Dear Jansy,

Please first accept my public apology for demoting you from psychoanalyst to psychologist.

I think the Greek word you are thinking of meaning "eater" is phage.

As to Freud;s original theories of hysteria in relation to "split personality," I am not familiar enough with Freud to attempt an answer. But it is interesting that Freud rejected the use of hypnosis in  psychoanalysis, while hypnosis was the primary tool used by French psychiatrists Janet and Charcot to analyze and treat patients who exhibited multiple or split personalities.

I don't recall any references to Freud in Pale Fire (do you?) but there are references to hypnosis. Can this be without significance?

Carolyn

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