Many thanks to Jon Quitslund and Joel Davis for their kind replies on
list, and to Andrew Zurcher for responding privately. You've given me
useful things to think about!
Sincerely,
Marie
On Fri, 3 May 2002, Marie Henson wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Could I ask for the List's help in understanding something said by
> Musidorus in one of the opening scenes of the Old Arcadia? I am writing
> on this scene in my Dissertation, and, in order to do my own analysis, I
> have *thus far* held off from exploring critical literature. One
> sentence has me puzzled, and I'd be grateful for insight and references.
>
> From an early scene in the First Book:
> Musidorus is confronting Pyrocles with the change he has observed in him
> as they walk together in the countryside around Duke Basilius's lodges.
> Musidorus comments that he simply cannot find an explanation for
> Pyrocles's "slacking of the main career you had so notably begun."
> (KDJones Oxford Classics ed, p. 12).
>
> Then (Musidorus): "For, to leave off other secreter arguments which my
> acquaintance with you makes me easily find, this in effect to any man
> may be manifest: etc etc."
>
> What does Musidorus mean? He's putting aside the reasons that his own
> knowledge of Pyrocles suggest to him, and making it *clear* that he is
> doing so. How strongly does this suggest that he *does* have insight
> into the real malady, but will instead simply proceed with what "any man"
> might observe? (And why might he make that gesture?)
>
> Can I believe from this that Musidorus does know at this early point that
> Pyrocles is in love? Or is it a mistake to read that into Musidorus's
> reference to the "secreter arguments" that he knows based on his close
> knowledge of his friend?
>
> This is part of my trying to understand what Musidorus knows, and
> when. Is he really so very shocked to learn that Pyrocles is in love (as
> appears later)? We are led to suspect he has some inkling at least a
> little later in the conversation (after Pyrocles's over-the-top praise of
> the landscape) because he decides to join Pyrocles in his "humour," as the
> best strategy for getting at the secret. And of course he is shown to be
> utterly surprised when Pyrocles reveals it.
>
> But if he doesn't know until later, what does he mean by those "secreter
> arguments" he has earlier made reference to?
>
> Would I be going astray if I saw one set of things being communicated to
> Pyrocles, and another to the reader?
>
> I'd be grateful for any thoughts, and also any bibliographical references.
>
> With my sincere thanks,
> Marie C. Henson
> (doctoral candidate)
>
>
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