The first instance of fear is in Chapter two, line eight. Psyche's father, "iram superum metuEns", goes to Apollo's oracle to find out what's going on with his daughter and to figure out how to get her a husband. He was afraid that the gods' anger may be causing her loneliness, which would be a good guess in that time, so he went to figure it out. Another instance of someone being afraid is in Chapter three, lines 23 to 24. After Psyche is at the palace and has finished her food and bath, she is "virginitati suae metuens" when she goes to bed and hears another voice approaching. She is afraid she is going to lose her virginity, because some masculine thing is coming. Yet again, in Chapter seven, line 16, more fear is demonstrated. Once her sisters have terrified poor Psyche into thinking the love of her life got her pregnant to eat her baby then plans on eating her, "Psyche misella rapitur verborum tam tristium formidine". She is so scared of what they've said to her, she actually believes them. Again, in line 19, she flat out says this: "...ego valde timeo ne verum sit quod dicitis". She's tremendously scared that her husband is a serpent monster, because of her evil sisters. Once again in Chapter seven, line thirty-three, there is fear. This time, Psyche's sisters leave "metuEns ne quid mali ipsae acciperent". They leave fearing something bad may happen. Then the last instance of fear so far, in Chapter eight line 8, when Psyche has seen her husband is actually love himself, she is afraid: "...Psyche tanto aspectu perterrita residit". She was so scared of his 'divine face' she actually fell backwards.
With these instances of fear in Apuleius, a definition of the opposite of fear can be deduced. There is fear of the anger of the gods, fear for one's virginity, fear for horrible things people tell you, and fear for future unknown bad things. In fearing the gods' anger, the opposite of fear would be accepting the gods' will. You either are afraid of it, hence you don't want it; or the opposite, you deal with it and take it. In fearing for your virginity, I suppose the opposite would be welcoming the loss of it. Again, you're only afraid because it is going to be taken. If you welcome it, you're not afraid of it. When it comes to fearing the validity of things that are too awful to believe, the opposite, yet again, would be accepting the truth in order to not be afraid. You're either scared of it and deny it; or you welcome it and accept it. Then lastly, fearing whether something bad may happen in the future, the opposite would be welcoming the unknown. Being scared for it you reject it; the opposite of this would be welcoming it.
Therefore, the opposite of fear is acceptance. You either deny something because you're afraid or accept it hence doing the opposite of fearing it.
No comments:
Post a Comment