Ancient Latin Epics in Girolamo Vida’s Christiad

Stefano Cianciosi, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in Latin at Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford. He has published mainly on ancient Latin epics and their reception in Renaissance Neo-Latin literature.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 The Theoretical Background2 The Goal, Method, and Basic Assumptions of This Study3 The Structure of This Work1 The Principles behind the Order of the Stories1 Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Attendant (1 Kgs 19:19–21)2 Elisha’s Consecration as a Prophet (2 Kgs 2:1–18)3 The Healing of the Spring in Jericho (2:19–22) and “Go Away, Baldhead” (2:23–25)4 The Three Kings’ War against Moab (3:4–27)5 The Miraculous Jug of Oil (4:1–7)6 The Birth and Resurrection of the Shunammite’s Son (4:8–37)7 The Toxic Stew (4:38–41)8 The Multiplication of the Food (4:42–44)9 The Healing of Naaman (5:1–27)10 The Floating Axe Head (6:1–7)11 The Siege of Dothan (6:8–23)12 The Siege of Samaria (6:24–7:20)13 “The Great Things That Elisha Did” (8:1–6)14 The Prophecies to Hazael and Ben Haddad (8:7–15)15 Jehu’s Anointing and Coup (Chapters 9 and 10)16 “An Arrow of Victory over Aram!” (2 Kgs 13:14–19) and the Resurrection of the Dead Man (13:20–21)17 Summary2 The Elisha Stories as Saints’ Legends1 Five Genres Proposed for the Elisha Stories2 Do the Elisha Stories Criticize the Man of God?3 The Elisha Cycle as Prophetic Hagiography Meant to Exalt the Prophet4 Summary3 From Following the Oxen to Following Elijah: Elisha Becomes Elijah’s Attendant (1 Kgs 19:19–21) 1 The Story’s Relationship to the Elisha Cycle*2 The Structure of the Narrative3 The Literary Genre4 A Close Reading5 Summary4 From Prophet’s Attendant to Prophet (2 Kings 2:1–18)1 Inclusion in the Elisha Cycle2 The Genre3 The Connection between This Story and That of Elisha’s Appointment as Elijah’s Attendant (1 Kgs 19:19–21)4 The Structure of the Story5 A Close Reading6 Summary5 Two Legends: Elisha Saves Jericho from Bereavement (2 Kings 2:19–22) and Kills Its Children (2 Kings 2:23–25)1 The Healing of the Jericho Spring2 “Go Away, Baldhead!”3 Summary6 Elisha and the Miraculous Jug of Oil (2 Kings 4:1–7)1 The Structure of the Story2 A Close Reading3 A Comparison of Elisha’s Food-Related Miracle (2 Kgs 4:1–7) with Elijah’s (1 Kgs 17:8–16)4 Summary7 Two Food-Related Miracles: the Detoxification of the Stew (2 Kings 4:38–41) and the Multiplication of the Loaves and Grain (2 Kings 4:42–44)1 The Detoxification of the Stew (4:38–41)2 The Multiplication of the Bread and Grain (4:42–44)3 A Comparison with Elijah’s Miracle of the Flour and Oil (1 Kgs 17:8–16)4 A Comparison with the Miracle of the Quail (Numbers 11)5 Summary8 The Miracle of the Floating Axe Head (2 Kings 6:1–7)1 The Placement of the Story2 The Structure of the Story3 A Close Reading4 The Similarities between the Miracle of the Floating Axe Head and the Miracle of the Stew (2 Kgs 4:38–41)5 The Similarities between the Floating Axe Head and the Sweetening of the Waters of Marah (Exod 15:23–25)6 Summary9 The Man of God Confronts the Enemy Army: the Siege of Dothan (2 Kgs 6:8–23)1 The Structure of the Story2 A Close Reading3 Summary10 Methods of Characterization: Elisha, the Holy Man of God1 Explicit Evaluation by the Narrator2 A Character’s Name3 Biographical Details4 Actions5 Elisha’s Relations with the People around Him6 Elisha and the Lord7 Manner of Speech8 External Appearance9 Parallels between Elisha and Other Characters in the Bible10 SummaryConclusionBibliography