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Choricius of Gaza

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Choricius of Gaza (Greek: Χορίκιος) was a Gaza-based Greek sophist and rhetorician of Late Antiquity.[1] With writings dating to the early sixth century, he flourished in the time of Anastasius I (AD 491–518) as a scholar and public orator.[2] He is considered as part of the Rhetorical School of Gaza, of which he later became the chair.[3][4]

Choricius was the pupil of Procopius of Gaza, who must be distinguished from the historian Procopius of Caesarea. He was a Christian[5] and among the surviving works of Choricius are many public addresses, such as to dedication of church of St. Sergius and a basilica dedicated to St. Stephen. Nevertheless, like other members of the School of Gaza, he displayed his traditional education through his profound knowledge of classic Hellenic mythology, literature and history.[5] As given in his second address on bishop Marcian of Gaza, given around 520, he emphasised the bond between classic erudition and ecclesiastic scriptural exegesis, the "one offering eloquence, the other one benefitting the soul".[6]

These works also give a good insight into late-Roman Gaza, such as about its traditions and festivals as well as about the numerous building projects initiated by its impactful bishops Marcianus and the governor Stephanus.[7]

Style and works

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A number of Choricius' declamations and descriptive treatises have been preserved. The declamations, which are in many cases accompanied by explanatory commentaries, chiefly consist of panegyrics, funeral orations and the stock themes of the rhetorical schools. His wedding speeches, wishing prosperity to the bride and bridegroom, strike out a new line.[2][further explanation needed]

Choricius was also the author of descriptions of works of art after the manner of Philostratus. The moral maxims, which were a constant feature of his writings, were largely drawn upon by Macanus Chrysocephalas, metropolitan of Philadelphia (middle of the 14th century), in his Rodonia (rose-garden), a voluminous collection of ethical sayings.[2]

The style of Choricius is praised by Photius as pure and elegant, but he is censured for lack of naturalness. A special feature of his style is the persistent avoidance of hiatus, peculiar to what is called the school of Gaza.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Webb, Ruth. "Choricius of Gaza." In The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity. Oxford University Press, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Chisholm 1911.
  3. ^ Webb, Ruth. "Gaza, schools and rhetoric at." In The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity. Oxford University Press, 2018.
  4. ^ Cribiore, Raffaella. "education and schools, Greek." In The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity. Oxford University Press, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Penella, Robert J. (September 2009). Rhetorical Exercises from Late Antiquity A Translation of Choricius of Gaza's Preliminary Talks and Declamations. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139480581. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  6. ^ Grillmeier, Alois; Hainthaler, Theresia (1975). Christ in Christian Tradition Tomos 2-3. Mowbrays. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-19-921288-0. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ Yardeni, Ada; Kushnir-Stein, Alla; Isaac, Benjamin; Misgav, Haggai; Cotton, Hannah M.; Price, Jonathan; Ameling, Walter; Eck, Werner (July 2014). South Coast: 2161-2648 A Multi-lingual Corpus of the Inscriptions from Alexander to Muhammad. De Gruyter. p. 427. ISBN 9783110337679. Retrieved 6 January 2024.

Further reading

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Edition
Translations
  • Fotios K. Litsas, Choricius of Gaza: An Approach to His Work. Introduction, translation, commentary, University of Chicago dissertation, 1980.
  • Robert J. Penella (ed.), Rhetorical Exercises from Late Antiquity: A Translation of Choricius of Gaza's Preliminary Talks and Declamations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Secondary literature
  • Catherine Saliou (ed.), Gaza dans l'Antiquité Tardive: Archéologie, rhétorique et histoire. Salerno: Helios, 2005.
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