Discussion Notes
Week 14- Accusations of Magic
Notes from 4/26/01, 2-3
-Apuleius a great speaker
*constant references to Plato and other literary/philosophical sources gives
the impression of intellegence and compairs him to other smart people
*use of similies involving stupidity and the prosecution makes Apuleius
appear witty and his accusers dumb
*initial downplaying of his own powers of speach leaves listeners/readers to
be pleasantly surprised.
-"evidence" against him
*ownership of mirror: hints at vanity and possible use for scrying and
fortune telling
*purchasing of unusual fish: erotic magic w/ suggestively named fish, poison
making w/ poisonous sea-hare
-Why he would need magic
*magic used to make rich woman want seemingly poor stranger instead
of 'respectaable' men of Oea
-Odd actions leading to charges adn Apuleius' response
*boy has a fit while he's there. Accusers claim he was using boy for magic.
response: kid is a known epileptic and anyone who doesn't believe it has
a scientific explaination is an idiot. Boy didn't speak prophosy and
everyone knows that's why magicians use them.
*Ritual at night at Crassus' house
response: character attack against Crassus and co.
-How Apuleius defines a magician: (not him)
*causes harm for profit and has base intentions
or
*super religious persian priest
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I. Apuleius was a great speaker
a) he initially downplays of his powers of speech leaving the audience to
be impressed by what he can do. This is a common trick, Sophocles used it,
however it didn't work quite as well for him.
b) Apuleius constantly refers to Plato and other credible sources. This
gives the impression of intelligence.
c) has many good "zingers" throughout the speech. He makes himself appear
intelligent and makes his accusers look like uneducated hicks
II Evidence and Defense
a)Evidence: He purchases unusual fish: Theses fish have names that sound
somewhat like genitalia, used for erotic magic, which Apuleius would need
to make a respectable widow marry a wanderer. Also he buys poisonous fish
Defense: Many people buy such fish
b)Evidence: Apuleius owners a mirror. A mirror is a rare item that can be
used for magical purposes
Defense: he is accused of being vain so why is it so strange that he has a
mirror? besides he is a wealthy man and he can afford such luxery items.
c)Evidence: A boy has a fit in front of him.
Defense: kid is a known epileptic. Anyone who doesn't believe that the fit
has a scientific explanation is ignorant. Boy didn't give any prophesies
while he was having fit and everyone knows that's why magicians use boys.
d)Evidence: Ritual at night at Crassus' house
Defense:Apuleius stages a character attack on Crassus, no explanation given.
III Definition
a) Apuleius defines a magician as someone who causes harm. What harm did
Apuleius cause?
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Magic Notes from Thursday's Second Section 3-4
Note: I'm going to refere to Appelaius as Ap, because I can't spell his name. ^_^
Ap's defense
-Public vs. Private
Philosopher vs. magos
confident: had time to spare.
The Fish: Accusers used it 'cause Ap was not eating it and they the fish had sexual names.
Implication that they were for erotic spells. Also poisonous fish brought up. For evil spells.
Posion=magic.
Ap says it don't count 'cause he medically disected then and fish not picked for names. Accusers
are said to be stupid. Says fishes ain't used for spells. He knows.
Teeth powders: Well at least he cleans his!
Mirror: Vanity or magic? Ap basjes accusers using philosophy and science.
Ap also says he don't look like a witch, they do.
Boy being used for divination: Ap says wouldn't work 'cause boy wasn't pure. Boy was apopelptic.
Did this in front of everyone. Betting that people won't admit to knowing apopolepcy was scientific.
Worshiping piece of wood: Accusers say it's a ritual object called by a foreign name (Greek), made
of magical substance. Skeleton.
Ap says it's Hermes, sort of, and made o' boxwood. Calls it Basalaos 'cause can't call it by real
name. Mysterous supreme god.
Ap won't reveal mystery cult objects. Won't show without them giving him the secret sign.
Says accusers are unholy.
Most dangerous charge: Ap did nocturnal rites.
Ap assasins the witness' characters.
Ok, thank you for joining me for the bad grammer and spelling version of the magic notes. ^_^
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ACCUSATIONS OF MAGIC
Apuleius' trial & defense
One of the key thing to think about with Apuleius's defense is how he
defines the difrence between his actions and those of magic. He sees
himself as a philosopher, not as a magician. Another important difrence
of definitions is that of public vs. private actions.
ACCUSATIONS
THE FISH
Accusers think Apuleius was studying strange fish to use in magic.
name of fish had sexual conotations -use in love spell
poisonous - use fish to create potions and poisons
Apuleius defense
magician wouldn't use fish
he was studying fish, as a philospoher like Aristotle.
TOOTH POWDERS &MIRRORS
Accusers think Apuleius usues strange powder to clean teeth, has mirrors
mirrors may be used for divination
Apuleius claims has better knowledge of self
usues mirrors, tooth powder to mak sure doesn't look bad.
only guilty of vainity.
SENDS PEOPLE INTO FITS
Accusers claim sent two people into fits.
boy, used as divitory prop
Apuleius says boy noted epilptic
boy has fits in front of everyone
he udnerstands epilepsy is a disease
COVERED STATUE, MYSTERIOUS OBJECT IN HANKERCHIEF
accusers say has covered statue in home
addresses it as king
made of ebony or bone
a skeletal figure
unknown god
unknown object wraped in cloth
Apuleius says figure is hermes
objects in hankerchief are from mystery cult
can't be revealed
just extra holy, not magical
NOCTURNAL RITES
accussers say witness say apuleius performed noctural rites
have a witness
Apuleius skirts issues
claims witness unreilable drunk
doesn't otherwise adress issue
OTHER POINTS OF APULEIUS DEFENSE
Apuleius attacks accusers as ignorant, irreligious, ugly and as trying to
steal his money.
Apuleius portrays self as having more knowledge.
plays on audience reaction
understands magic, therefore knows that their charges are silly.
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Friday 3-4
The Trial of Apuleius
Apuleius took two approaches in refuting charges against him:
1. If it was a plausible charge, he said "Oh, no, that's just silly ... you don't do it this way, you do it that way ..."
2. If it was simply slander, he just returned fire.
Most of the "material" evidence was still just one person's word against another.
Appearance Issues
-cleaning the mouth - he said you have to keep it clean because it's the most sacred orifice of the body -- why don't you clean yours?
-this was a possibly affective attack because it pointed to an outsider doing strange things
-powders are mysterious and magical
-looking in a mirror is possibly an attempt at divination
-Apuleius turns it all around by acting as though they were attacking only his personal hygiene, not making magical accusations
Fish Issues
-He claimed that he was attempting to make a scientific study of fish just like all of these other famous (and socially accepted) philosophers of old
-The basis of the charge was that Apuleius was looking for three special fish, two with vulgar names (used in erotic magic according to the prosecution)
and one that was poisonous
-He used defense #1 (you don't know anything, of course you don't use those fish like that) and made them look childish and rustic
Pudentilla's Age Issue
-The prosecution tried to make it look like she was 60 to make the marriage seem more weird
-Apuleius simply made them look like they were engaging in unfounded slander again
Who Killed Pontianus?
-Murder appears to have been a part of the original charge, but was not formally brought against him
-Apuleius insinuates that Rufinus was involved, and says that if Pudens (now being enslaved by Herennia) is suddenly knocked off, Rufinus gets a lot of
money
Pudentilla's Letter
-He says that if Pudentilla really had been enchanted she wouldn't have known it
-Also points out that context clarifies the statement - she was being sarcastic
The Cloth Covered Objects
-Apuleius claims that they are secret objects from the mystery cults he was initiated into
-Is very sarcastic about this charge; tells the prosecution that just because they don't know what something is, doesn't make it magical
-Is a valid charge because magicians keep secret things
-Apuleius acts as though they were insulting Maximus and mystery cults were a higher, better form of religion
-Paints his opposition as irreligious idiots that despise the gods
The Statue
-It had been claimed that this was a skeletal statue that Apuleius worshipped secretly
-Apuleius whips it out, makes it seem open, public, claims that it was made of expensive wood only because it was a gift
-Explains that he calls it king because it represents the highest god of Plato (so of course it's ok)
Claims by Crassus
-Most dangerous charge; people are actually put to death for this sort of thing
-refutes by resorting to character defamation of Crassus
-he's a drunk, that's why he's not here now, etc
-Only very lightly touches on evidence: "Why would I have left it laying out like that?"
Apuleius spends a lot of time kissing up to Maximus, making them seem like comrades that were holier than the common people.
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Apuleius took two approaches in his defense: 1) "this is how magic is
really done" and "These people are not inteligent".
First approach used for physical, material evidence.
How does he face each charge? Appearance (against the norm) charges were
generally dealt with by character attacks.
Painting Apuleius as an outsider helped charges: Looking in a mirror,
powder for teeth. so he responds by critisizing their hygine.
They attacked Apuleius for knowing too much about fish. They wanted him to
look like he was using fish for magic. He defends himself by comparing his
actions to science. He points out that other famous people studied fish as
well. But what were his attackers actually trying to nail him with?
Poisonous fish- he was dissecting them (using poisons for magic)
Fish with dirty names- work sympathetic magic, erotic magic on Pudentilla.
He defeds himself by making them look prudish and unsophisticated. The
can't even talk about genetalia openly in court. He says that the names of
things don't have anything to do with their purpose.
He deals with remainder of errotic charges by pointing out how attractive
he is. He wouldn't need errotic magic.
Age descrepency and many aspects were refuted by denying the importance of
both. She's not that old, he doesn't need money, he's not getting any anyway.
Attackers also brought up her letter. Apuleius refutes it as evidence.
Points out that it's sarcasm. Just because someone says something doesn't
mean it's neccesarily true.
Keeps casting himslef as more intelligent and his opponents as ignorant fools.
Secret objects having to do with mystery cult were defended by pointing out
that you can't reveal secret objects in a mystery cult.
Why do opposers think this attack will work? There is a strong suggestion
that magicians have secret objects. These objects must be bad because if
they were good they wouldn't need to be hidden. Must be illicit.
How does Apuleius face this? He legitimizes mystery cults as a sign of
extreme reverence. Very proud. Very religious. He then turns and points out
his accusers lack of religion. Literally "holier than thou" defense.
Defends statue by pointing out it's virtues. Beautiful craftmanship. Not
very secret. It's open and unsecretive. Refers to Plato again ("this is
highest god of Plato") Refuses to name staute though. Makes it more religious.
Apuleius destroys credability of Krasus. He was accused of doing all these
secret nightime rituals, special sacrifices. This is the most dangerous
charge of all. This one is also difficult to prove.
Apuleius doesn't even try to defend this one in the same way as the other
charges. He jumps right into a character assault of Krasus. Fact that he
wasn't there helped his argument.
So, is he a magician?
He does curse his attackers in public. And he has all the magical knowlege.
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