THE TRANSITION OF TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY IN PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN RHETORIC A Thesis Presented to the faculty of the Department of Communication Studies California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Communication Studies by Nathan P. D. Thompson Spring 2014 © 2014 Nathan P. D. Thompson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii THE TRANSITION OF TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY IN PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN RHETORIC A Thesis by Nathan P. D. Thompson Approved by: , Committee Chair Dr. Mark A. Williams , Second Reader Dr. Christine Miller , Third Reader Dr. Nicholas Burnett Date iii Student: Nathan P. D. Thompson I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this thesis is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the thesis. , Graduate Coordinator Dr. Sean D. Zuckerman Date Department of Communication Studies iv Abstract of THE TRANSITION OF TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY IN PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN RHETORIC by Nathan P. D. Thompson This thesis employs a close textual analysis to trace the rhetorical evolution of obscuritas, gravitas, and imitatio from Pagan to Christian stylistic principles. Every occurrence of these technically charged rhetorical terms was examined in books eight and ten of Quintilian’s de Institutio Oratoria and book four of Augustine’s de Doctrina Christiana. Through a close reading of these texts, it was discovered that Augustine adapted all three terms as part of the new Christian culture. Furthermore, these adaptations were largely caused by the Christianized redefinition of virtus. As a result of this thesis, we now better understand certain aspects of a critical point in rhetorical history as the art of rhetoric transitioned from Pagan to Christian use. , Committee Chair Dr. Mark A. Williams Date v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To Dr. Mark Williams: Alii magistrii docent ut ei se loquor audient; alii magistrii docent ut alteri se loquor audient; nemo pro pecunia docet. Alii autem magistrii pro amore sapientiae docent et hanc sapientiam cum suis discipulis communicare volunt. Ego fortunatus sum quod tu proximum exemplum es quod optimum exemplum est. Ante te ego sententiam scivi "in vino veritas" sed tu me docuisti "in sapienta vita." Ego pecuniam tibi reddere non teneo; ego bona tibi reddere non teneo; ego paene nihil tibi reddere non teneo praeter haec verba: ad suasorem, ad magistrum, ad amicum... Gratias ago tibi. vi Also, my sincerest thanks to Dr. Nicholas Burnett and Dr. Christine Miller for agreeing to read, edit, and challenge this thesis. I have been told it is difficult to find and organize committees but thanks to your remarkable flexibility and patience, I do not know these difficulties first hand. Furthermore, I cannot thank you enough for your valuable insight which pointed me in directions that I would have altogether missed and saved me from producing a lesser project. My only regret is that our time together was so limited and I hope your students know how lucky they are to learn from you! Though my gratitude exceeds my eloquence, I would like you both to know that I truly could not have succeeded without your help. Thank you. Finally, thank you to my family, friends, and ma belle. Mom and Dad, thank you for your relentless support. Brothers, thank you for your infinite encouragement. Jack, thank you for always being there no matter how hectic life gets. May the JackThan live. Ma Belle, thank you for your love and patience throughout this entire process. Je t’aime. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... vi List of Tables .............................................................................................................. xi Chapter 1. Technical Vocabulary .......................................................................................... 1 I. Technical Vocabulary..........................................................................................2 I.a Technical Vocabulary in Modern Scholarship ............................................2 I.b Technical Vocabulary in the Classical World .............................................8 II. The Literary Criticism of Photius ...................................................................14 III. Saint Augustine and de Doctrina Christiana..................................................17 IV. Quintilian ........................................................................................................19 IV.a Quintilian and de Institutio Oratoria ......................................................19 IV.b Quintilian Representing Pagan Rhetoric ................................................21 V. Methodology ....................................................................................................23 2. Obscuritas ............................................................................................................. 26 I. Quintilian on Obscuritas ...................................................................................26 I.a Six Causes of Obscuritas ............................................................................30 II.b Quintilian on Ambiguitas ..........................................................................36 II. Augustine on Obscuritas..................................................................................41 III. Revisiting Augustine’s “Rejection” of Quintilianic Principles ......................48 III.a Considering Time .................................................................................52 viii III.b. Considering Audience..........................................................................53 III.c Considering Subject Matter..................................................................54 III.d Quintilian and Augustine in Context ...................................................57 IV. Conclusion ......................................................................................................61 3. Gravitas ..............................................................................................................63 I. Gravitas in Roman Antiquity ...........................................................................64 II. Gravitas in Quintilian.......................................................................................67 III. Augustine and Gravitas...................................................................................76 IV. Conclusion ......................................................................................................88 4. Imitatio .................................................................................................................. 91 I. Quintilian and Imitatio .....................................................................................98 I.a Imitation Insufficient ..............................................................................99 I.b Who Should Be Imitated ......................................................................103 I.c Limitations of Imitatio ..........................................................................106 I.d Quintilian’s Concluding Remarks on Imitatio......................................107 II. Augustine and Imitatio...................................................................................109 II.a Contextualizing Imitatio in Augustine ................................................110 II.b Who the Christian Orator Should Imitate ...........................................115 III. Conclusions...................................................................................................121 5. Conclusion ..........................................................................................................127 I. Research Question One ..................................................................................127 ix II. Research Question Two .................................................................................133 III. Limitations and Future Research ..................................................................141 Work Cited................................................................................................................ 145 x LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1. Obscuritas, -atis in books eight and ten of de Institutio Oratoria .………… 26 2. Obscuritas, -atis in book four of de Doctrina Christiana……………………41 3. Gravitas, -atis in book eight and ten, de Instituto Oratioria…………………68 4. Gravitas, -atis in book four of de Doctrina Christiana ……………………...77 5. Imitatio, -onis in books eight and ten of de Institutio Oratoria ……..………93 6. Imitatio, -onis in book four of de Doctrina Christiana……..………………113 xi 1 Chapter One: Technical Vocabulary During the second C.E. a prominent Greek scholar, Hermogenes of Tarsus, outlined systematic categories of eloquence in his work On Types of Style, which would go on to influence rhetoricians for centuries to come. One example of this influence was on Photius, the ninth century Patriarch of Constantinople in the Byzantine East, who drew from Hermogenes’ work and adapted style to fit the needs of the church. In other words, Hermogenes had classified types of style to be used in “Pagan” rhetoric and Photius modified the former’s system to function in Christian rhetoric. Recognizing this process, George L. Kustas illustrated the “Christianization of style” by examining the Greek works of both Hermogenes and Photius. More than