The Greek Historia Monachorum in Aegypto: Monastic Hagiography in the Late Fourth Century

by Andrew Cain

Overview

The Greek Historia Monachorum in Aegypto was one of the most widely read and disseminated Greek hagiographic texts during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. To this day it remains, alongside Athanasius' Life of Antony, one of the core primary sources for fourth-century Egyptian monasticism as well as one of the most fascinating, yet perplexing, pieces of monastic hagiography to survive from the entire patristic period. However, until now it has not received the intensive and sustained scholarly analysis that a monograph affords. In this study, Andrew Cain incorporates insights from source criticism, stylistic and rhetorical analysis, literary criticism, and historical, geographical, and theological studies in an attempt to break new ground and revise current scholarly orthodoxy about a broad range of interpretive issues and problems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191075810
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	05/12/2016
Series:	Oxford Early Christian Studies
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	930 KB

About the Author

Andrew Cain is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. The Text
Deconstructing the 'Lost Primitive Greek HM' theory
Restoring the Primacy of G
Syriac Translations of the HM
Status of the Greek Text
2. Provenance, Date, and Authorship
Provenance
Date of Composition
Candidates for Authorship
Intentional Anonymity
3. Genre
Itineraria
Collective Biography
Encomium
Acta Martyrum
Apophthegmata Partum
Sui Generis
4. Literary Influences and Intertexts
Classical Greek Literature
The Bible
The Life of Antony
5. Style
Figures of Sound
Figures of Repetition
Figures of Redundancy
Figures of Parallelism
Figures of Imagery
Other Figures of Rhetoric
Prose Rhythm
Conclusion
7. The New Prophets and Apostles
Direct typology (Old Testament)
Indirect typology (Old Testament)
Indirect typology (New Testament)
Indirect typology (Inter-Testamental)
The HM as postbiblical Scripture
8. Characterization and the Unholy Other
Pagans
Syrian ascetics
Manichaean heretics
Conclusion
9. Through Them the World is Sustained
Paradise regained
Conservators of humanity
Ministers of salvation
10. A Manual for Monastic Living
Intended audience
The monks as exemplars and teachers
The monastic regimen
Conclusion
11. Piety and Propaganda
Evagrius in the HM
Active vs. contemplative monasticism
Pure prayer
Apatheia
Demons and impure thoughts
Evagrius and his teachings in Rufinus Latin HM
Conclusion
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

"Cain has written a study of this which will prove invaluable to all those interested in late antique monasticism, Egypt and hagiography, with chapters on the text, the authorship, the genre, the literary influences and the style before moving on to look more directly at what the work describes... Cain's book though is a wonderfully learned and informative study of this most engaging of ancient texts." — Theresa Urbainczyk, Gnomon Vol.90

"Now that the study of hagiography boasts several sound critical editions and translations into modern languages, it is crucial to proceed with monographs devoted to works that shaped the development of this particular branch of literature and, beyond that, the thought-world of late antique and medieval society. Should this be undertaken by such well-read and thoughtful commentators as the present author, we have good reason tobe optimistic."—The Catholic Historical Review

"Cain's book will likely become the definitive text on the [Historia monachorum in Aegypto]. His research is excellent, his arguments well documented, and the theses of the eleven chapters will provide ample foundation for years of further scholarship In short, Cain has ensured that any subsequent books or articles on the HMA must engage with this monograph. That alone places him, and this book, in rare company." — Reading Religion

From the Publisher