Early Christian poetry : : a collection of essays / / edited by J. den Boeft and A. Hilhorst.

• Superior document: Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, v. 22
• TeilnehmendeR: Boeft, J. den.; Hilhorst, A.
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, New York : : E.J. Brill,, 1993.
• Year of Publication: 1993
• Language: English; French; German
• Series: Vigiliae Christianae, Supplements 22.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (xi, 318 pages).
• Other title: Preliminary material /; JEWISH METRICAL EPITAPHS /; THE POETIC CHARACTER OF REVELATION 4 AND 5 /; DIE ORACULA SIBYLLINA IN DEN FRÜHCHRISTLICHEN GRIECHISCHEN SCHRIFTEN VON JUSTIN BIS ORIGENES (150-250 NACH CHR.) /; THE PLACE OF POETRY IN LATIN CHRISTIANITY /; THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE (JOHN 2,13-25) IN JUVENCUS AND NONNUS /; AMBROSIUS LYRICUS /; THE FUNCTION OF BIBLICAL MATERIAL IN THE HYMNS OF ST. AMBROSE /; PRUDENTIUS IN RECENT LITERARY CRITICISM /; IMITATION CRÉATIVE DANS LE CARMEN PASCHALE DE SÉDULIUS /; THE MERCHANT OF NISIBIS SAINT EPHREM AND HIS FAITHFUL QUEST FOR UNION IN NUMBERS /; THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS GREEK POETRY IN THE VERSE OF GREGORY NAZIANZEN /; THE VISION OF DOROTHEUS /; SYNESIUS OF CYRENE, HYMN 8: A PERSPECTIVE ON HIS POETIC ART /; THE POETICAL WRITINGS OF THE EMPRESS EUDOCIA: AN EVALUATION /; ROMANOS LE MÉLODE UN POÉTE SYRIEN À CONSTANTINOPLE /; ANTI-CHRISTIAN POLEMICS IN HEBREW LITURGICAL POETRY (PIYYUT) OF THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES /; INDEX OF BIBLICAL PASSAGES /; INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS /; INDEX OF SUBJECTS /; SUPPLEMENTS TO VIGILIAE CHRISTIANAE /
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
• ISBN: 9004312897
• ISSN: 0902-623X
• Hierarchical level: Monograph
• Statement of Responsibility: edited by J. den Boeft and A. Hilhorst.

This collection of essays deals with the rise and development of early Christian poetry, discussing its techniques and its theoretical foundation. The individual papers concern specimina of Hebrew, Syriac, Greek and Latin poetry and study the various and partly conflicting traditions from which it originated. The biblical examples, e.g. of the Psalms, held great authority, but on the other hand it was impossible to break away from the models of classical Greco-Roman poetry, although these were deemed dangerous because of the pagan content and excessive cult of literary art. The book shows how the problems involved were solved in different ways, which justified the use of pagan literary accomplishments for singing the praises of the Lord.