A Commentary on Augustine's De cura pro mortuis gerenda

Erscheinungsjahr 2013
ISBN: 978-90-04-22822-1
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Latin, Band 20, 622 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 239 mm, Gewicht: 1134 g

Reihe: Amsterdam Studies in Classical Philology

In De cura pro mortuis gerenda Augustine interweaves an assessment of burial near the memorial of a martyr with a series of dream narratives. The seeming lack of coherence between argument and narrative in this treatise has puzzled many scholars. Combining an analysis of the overall structure of the argument and a detailed philological commentary, this study shows that Augustine’s text forms a well-composed unity. The study is based on discourse-linguistic and narratological concepts as well as an analysis of the global structure of the narratives. Relying on this combined approach Rose demonstrates how Augustine explores the full breadth of his narrative material in the service of his argument. In addition, this book situates Augustine’s text in its cultural-historical context.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rose, Paula

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Religionsphilosophie, Philosophische Theologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionsphilosophie, Philosophische Theologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Geschichte der Westlichen Philosophie Antike Philosophie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Abbreviations

Preliminary remarks

General Introduction
1. Epistolary friendship
2. Death, burial and the hereafter in Augustine’s works
3. The structure of De cura pro mortuis gerenda

What is the usefulness of burial ad sanctos?

Worst-case scenario: no burial at all

Burial ad sanctos: interaction between place and prayer

Attachment to the body versus care for the soul

What about a request for burial in a dream?

Augustinus narrator: dreaming of the deceased

Present angels, absent deceased

Asking an expert: John of Lycopolis

Burial ad sanctos: an incentive for recommending the deceased

Bibliography
Index of Latin words

Über Autor(innen)

Paula J. Rose wrote her dissertation on Augustine’s De cura pro mortuis gerenda at the VU University of Amsterdam. She is a teacher of Classics at Sint Bonifatius College in Utrecht.