La schiava del filosofo: sventure dell’anima e della giustizia. Apuleio, Platone, Sade

Abstract

In this paper I try to point out and to investigate the relationship between the narrative archetype of the chased maiden, starting from Apuleius’ literary codification of this motif in Cupid and Psyche’s myth, and the representation of justice/injustice in Plato’s (Republic) and Sade’s (Justine, Juliette) political philosophy. This inquiry leads us to the embarassing conclusion that political philosophy, in its theoretical and perpetual effort to reshape the concepts of justice and injustice, has never focused (or is it a case of voluntary obliteration?) on the real matter of the whole question: the story and the rights of the innocent victim.

Keywords: fanciulla, schiava, puttana, prigione, stupro, anima, giustizia, filosofo, libertino; maiden, slave, whore, prison, rape, soul, justice, philosopher, libertine.