A Companion to Late Antique Literature (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World)

**Noted scholars in the field explore the****rich variety of late antique literature**With contributions from leading scholars in the field,__A Companion to Late Antique Literature__presents a broad review of late antique literature. The late antique period encompasses a significant transitional era in literary history from the mid-third century to the early seventh century. The Companion covers notable Greek and Latin texts of the period and provides a varied overview of literature written in six other late antique languages. Comprehensive in scope, this important volume presents new research, methodologies, and significant debates in the field.The Companion explores the histories, forms, features, audiences, and uses of the literature of the period. This authoritative text:Provides an inclusive overview of late antique literatureOffers the widest survey to date of the literary traditions and forms of the period, including those in several languages other than Greek and LatinPresents the most current research and new methodologies in the fieldContains contributions from an international group of contributorsWritten for students and scholars of late antiquity, this comprehensive volume provides an authoritative review of the literature from the era. Title Page......Page 5 Copyright Page......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Notes on Contributors......Page 11 Part One Late Antique Literature by Language and Tradition......Page 19 Introduction......Page 21 Chapter One Greek......Page 27 References......Page 36 Chapter Two Latin......Page 45 2.1 Panegyric and Secular Oratory......Page 46 2.2 Sermons......Page 48 2.3 Philosophy......Page 49 2.4 Secular Verse......Page 50 2.5 Religious Verse......Page 51 2.6 Letter Writing......Page 52 2.7 History Writing......Page 54 2.8 Christian History and Hagiography......Page 55 References......Page 58 Chapter Three Syriac......Page 65 3.1 Biblical Commentary......Page 66 3.2 Poetry......Page 67 3.3 Theology......Page 69 3.4 Biography and Hagiography......Page 70 3.5 Rhetoric and Epistolography......Page 71 3.6 Historiography......Page 73 3.7 Philosophy and Translation......Page 74 References......Page 76 Chapter Four Coptic......Page 79 4.1 The Problems of “Coptic Literature” and its History......Page 80 4.2 Translation and the Origins of Coptic Literature......Page 82 4.3 Original Coptic Literature: From Pachomius and Shenoute to the Muslim Conquest......Page 84 References......Page 90 Chapter Five Armenian ......Page 93 5.1 Ecclesiastical and Theological Works in Prose......Page 97 5.2 Historians......Page 100 References......Page 102 Chapter Six Georgian......Page 105 6.1 Earliest Original Georgian Literature: Hagiography......Page 106 6.2 Christian Kʻartʻli and the Iranian Commonwealth......Page 109 6.3 Conversion Stories and Acculturating Parthians......Page 110 6.4 The Dawn of Georgian Historiography: Hambavi mepʻet ʻa......Page 113 6.5 Christian History in Iranic Colors......Page 115 References......Page 118 Chapter Seven Middle Persian (Pahlavi)......Page 121 7.1 Commentary on the Avesta......Page 124 7.3 Apocalyptic and Visionary Texts......Page 126 7.5 Geographical and Epic Texts......Page 128 7.6 Legal Texts......Page 129 7.7 Cultural Texts......Page 130 7.9 Christian and Manichaean Literature in Middle Persian......Page 131 7.10 Pahlavi Literature in Contact with Greek and Sanskrit Literature and Islam......Page 132 References......Page 134 Chapter Eight Languages of Arabia......Page 141 References......Page 157 Part Two Literary Forms......Page 159 Chapter Nine Classicizing History and Historical Epitomes......Page 161 References......Page 175 Chapter Ten Ecclesiastical History......Page 179 10.1 Origins......Page 180 10.2 Genre......Page 181 10.3 History and Theology......Page 184 10.4 Development......Page 186 References......Page 191 11.1 Introduction......Page 195 11.2 Consularia......Page 196 11.3 Chronicles......Page 201 11.4 Chronicles after the Sixth Century......Page 205 References......Page 206 Chapter Twelve Epideictic Oratory......Page 211 12.1 What Do We Mean by “Epideictic”?......Page 212 12.2 Topoi......Page 213 12.3 Some Social Aspects of Epideictic......Page 214 12.4 An Epithalamium......Page 216 12.5 Monody......Page 218 12.7 Festal Oration......Page 220 12.8 Pure Sophistry?......Page 222 Addendum......Page 223 References......Page 224 Chapter Thirteen Panegyric......Page 227 References......Page 236 14.1 Greek Epic......Page 239 14.2 Latin Epic......Page 245 References......Page 251 Chapter Fifteen Epigrams, Occasional Poetry, and Poetic Games......Page 259 References......Page 275 Chapter Sixteen Christian Poetry......Page 277 16.1 Greek Christian Poetry......Page 278 16.2 Latin Christian Poetry......Page 284 References......Page 291 17.1 Introduction......Page 299 17.2 Popular Origins of Mixed‐Meter Satire......Page 301 17.3 The Extraordinary Verses of Consolation......Page 303 17.4 Literary Shifts in the Second Century......Page 305 17.5 The Evidence of Sympotic Literature......Page 307 17.6 Conclusion: Two Pre-Boethian, Two Post-Boethian Traditions......Page 308 Acknowledgment......Page 310 References......Page 311 18.1 Background......Page 315 18.2 Commentary and Exegesis......Page 317 18.3 Forms of Commentary......Page 318 18.4 Techniques and Strategies......Page 323 18.5 Defining the Commentator......Page 325 18.6 Conclusion......Page 327 References......Page 328 19.1 Introduction......Page 331 19.2 Origins and Development......Page 332 19.3 About Literature......Page 333 19.4 Survey......Page 335 References......Page 341 20.1 Some Preliminary Remarks: “Christian,” “Theological,” “Literature”......Page 345 20.2 Approaching Late Antiquity: The Emergence of Christian Theological Literature......Page 349 20.3 The “Long Fourth Century”: Toward an Orthodox Theology of the “Fathers”......Page 352 20.4 Consolidation and Reception toward the End of Late Antiquity......Page 355 20.5 Summary and Conclusion......Page 356 References......Page 357 Chapter Twenty-One Sermons......Page 361 21.1 Origins of Sermons......Page 362 21.2 Sermons as a Genre......Page 364 21.3 The Influence of Classical Rhetoric......Page 365 21.4 Advice about Sermons......Page 366 21.5 The Preachers and their Audiences......Page 370 21.6 Shorthand Writers and the Preservation of Sermons......Page 371 References......Page 372 Chapter Twenty-Two Travel and Pilgrimage Literature......Page 377 22.1 Letters......Page 378 22.2 Religious Travel......Page 380 22.3 Itineraries......Page 381 22.4 Maps......Page 383 22.5 Periegeseis and Periploi......Page 384 22.7 Vitae......Page 386 References......Page 387 23.1 Introduction......Page 391 23.2 Autobiography......Page 393 23.3 Biography......Page 395 23.4 Hagiography......Page 398 23.5 Monastic Tales......Page 399 23.6 Martyr Texts......Page 400 23.7 Conclusion......Page 401 References......Page 402 Chapter Twenty-Four Epistolography......Page 407 24.1 Letter Collections in the Later Roman World......Page 408 24.2 Innovation and the Late Antique Letter Collection......Page 412 24.3 Innovation in the Individual Letter......Page 414 24.4 Conclusion......Page 416 References......Page 417 25.1 Introduction......Page 419 25.2 Origins of Pseudepigrapha in Antiquity......Page 420 25.3 Late Antique Pseudepigrapha......Page 422 References......Page 430 26.1 Introduction......Page 435 26.2 Legal Texts in Late Antiquity: Forms and Problems......Page 436 26.3 Language and Style in Late Antique Imperial Legislation......Page 441 26.4 Legal Texts and Panegyric......Page 445 26.5 Conclusion......Page 447 References......Page 448 27.1 Introduction and General Remarks......Page 449 27.2 New Genres and Christianity?......Page 453 27.3 The Range of Abbreviated and Condensed Texts......Page 455 27.4 Handbook and Florilegium......Page 457 27.5 Other Forms of Compilation......Page 460 27.6 Epitome – the Transformation of Texts into a New and Condensed Form......Page 461 27.7 Conclusion......Page 463 References......Page 464 28.1 A Textual Typology for Latin Grammar in Late Antiquity......Page 469 28.2 Sublexical Level......Page 473 28.3 Morpholexical Level......Page 475 28.4 Vices and Virtues of Expression: Between Rhetoric and Grammar......Page 476 28.5 Syntax......Page 478 28.6 Lexicon, Lexica......Page 479 28.7 Metrics......Page 481 28.8 Interpretari......Page 482 References......Page 484 29.1 Introduction......Page 489 29.2 The “Fragments” of Late Antique Literature......Page 491 29.3 The “Forms” of Late Antique Literary Architecture......Page 492 29.4 Classroom Practice......Page 497 29.5 Audience......Page 502 29.6 Conclusion......Page 505 References......Page 506 Chapter Thirty Literature of Knowledge......Page 509 30.1 Competition......Page 512 30.2 Fighting, Grafting, and Healing......Page 514 30.3 The Pursuit of Practicability......Page 518 References......Page 520 Chapter Thirty-One Inscriptions......Page 523 31.1 Agency and Identity......Page 525 31.2 Editions......Page 526 31.3 Sources......Page 528 31.4 Texts......Page 530 31.5 Images......Page 532 31.6 Audiences and Reception......Page 535 Online Resources......Page 537 References......Page 538 Chapter Thirty-Two Translation......Page 541 32.1 Philosophy, Medicine, Rhetoric, and Grammar......Page 543 32.2 Law......Page 546 32.3 Poetry......Page 547 32.4 Prose Fiction......Page 548 32.5 Scripture......Page 550 32.6 Parabiblical Texts......Page 552 32.7 Theology......Page 553 32.8 Conclusion......Page 554 References......Page 555 Chapter Thirty-Three Antiquarian Literature ......Page 557 33.1 Presenting the Past......Page 558 33.2 Perspectives on the Past......Page 562 33.3 Past and Present......Page 566 References......Page 568 Part Three Reception......Page 573 Chapter Thirty-Four Late Antique Literature in Byzantium ......Page 575 34.2 Absorption......Page 579 34.3 Rewriting......Page 580 34.4 Replicating Authorial Personae......Page 581 34.5 Literary Criticism......Page 582 References......Page 585 Chapter thirty-Five The Arabic Reception of Late Antique Literature......Page 587 References......Page 599 Further Reading......Page 600 Chapter Thirty-Six Late Antique Literature in the Western Middle Ages......Page 601 References......Page 611 37.1 Introduction......Page 615 37.2 Encountering Late Ancient Texts in the Early Modern Context......Page 617 37.3 Erasmus and Jerome......Page 622 References......Page 626 Chapter Thirty-Eight Edward Gibbon and Late Antique Literature......Page 629 38.1 Gibbon’s Reading of Late Antique Literature......Page 632 38.2 A Case Study: Ammianus Marcellinus......Page 635 38.3 Concluding Thoughts on Decline......Page 641 References......Page 642 Chapter Thirty-Nine Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Visions of Late Antique Literature......Page 645 39.1 Decadent and Aesthetic Late Antique Literatures......Page 646 39.2 Modernist and “Beat” Late Antique Literatures......Page 651 39.3 Present and Future Late Antique Literatures......Page 656 References......Page 657 Further Reading ......Page 660 Index......Page 661 EULA......Page 700 Title Page 5 Copyright Page 6 Contents 7 Notes on Contributors 11 Part One Late Antique Literature by Language and Tradition 19 Introduction 21 Chapter One Greek 27 References 36 Chapter Two Latin 45 2.1 Panegyric and Secular Oratory 46 2.2 Sermons 48 2.3 Philosophy 49 2.4 Secular Verse 50 2.5 Religious Verse 51 2.6 Letter Writing 52 2.7 History Writing 54 2.8 Christian History and Hagiography 55 References 58 Chapter Three Syriac 65 3.1 Biblical Commentary 66 3.2 Poetry 67 3.3 Theology 69 3.4 Biography and Hagiography 70 3.5 Rhetoric and Epistolography 71 3.6 Historiography 73 3.7 Philosophy and Translation 74 References 76 Chapter Four Coptic 79 4.1 The Problems of “Coptic Literature” and its History 80 4.2 Translation and the Origins of Coptic Literature 82 4.3 Original Coptic Literature: From Pachomius and Shenoute to the Muslim Conquest 84 References 90 Chapter Five Armenian 93 5.1 Ecclesiastical and Theological Works in Prose 97 5.2 Historians 100 References 102 Chapter Six Georgian 105 6.1 Earliest Original Georgian Literature: Hagiography 106 6.2 Christian Kʻartʻli and the Iranian Commonwealth 109 6.3 Conversion Stories and Acculturating Parthians 110 6.4 The Dawn of Georgian Historiography: Hambavi mepʻet ʻa 113 6.5 Christian History in Iranic Colors 115 References 118 Chapter Seven Middle Persian (Pahlavi) 121 7.1 Commentary on the Avesta 124 7.2 Philosophical and Debate Texts 126 7.3 Apocalyptic and Visionary Texts 126 7.4 Didactic Texts 128 7.5 Geographical and Epic Texts 128 7.6 Legal Texts 129 7.7 Cultural Texts 130 7.8 Dictionaries 131 7.9 Christian and Manichaean Literature in Middle Persian 131 7.10 Pahlavi Literature in Contact with Greek and Sanskrit Literature and Islam 132 7.11 Conclusion 134 References 134 Chapter Eight Languages of Arabia 141 References 157 Part Two Literary Forms 159 Chapter Nine Classicizing History and Historical Epitomes 161 References 175 Chapter Ten Ecclesiastical History 179 10.1 Origins 180 10.2 Genre 181 10.3 History and Theology 184 10.4 Development 186 Acknowledgment 191 References 191 Chapter Eleven Chronicles 195 11.1 Introduction 195 11.2 Consularia 196 11.3 Chronicles 201 11.4 Chronicles after the Sixth Century 205 Abbreviations 206 References 206 Chapter Twelve Epideictic Oratory 211 12.1 What Do We Mean by “Epideictic”? 212 12.2 Topoi 213 12.3 Some Social Aspects of Epideictic 214 12.4 An Epithalamium 216 12.5 Monody 218 12.6 Epitaphios 220 12.7 Festal Oration 220 12.8 Pure Sophistry? 222 12.9 Conclusion 223 Addendum 223 References 224 Chapter Thirteen Panegyric 227 References 236 Chapter Fourteen Epic Poetry 239 14.1 Greek Epic 239 14.2 Latin Epic 245 References 251 Chapter Fifteen Epigrams, Occasional Poetry, and Poetic Games 259 References 275 Chapter Sixteen Christian Poetry 277 16.1 Greek Christian Poetry 278 16.2 Latin Christian Poetry 284 Acknowledgment 291 References 291 Chapter Seventeen Prosimetra 299 17.1 Introduction 299 17.2 Popular Origins of Mixed‐Meter Satire 301 17.3 The Extraordinary Verses of Consolation 303 17.4 Literary Shifts in the Second Century 305 17.5 The Evidence of Sympotic Literature 307 17.6 Conclusion: Two Pre-Boethian, Two Post-Boethian Traditions 308 Acknowledgment 310 References 311 Chapter Eighteen Philosophical Commentary 315 18.1 Background 315 18.2 Commentary and Exegesis 317 18.3 Forms of Commentary 318 18.4 Techniques and Strategies 323 18.5 Defining the Commentator 325 18.6 Conclusion 327 References 328 Chapter Nineteen Biblical Commentary 331 19.1 Introduction 331 19.2 Origins and Development 332 19.3 About Literature 333 19.4 Survey 335 19.5 Conclusion 341 References 341 Chapter Twenty Christian Theological Literature 345 20.1 Some Preliminary Remarks: “Christian,” “Theological,” “Literature” 345 20.2 Approaching Late Antiquity: The Emergence of Christian Theological Literature 349 20.3 The “Long Fourth Century”: Toward an Orthodox Theology of the “Fathers” 352 20.4 Consolidation and Reception toward the End of Late Antiquity 355 20.5 Summary and Conclusion 356 References 357 Chapter Twenty-One Sermons 361 21.1 Origins of Sermons 362 21.2 Sermons as a Genre 364 21.3 The Influence of Classical Rhetoric 365 21.4 Advice about Sermons 366 21.5 The Preachers and their Audiences 370 21.6 Shorthand Writers and the Preservation of Sermons 371 References 372 Chapter Twenty-Two Travel and Pilgrimage Literature 377 22.1 Letters 378 22.2 Religious Travel 380 22.3 Itineraries 381 22.4 Maps 383 22.5 Periegeseis and Periploi 384 22.6 Historiography 386 22.7 Vitae 386 References 387 Chapter Twenty-Three Biography, Autobiography, and Hagiography 391 23.1 Introduction 391 23.2 Autobiography 393 23.3 Biography 395 23.4 Hagiography 398 23.5 Monastic Tales 399 23.6 Martyr Texts 400 23.7 Conclusion 401 References 402 Chapter Twenty-Four Epistolography 407 24.1 Letter Collections in the Later Roman World 408 24.2 Innovation and the Late Antique Letter Collection 412 24.3 Innovation in the Individual Letter 414 24.4 Conclusion 416 References 417 Chapter Twenty-Five Pseudepigraphy 419 25.1 Introduction 419 25.2 Origins of Pseudepigrapha in Antiquity 420 25.3 Late Antique Pseudepigrapha 422 References 430 Chapter Twenty-Six Legal Texts 435 26.1 Introduction 435 26.2 Legal Texts in Late Antiquity: Forms and Problems 436 26.3 Language and Style in Late Antique Imperial Legislation 441 26.4 Legal Texts and Panegyric 445 26.5 Conclusion 447 Note 448 References 448 Chapter Twenty-Seven Handbooks, Epitomes, and Florilegia 449 27.1 Introduction and General Remarks 449 27.2 New Genres and Christianity? 453 27.3 The Range of Abbreviated and Condensed Texts 455 27.4 Handbook and Florilegium 457 27.5 Other Forms of Compilation 460 27.6 Epitome – the Transformation of Texts into a New and Condensed Form 461 27.7 Conclusion 463 Note 464 References 464 Chapter Twenty-Eight Grammar 469 28.1 A Textual Typology for Latin Grammar in Late Antiquity 469 28.2 Sublexical Level 473 28.3 Morpholexical Level 475 28.4 Vices and Virtues of Expression: Between Rhetoric and Grammar 476 28.5 Syntax 478 28.6 Lexicon, Lexica 479 28.7 Metrics 481 28.8 Interpretari 482 References 484 Chapter Twenty-Nine School Texts 489 29.1 Introduction 489 29.2 The “Fragments” of Late Antique Literature 491 29.3 The “Forms” of Late Antique Literary Architecture 492 29.4 Classroom Practice 497 29.5 Audience 502 29.6 Conclusion 505 References 506 Chapter Thirty Literature of Knowledge 509 30.1 Competition 512 30.2 Fighting, Grafting, and Healing 514 30.3 The Pursuit of Practicability 518 30.4 Conclusion 520 Note 520 References 520 Chapter Thirty-One Inscriptions 523 31.1 Agency and Identity 525 31.2 Editions 526 31.3 Sources 528 31.4 Texts 530 31.5 Images 532 31.6 Audiences and Reception 535 Abbreviations 537 Online Resources 537 References 538 Chapter Thirty-Two Translation 541 32.1 Philosophy, Medicine, Rhetoric, and Grammar 543 32.2 Law 546 32.3 Poetry 547 32.4 Prose Fiction 548 32.5 Scripture 550 32.6 Parabiblical Texts 552 32.7 Theology 553 32.8 Conclusion 554 References 555 Chapter Thirty-Three Antiquarian Literature 557 33.1 Presenting the Past 558 33.2 Perspectives on the Past 562 33.3 Past and Present 566 References 568 Part Three Reception 573 Chapter Thirty-Four Late Antique Literature in Byzantium 575 34.1 Continuation 579 34.2 Absorption 579 34.3 Rewriting 580 34.4 Replicating Authorial Personae 581 34.5 Literary Criticism 582 References 585 Chapter thirty-Five The Arabic Reception of Late Antique Literature 587 References 599 Further Reading 600 Chapter Thirty-Six Late Antique Literature in the Western Middle Ages 601 References 611 Chapter Thirty-Seven Early Modern Receptions of Late Ancient Literature 615 37.1 Introduction 615 37.2 Encountering Late Ancient Texts in the Early Modern Context 617 37.3 Erasmus and Jerome 622 37.4 Conclusion 626 References 626 Chapter Thirty-Eight Edward Gibbon and Late Antique Literature 629 38.1 Gibbon’s Reading of Late Antique Literature 632 38.2 A Case Study: Ammianus Marcellinus 635 38.3 Concluding Thoughts on Decline 641 Acknowledgment 642 Note 642 References 642 Chapter Thirty-Nine Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Visions of Late Antique Literature 645 39.1 Decadent and Aesthetic Late Antique Literatures 646 39.2 Modernist and “Beat” Late Antique Literatures 651 39.3 Present and Future Late Antique Literatures 656 References 657 Further Reading 660 Index 661 EULA 700

Noted scholars in the field explore the rich variety of late antique literature

With contributions from leading scholars in the field, A Companion to Late Antique Literature presents a broad review of late antique literature. The late antique period encompasses a significant transitional era in literary history from the mid-third century to the early seventh century. The Companion covers notable Greek and Latin texts of the period and provides a varied overview of literature written in six other late antique languages. Comprehensive in scope, this important volume presents new research, methodologies, and significant debates in the field.

The Companion explores the histories, forms, features, audiences, and uses of the literature of the period. This authoritative text:

• Provides an inclusive overview of late antique literature
• Offers the widest survey to date of the literary traditions and forms of the period, including those in several languages other than Greek and Latin
• Presents the most current research and new methodologies in the field
• Contains contributions from an international group of contributors

Written for students and scholars of late antiquity, this comprehensive volume provides an authoritative review of the literature from the era.

Noted scholars in the field explore the rich variety of late antique literature With contributions from leading scholars in the field, A Companion to Late Antique Literature presents a broad review of late antique literature. The late antique period encompasses a significant transitional era in literary history from the mid-third century to the early seventh century. The Companion covers notable Greek and Latin texts of the period and provides a varied overview of literature written in six other late antique languages. Comprehensive in scope, this important volume presents new research, methodologies, and significant debates in the field. The Companion explores the histories, forms, features, audiences, and uses of the literature of the period. This authoritative text: Provides an inclusive overview of late antique literature Offers the widest survey to date of the literary traditions and forms of the period, including those in several languages other than Greek and Latin Presents the most current research and new methodologies in the field Contains contributions from an international group of contributors Written for students and scholars of late antiquity, this comprehensive volume provides an authoritative review of the literature from the era. This volume presents a broad review of late antique literature. The late antique period encompasses a significant transitional era in literary history from the mid-third century to the early seventh century. The volume covers notable Greek and Latin texts of the period and provides a varied overview of literature written in six other late antique languages. It explores the histories, forms, features, audiences, and uses of the literature of the period Edited By Scott Mcgill And Edward J. Watts. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.