psychomachia

/ˌsaɪkəʊˈmækɪə/

noun

conflict of the soul

Word Origin

C17: from Late Latin psӯchomachia, title of a poem by Prudentius (about 400), from Greek psukhē spirit + makhē battle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Examples from the Web for psychomachia

Historical Examples

Then conflict arises; the mediaeval psychomachia awakes in Dante.

The Mediaeval Mind (Volume II of II) Henry Osborn Taylor
Apparently following the psychomachia of Prudentius, a Christian poet of the 5th century.

Woman under Monasticism Lina Eckenstein

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