6. 5 La dramatisation du mythe de Psyche

‘"Though this' a heavenly angel, hell is here." ’ ‘How wretched the man who changes his purpose for a woman […] Or who barters for her his liberty, or who puts faith in her pretences or her words […] Of this is Jove assured who scorns the sweet amorous tie that binds him and in heaven enjoys his beautiful Ganymede ; […] The married man I urge to seek divorce, and all to flee the company of women. ⁵⁸⁹ ’ ‘Cet amour est celui de l'Aphrodite céleste, céleste lui-même, utile à l'Etat et aux particuliers ; car il contraint et l'amant et l'aimé à veiller soigneusement sur eux-mêmes pour se rendre vertueux. Tous les autres amours appartiennent à l'autre déesse, la populaire. ⁵⁹⁰ ’ ‘[…]the living and divine
'Is where two souls by vertue do combine.
'No outward object can with reason move
'The heart to love it, 'cause it cannot love :
'Onely the soul, 'cause that can love again,
'Deserves a Love, deserves a Lovers pain.

(Il Pastor Fido , 2. 6. 2051-2056)’ ‘[…] to be converted from a worshipper of Eros to a follower of Anteros, one must die to the sensory world, as does Imogen after taking the Queen's "doctored" medicine, and as does the shackled Posthumus when he falls asleep and experiences a celestial vision. In Christian terms, the old Adam must first die so that the new or redeemed Adam may be born. ⁵⁹¹ ’