Wednesday 6 May 2015

Matteo Caruso: Hagiographic style of Vita Spyridonis between rhetoric and literary tradition: analogies between Joan Chrysostom's homilies and Theodore's, bishop of Paphos, work

The goal of my speech consists in analyzing rhetorical relationships and influences between the Vita Spyridonis, written by Theodore, bishop of Paphos, and the homilies of Joan Chrysostom.
The idea of studying this issue came to me observing that the final of Theodore's work is similar to the final used by Joan Chrysostom in many homilies. The same final appears in some homilies of Epiphanius of Salamis of Cyprus also. Then I noticed the Chrysostom's homilies thematic influence on Theodore's work especially appears in narrations of social miracles, that regard debts and credits. Theodore's view of poor people and debtors seems to be influenced by Chrysostom's homilies concerning poor and rich people. The contempt of vanity, gold, rich clothes seems to be in both authors. These mutual characteristics lead me to conclude that Theodore in the middle of 7th century knew Chrysostom's homilies and used them as a stylistic and thematic model to write his work on St Spyridon.
Starting from this relationship, I propose to analyze some homilies of Chrysostom comparing them with the Theodore's work and find others rhetorical characteristics which link the two authors. Finally the purpose of my speech is to underline the grammatical and thematic influence of Chrysostom's works on Vita Spyridonis and consequently on monastic writings and life of Cyprus.

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