A<strong>the</strong>na,where <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> home you say <strong>is</strong> mine to hold?ATHENA:Where all <strong>the</strong> pain <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>gu<strong>is</strong>h end. Accept it.LEADER:And if I do, what h<strong>on</strong>our waits for me?ATHENA:No house c<strong>an</strong> thrive without you. […]67 Nietzsche makes <strong>th<strong>is</strong></strong> c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>: “Apollo <strong>is</strong> […] etymologically <strong>the</strong> ‘lucent’ <strong>on</strong>e,<strong>the</strong> god <strong>of</strong> light […]. Apollo himself may be regarded as <strong>the</strong> marvellous divine image <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> principium individuati<strong>on</strong><strong>is</strong>, whose look <strong>an</strong>d gestures radiate <strong>the</strong> full delight, w<strong>is</strong>dom,<strong>an</strong>d beauty <strong>of</strong> ‘illusi<strong>on</strong>’.” (Nietzsche 1872/1990, 21-22 [§ I].)68 E.R. Dodds refers to A<strong>the</strong>na’s original functi<strong>on</strong> as <strong>the</strong> protectress <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Mycenae<strong>an</strong>kings (Dodds 1951/1973, 54).69Aeschylus 1979, 260 [Eum. ll. 665-69].70 For <strong>an</strong> interesting view <strong>of</strong> how <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> cathars<strong>is</strong> might be c<strong>on</strong>nected to <strong>the</strong>Greek blood-mystique, see McCumber 1988.
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