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corpus-paul - Re: Dignitas and Pauline social values

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  • From: "Robert Keay" <robert_keay AT hotmail.com>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Dignitas and Pauline social values
  • Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 18:26:34 +0000


Tim, it is well-known, of course, that Romanization did not give rise to a culturally homogenous empire (as you are undoubtedly aware). Therefore, it might be helpful for you to focus your attention on the Greek East, especially since this is where Paul spent the bulk of his life. The PCPS 40 (1994) 116-43 article by Greg Woolf ('Becoming Roman, Staying Greek: Culture, Identity and the Civilizing Process in the Roman East') that Mark mentioned will be very helpful in this regard, and you will want to supplement it with the important new work edited by Simon Goldhill ('Being Greek under Rome') and with Simon Swain's 'Hellenism and Empire' (as well as other articles he has done).

The notions of humility, self-praise, boasting are indeed important considerations for Paul in the Greek East (2Cor10-13!). Self-praise was generally regarded as offensive in the Greek world: see Aristotle (Nic.Ethics 1126b-27a), Plutarch ('On Praising Oneself without Giving Offence'), Aelius Aristides ('Concerning a Remark in Passing'), and Demosthenes. Yet it was sometimes a necessity. It was therefore considered proper given certain conditions (e.g. when defending yourself). For sorting this out, you may find help in Ian Rutherford's contribution to 'Ethics and Rhetoric' (ed. D.Innes, H.Hine, C.Pelling; OUP 1995) titled 'The Poetics of the Paraphthegma: Aelius Aristides and the Decorum of Self-Praise (pp.193-204). You may also find David Konstan's article 'Altruism' in TAPA 130 (2000) 1-17 helpful.

Robert Keay
PhD student
University of St Andrews
Scotland




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