Clarification for the historic meaning of 'awful'.

[happyliza]

I have always loved to read and remind myself of Laura's beautiful and profound signature. Especially in relation to our Work. However, I have always noticed the ambiguity of the word 'awful' due to current usage. Having said that I mentally chose to simultaneously assume BOTH the positive and the negative meanings of the word. To that extent, it appeared to me to be a very rare occurrence of A/ONE word, with such a profound meaning, to EVEN have the possibility to encompass BOTH aspects of the Divine. I find that totally amazing (Awe-full). Though I may be wrong!!

Laura's Quote:
He who learns must suffer
And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget
Falls drop by drop upon the heart,
And in our own despair, against our will,
Comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.
Agamemnon, Aeschylus

A partial explanation I found:
awful & awesome

"why is something bad described as awful, while something good is described as awesome? Why is some awe good, but a lot of it bad? The answer, I assumed, lay in the history of the English language, and so, given an afternoon to myself, I engaged in my standard pastime of reading the Oxford English Dictionary.
So here’s the story. As it turns out, awe originally meant fear or dread. That’s an archaic usage now; as the OED puts it, “From its use in reference to the Divine Being [awe] passes gradually into: Dread mingled with veneration, reverential or respectful fear”. This in turn changes into “solemn and reverential wonder, tinged with latent fear,” which most closely approximates my personal take on the modern meaning of awe.
Since the meaning of awe was changing, the meaning of word derived from awedepended a lot on when they were derived. Aw(e)ful entered the language fairly early on, while awe still was predominantly a type of fear, whereas awesomecame along later (around the turn of the 17th century), after the dread had mostly filtered out of awe. That said, each of these adjectives has been used where those of a modern inclination would use the other, which leads to some rather surprising sentences:
(1) His truth, His awful holiness. [1870]
(2) Together did the awesome sisters cry. [1880]