Philosophy at the Festival: The Festal Orations of Gregory of Nazianzus and the Classical Tradition / / Byron MacDougall.
Gregory's festal orations are foundational for Byzantine literature. This book shows how besides his priestly role, Gregory plays that of a rhetor performing philosophy for a festival audience, channeling traditions of Classical philosophy and the Second Sophistic into Christian culture.
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| Superior document: | Mnemosyne, Supplements ; 461 |
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| Place / Publishing House: | Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, 2022. |
| Year of Publication: | 2022 |
| Edition: | 1st ed. |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Mnemosyne, Supplements ;
461. |
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (204 pages) |
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| Summary: | Gregory's festal orations are foundational for Byzantine literature. This book shows how besides his priestly role, Gregory plays that of a rhetor performing philosophy for a festival audience, channeling traditions of Classical philosophy and the Second Sophistic into Christian culture. Before serving as Bishop of Constantinople and becoming known to posterity as "the Theologian", Gregory of Nazianzus was an Athens-trained professional teacher of Greek literature. Steeped in the rhetorical culture of the Second Sophistic, his orations for Christian feasts such as Christmas and Pentecost belong to a Classical tradition that privileged the performance of philosophy at festivals. Widely copied and translated, they were instrumental in Gregory becoming one of the most popular and influential authors in Byzantium. This book shows how his orations represent a crucial point in the Late Antique reception of Platonism, rhetorical theory, and ancient festival culture. |
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| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9789004521407 |
| Hierarchical level: | Monograph |
| Statement of Responsibility: | Byron MacDougall. |