Motif
Abstention from animal slaughter because animals may contain human souls
abstention_from_animal_slaughter_because_animals_may_contain_human_souls
A motif of the Sacred Law and Social Order family, within the sub-family Taboo and Ritual Restriction. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
roman
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The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / BOOK THE FIFTEENTH. / EXPLANATION.; lines 12563-12665 confidence: high
Everything in heaven and earth changes form; humans are bodies and fleeting souls that may enter beasts or cattle, so animal bodies may contain the souls of kin or humans and should be unmolested.
The speaker argues that animals may contain souls of parents, brothers, allies, or humans and therefore should not be killed or eaten.
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