Porphyry in fragments : Eusebius, Jerome, Augustine and the problem of reconstruction
Everyone working on Porphyry's 'Against the Christians' refers to the fragment collection compiled by Adolf von Harnack in 1916. Harnack's scholarship was impressive, but his work is difficult to use, and needs revision in the light of new approaches to the collection and interpretation of fragments. This dissertation draws mainly on the methodological work of Most et al. (1997) to argue that a fragment should not be read apart from its contextual framework. The dissertation analyses the fragments preserved in Eusebius, Jerome, and Augustine, and explains how each author's agenda, as well as their religious and intellectual contexts, influence the way in which they refer to Porphyry. Ultimately, this study aims at proposing a new fragment collection.
Magny, Ariane
Porphyry in fragments : Eusebius, Jerome, Augustine and the problem of reconstruction. Everyone working on Porphyry's 'Against the Christians' refers to the fragment collection compiled by Adolf von Harnack in 1916. Harnack's scholarship was impressive, but his work is difficult to use, and needs revision in the light of new approaches to the collection and interpretation of fragments. This dissertation draws mainly on the methodological work of Most et al. (1997) to argue that a fragment should not be read apart from its contextual framework. The dissertation analyses the fragments preserved in Eusebius, Jerome, and Augustine, and explains how each author's agenda, as well as their religious and intellectual contexts, influence the way in which they refer to Porphyry. Ultimately, this study aims at proposing a new fragment collection.
fragment eusebius augustine problem reconstruction everyone work against christians refers fragment collection compile scholarship impressive work difficult use need revision light_new approach collection interpretation fragment draw_mainly methodological work argue fragment read apart contextual framework analysis fragment preserve eusebius augustine explain author agenda well religious intellectual_context influence way refer ultimately study aim propose_new fragment collection