War of the Mind

I just wanted to pick up on what John was saying concerning the battle allegory of Prudentius vs. corresponding imagery in Boethius.  I was able to draw some interesting parallels between the two especially in the linguistic presentation of the enemy.  The phrase temere ac passim . . . raptatur strongly parallels the ruinous rage that Ira is seized by in her frenzied assault of Patientia.  Likewise, the greedy throng of the enemy seizing at the pointless materials and equipment can be strongly contrasted with the virtue's aversion to any of the remains of the Vices, stomping them into the ground rather than acquiring them as booty.  Likewise, while there did not appear to be a single leader of the Vices in the Psychomachia, although one could argue that Luxuria did possess her own retinue, the Virtues are led by Faith.  Battle imagery does seem to be largely prevalent throughout Christian writing and perhaps became later influenced by the actual conflict between various heresies during Late Antiquity