The War Between Flesh and Spirit

Where it surfaces

• The Plays of Roswitha

  Central to Callimachus, Abraham, and Paphnutius, exploring the struggle between human desires and spiritual purity, with emphasis on penance and redemption.

• Scene I

  Gallicanus's desire for Constance (fleshly ambition) contrasts with his military duty (spiritual/service-oriented calling).

• Scene XIII

  Gallicanus struggles with the temptation of seeing Constance and chooses spiritual discipline over earthly attachment.

• Scene III

  Gallicanus rejects worldly advice and material concerns, prioritizing eternal life over temporal existence.

• Scene II

  Callimachus's carnal desire for Drusiana conflicts with her spiritual commitment to God.

• Scene III

  Callimachus's fleshly desire clashes with Drusiana's spiritual resolve, embodying the conflict between carnal passion and spiritual purity.

• Scene VI

  Callimachus's carnal desire persists even after Drusiana's death, illustrating the conflict between bodily passion and spiritual purity.

• Scene VII

  Callimachus's carnal desire for Drusiana's body is violently opposed by a divine serpent, symbolizing the conflict between lust and spiritual purity.

• Scene IX

  Callimachus's struggle with carnal desire versus spiritual rebirth is central to his conversion.

• Scene VII

  Mary's internal conflict between her physical desires and spiritual aspirations is resolved through Abraham's guidance toward a life of penance.

• Paphnutius

  Paphnutius's struggle to overcome his own weakness and Thais's renunciation of bodily pleasures highlight the conflict between flesh and spirit.

• Scene I

  Paphnutius contrasts the harmony of the greater world (obedient to God) with the disorder of the lesser world (man), particularly through Thais's sinful life.

• Scene II

  Paphnutius's hidden spiritual mission contrasts with the young men's worldly assumptions about his interest in Thais, highlighting the tension between carnal desire and ascetic purpose.

• Scene IV

  Thais's renunciation of her lovers and material wealth embodies the conflict between carnal desires and spiritual awakening.

• Scene V

  Thais contrasts her former earthly attachments with her new desire to follow the spiritual path, and Paphnutius contrasts earthly lovers with the Heavenly Lover.

• Scene VII

  Thais's struggle between her accustomed sensual life and the demands of spiritual discipline is central to the dialogue.

• Scene VIII

  Thais's transition from a life of carnal sin to one of spiritual penance highlights the ongoing conflict between fleshly desires and spiritual discipline.

• Scene X

  Paphnutius's struggle with his own weakness and the battle against the demon of lust in Thais highlight the conflict between flesh and spirit.