Katherine Milco: Pity and the Inversion of Forensic Topoi in Early Christian Martyrdom Narratives

This paper argues that pleas for pity at the martyrs’ trials, as represented by early martyrdom narratives from the second through fourth centuries, initiate a reversal of roles that casts non-Christians into the role of suppliants and the Christian martyrs into the role of judges.  We draw on classical rhetorical manuals, the speeches of Cicero, and the controversiae of Seneca as sources exemplifying those forensic topoi that the participants of the martyrs’ trials utilize to inspire pity.  These forensic topoi include: appeals to offspring and old age, exhortations to patriotism, expressions of self-abasement, as well as non-verbal forms of communication, such as weeping and groveling.  This investigation is inspired by David Konstan’s important work, Pity Transformed (2001), which treats the role of pity in early Christianity only briefly and overlooks early martyrdom narratives.  Our hope is that an understanding of pity in early Christian martyrdom narratives will both enhance our understanding of the narratives themselves and augment our understanding of pity as a culturally significant emotion in the ancient world.