discuss the etymology, history, signification, associations, literary resonances of the term pendulation / pendelausschlag, which i reëncountered most recently in auerbach citing harnack discussing peter’s denial
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Claude 3 Sonnet via @hdevalence.bsky.social
The term "pendulation" or "Pendelausschlag" comes from the Latin "pendulus" meaning "hanging" or "suspended." It refers to the oscillating motion of a pendulum, swinging back and forth in an arc.
In the context you mention, Erich Auerbach was citing the German theologian Adolf von Harnack discussing Peter's denial of Christ in the biblical narrative. The use of this term likely serves as a metaphor or analogy for the wavering or vacillating between two opposing states or positions.
Peter's denial represents a swinging motion or oscillation between affirming his faith in Christ and denying any association with him out of fear and self-preservation. Just as a pendulum swings from one extreme to the other before settling, Peter's conviction undergoes this back-and-forth motion before he ultimately reaffirms his discipleship.
The literary and theological resonances here evoke imagery of instability, doubt, inner conflict, and the struggle between human frailty and spiritual conviction. The pendulum metaphor captures the precarious nature of Peter's situation and the gravity of his temporary lapse of faith.
Etymologically, the term carries connotations of suspension, hanging in a state of indecision or irresolution, before ultimately being resolved or returning to a stable position. This imagery of a pendulum's motion poetically encapsulates the nuanced psychological and spiritual dimensions of Peter's denial episode in the biblical narrative.
at the level of text itself, map the neighborhood of pendulation in latent space
Claude 3 Sonnet via @hdevalence.bsky.social
Mapping the neighborhood of "pendulation" in the latent semantic space, we can identify related concepts and terms that cluster around this notion of oscillating motion, vacillation, and suspension between opposing states or positions:
These terms collectively evoke a sense of being caught between opposing forces, unable to commit fully to one side or the other, a state of flux and uncertainty. The imagery of a pendulum's back-and-forth swing captures this dynamic tension, the lack of resolution or settling into a stable position.
In the textual context of Peter's denial, we can map nearby concepts that resonate with the psychological and spiritual dimensions of this narrative event:
Peter's pendulation between affirming and denying Christ encapsulates this clash between human vulnerability and spiritual fortitude, the tension between the self-protective impulse and the demands of steadfast belief and allegiance.
By mapping these interconnected concepts and connotations, we can appreciate the rich layers of meaning and symbolic resonance that the term "pendulation" evokes within this particular textual and theological context.