Contents

Abbreviations

Preface

Chapter One Introduction: The Context of the Study

1.1 New Testament and Classical Literature

1.2 Homer and Virgil: Ubiquitous Poets

1.3 Mark’s Gospel

1.4 The Acts of the Apostles

1.5 Mimesis Criticism: A Literary Approach?

1.5.1 Mark 15:39

1.5.2 Acts 10–11

1.6 Setting out the strategy

1.7 A Renewed Interest in Centos

Chapter Two The Rhetorical Context of Biblical Epics

2.1 Paraphrasis: A Rhetorical Exercise

2.2 Mimesis and Emulatio

2.3 Hermeneutical Emulation

2.3.1 Evaluative Comparison: Synkrisis

2.3.2 Ranking Texts (Canon)

2.4 A Pioneer in Latin: C. Vettius Aquilinus Juvencus

2.4.1 Juvencus who?

2.4.2 Virgil Corrected or Elucidated?

2.4.3 Virgil Transvalued: Two Examples

2.4.3.1 The Storm

2.4.3.2 The Baptism of Jesus

Chapter Three Why Imitate Classical Texts?

3.1 A Literary Reason: The Gospels’ Lack of Culture

3.1.1 Origen Contra Celsum

3.1.2 Origen De Principiis

3.1.3 Lactantius’ The Divine Institutes

3.1.4 Augustine

3.2 A Historical Reason: Julian—Emperor and Apostate (361–3 C.E.)

3.2.1 Restricted Access to the Classical Literature: Julian’s Decree on Teaching

3.2.2 Words from those affected

3.2.3 Synkrisis and Transvaluation in Julian’s Argument

3.3 Pioneers in Greek: Apollinarius, Father and Son, of Laodicea (4th century)

3.3.1 Socrates’ Church History: Gospels as Platonic Dialogues

3.3.2 Sozomen’s Church History (5th century): The Gospels not mentioned

Chapter Four What is a Cento?

4.1 Decimus Magnus Ausonius on Centos

4.2 Playful texts

4.3 Hypotexts ‘Open’ to Yielding New Texts

4.4 Cento Transformation

4.5 Centos among Christians

4.5.1 Minucius Felix on the Creation

4.5.2 Tertullian: The “Deconstructional” Power of Centos

4.5.3 Authorial Respect?

4.6 Summary

Chapter Five Faltonia Betitia Proba: The Gospel “According to Virgil”

5.1 A Lady and Her Cento

5.2 Dedication added to the Poem

5.3 Proba’s proem about Peace (L. 1–55)

5.4 Nova Progenies (New Generation or Offspring)

5.4.1 Nova Progenies and the Crucifixion of Christ

5.5 The Baptism of Jesus “According to Virgil” (L. 388–414)

5.6 The Temptation “According to Virgil”

5.7 The Sermon on the Mount “According to Virgil”

5.7.1 The Rich Young Man

5.8 What has been proved by Proba’s poem?

5.8.1 Virgil and the Christian Subject-Matter (Res)

Chapter Six Eudocia Athenais: The Gospel “According to Homer”

6.1 The Empress and Her Cento

6.1.1 Outline and Structure of the Poem

6.1.2 The Prefatory Poem

6.2 Gen 2–3 as Key to the Gospel “According to Homer”

6.2.1 A Divine Plan [μοῖρα and βουλή] for Salvation

6.3 The Baptism of Jesus “According to Homer”

6.3.1 The Baptism of Jesus in Conscriptio Secunda

6.3.2 The Baptism of Jesus in Conscriptio A, B and Γ

6.4 The Best Vision [μέγα θαῦμα]

6.5 The Crucifixion “According to Homer”

6.5.1 Jesus and Hector (Il. 22)

6.6 Descensus ad Inferos

6.7 The Resurrection of Jesus “According to Homer” (L. 2149–68)

6.8 The νόστος (“Homecoming”) of Jesus: The Closing of the Poem

6.8.1 The Ascension in the other Recensions

Chapter Seven Summary

7.1 Bringing Homer and Virgil to their Completion

7.2 Micro and Macro Levels

7.3 Mimesis Involving two “Canonical” texts

7.4 Why Christian Centos?

7.5 Gospel Composition and Centos

Bibliography

Reference Index

Subject Index

Modern Authors