An Ontological Freedom: The Origins of the Notion in Gregory of Nyssa and its Influence unto the Italian Renaissance

Francisco Bastitta Harriet

Outline

An Ontological Freedom: The Origins of the Notion in Gregory of Nyssa and its Influence unto the Italian Renaissance

Francisco Bastitta Harriet

2023, Brill | Schöningh

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34 pages

Abstract

[Preliminary materials and Introduction] This book explores the invention, significance and actual history of self-creative freedom from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance. Gregory of Nyssa, the great Cappadocian Father of the IV century, is not as yet deemed one of the outstanding figures in our Histories of Philosophy. However, this monograph argues that his remarkable theories of freedom transcend his own time and, traversing centuries of Medieval and Byzantine history, they become one of the core theoretical inspirations for the anthropological revolution of the Quattrocento, as evinced in eminent philosophers such as Nicholas of Cusa and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola.

An Ontological Freedom The Origins of the Notion in Gregory of Nyssa and its Inﬂuence unto the Italian Renaissance 05 Francisco Bastitta Harriet patristic studies in global perspective An Ontological Freedom !!!! # " Patristic Studies in Global Perspective Editors Wendy Mayer, Chris L. De Wet, Patricia Ciner, Naoki Kamimura, Edwina Murphy Advisory Board Roger Akhrass, Patriarcat Syriaque Orthodoxe, Damascus Lisa Bailey, University of Auckland, New Zealand Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Paul Decock, University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa ƣƺƦƤƽƣǄᄙǀƹƹᄕƺƩƹƞǀƶ ƞƿƩƺƶƫơƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƺƤǀƟƶƫƹᄕƺƶƞƹƢ Samuel FernáƹƢƣǅᄕƺƹƿƫƧƬơƞƶƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƺƤƩƫƶƣ Alex Hon-Ho ƻᄕƫǁƫƹƫƿǄơƩƺƺƶƺƤƩǀƹƨƩƫƺƶƶƣƨƣᄕƺƹƨƺƹƨ ƣƹƴƞƞƽƧƬƴƺǁá, Charles University, Prague Michel Willy Libambu, Université Catholique du Congo, Kinshasa Rubén Peretó Rivas, National University of Cuyo- , Argentina Won-MoǀƩᄕƽƣƾƟǄƿƣƽƫƞƹƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƞƹƢƩƣƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶƣƸƫƹƞƽǄᄕƣƺǀƶ ‫ؘؠب؟آة‬ሩ !!!! # " Francisco Bastitta Harriet An Ontological Freedom The Origins of the Notion in Gregory of Nyssa and its ƵƤƳƼƢƵƠƢƼƵƻƶƻƨƢ ƻƞƳƩƞƵƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢ !!!! # " Cover illustration: “Adam, the ƧƬƽƾƿ-formed”, detail of an anonymous ivory plaque “Creation of Adam ƞƹƢ ǁƣᄙƩƣƸǀƽƢƣƽƺƤƟƣƶᅺᄕǄǅƞƹƿƫǀƸƺƽ ƿƞƶǄᄕᇳᇳƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽǄᄕǀƾée des Beaux-ArtsƢƣǄƺƹᄕᇵᇳᇴᄙ Photograph by Rama, Wikimedia Commons, Cc-by-saᅟᇴᄙᇲᅟfr Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek ƩƣƣǀƿƾơƩƣƞƿƫƺƹƞƶƟƫƟƶƫƺƿƩƣƴƶƫƾƿƾƿƩƫƾƻǀƟƶƫơƞƿƫƺƹƫƹƿƩƣƣǀƿƾơƩƣƞƿƫƺƹƞƶƟƫƟƶƫƺƨƽƞƧƬƣᄖƢƣƿƞƫƶƣƢ bibliographic data available online: http://dnb.d-nb.de All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. ᇙᇴᇲᇴᇵƟǄƽƫƶƶơƩöningh, WollmarktstraßƣᇳᇳᇷᄕᇵᇵᇲᇻᇺƞƢƣƽƟƺƽƹᄕƣƽƸƞƹǄᄕƞƹƫƸƻƽƫƹƿƺƤƿƩƣBrill-Group (Koninklijke Brill NVᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕƩƣƣƿƩƣƽƶƞƹƢƾᄖƽƫƶƶUSA ƹơᄙᄕƺƾƿƺƹMA, USAᄖƽƫƶƶƾƫƞƿƣƿƢᄕ ƫƹƨƞƻƺƽƣᄖƽƫƶƶƣǀƿƾơƩƶƞƹƢƸƟᄕƞƢƣƽƟƺƽƹᄕƣƽƸƞƹǄᄖƽƫƶƶÖsterreich GmbH, Vienna, Austria) Koninklijke Brill NVƫƹơƺƽƻƺƽƞƿƣƾƿƩƣƫƸƻƽƫƹƿƾƽƫƶƶᄕƽƫƶƶƫưƩƺƦƤᄕƽƫƶƶƺƿƣƫᄕƽƫƶƶơƩöningh, Brill Fink, Brill mentis, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Böhlau, V&R unipress and Wageningen Academic. www.schoeningh.de Cover design: Evelyn Ziegler, Munich Production: Brill Deutschland GmbH, Paderborn ѿ҉҉҄ሜሡሚሚᅟማሜማሚ ѿ҉Ѹ҄ሣሡሢᅟምᅟሟሚሠᅟሡሣሟሚሠᅟሣ (hardback) ѿ҉Ѹ҄ሣሡሢᅟምᅟሠሟሡᅟሡሣሟሚሠᅟሜ (e-book) !!!! # " ƴƩƺƞƴƶƹƢƺხƩƳƞƹძ ƢƳƩƷƢძƞƹƠƶƺძƞƵƼƢƳǀƢƳƦƪƵƞ !!!! # " !!!! # " Contents ơƴƹƺǂƶƣƢƨƣƸƣƹƿƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‫؜ث‬ ƟƟƽƣǁƫƞƿƫƺƹƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‫؜؜؜ث‬ ƹƿƽƺƢǀơƿƫƺƹᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‫ةث‬ ƽƣǁƫƺǀƾơƩƺƶƞƽƾƩƫƻƺƹǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƩƣƺƽǄƺƤ ƽƣƣƢƺƸƞƹƢƿƩƣ ƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤƞƿƽƫƾƿƫơƺǀƽơƣƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‫؜ةث‬ ǀƽƻƺƾƣƞƹƢƿƽǀơƿǀƽƣƺƤƩƫƾƿǀƢǄᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‫؜؜ثث‬ ƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᄘƞƫƺƨƽƞƻƩƫơƞƶƴƣƿơƩᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‫ةثث‬ ҆ؔ‫اإ‬ѿ Gregory of Nyssa’s Conception of Freedom and Its Medieval Fate in the East and the West ƩƞƻƿƣƽᇳᄘᏺƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾƩƣƺƽǄƺƤƹƿƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶ ƽƣƣƢƺƸᄘƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶ ƹƿƣơƣƢƣƹƿƾƞƹƢƽƫƨƫƹƞƶƫƿǄ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇷ ᇳᄙᇳ ǀƸƞƹƣƫƹƨᅷƾƺƾƫƿƫƺƹƫƹƿƩƣƺƾƸƺƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇷ ᇳᄙᇴ Ʃƣ ƸƞƨƣƺƤƺƢƫƹǀƸƞƹƫƿǄƞƾ ƽƣƣƢƺƸᄙ ƿƾǀƞƾƫᅟƢƫǁƫƹƣ Ʃƞƽƞơƿƣƽᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇴ ᇳᄙᇵ ƩƣƣǂƺƿƫƺƹƺƤǄƻƺƾƿƞƾƫƾƻƻƶƫƣƢƿƺƺƢƞƹƢ ǀƸƞƹƴƫƹƢᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇻ ᇳᄙᇶ ƺǂƞƽƢƾƞᅵƣƽƾƺƹƞƶᅷƞƹƢƽƣƞƿƫǁƣƹƢƣƽƾƿƞƹƢƫƹƨƺƤƣơƫƾƫƺƹ ƞƹƢƨƣƹơǄᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 ᇳᄙᇷ ǀƿƩƺƽƫƿǄƞƹƢƣơƫƾƫƺƹƣǄƺƹƢƣơƣƾƾƫƿǄƞƹƢƿƩƣƞǀƾƞƶ ƽƢƣƽᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇷᇵ ƩƞƻƿƣƽᇴᄘᏺƩƣƽƣƾƣƹơƣƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƩƣƺƽǄƺƤ ƽƣƣƢƺƸƫƹƣƢƫƣǁƞƶ Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇹᇳ ᇴᄙᇳ ǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƩƣƺƽǄƺƤ ƽƣƣƢƺƸƫƹǄǅƞƹƿƫƹƣǀƿƩƺƽƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇹᇴ ᇴᄙᇴ Ʃƣ ƫƽƾƿǂƺƞƿƫƹƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƾƺƤƢƶƷƩƦƪƠƩƶƨƶƴƩƵƩƺ: ƫƺƹǄƾƫǀƾ ǃƫƨǀǀƾƞƹƢƺƩƹơƺƿǀƾ ƽƫǀƨƣƹƞᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇺᇳ ᇴᄙᇵ ƩƣƫƽơƶƣƺƤƶơǀƫƹƞƹƢƿƩƣƩƟƹƩƞƹƶƳƩƵƩ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇺᇷ ᇴᄙᇶ ƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƹƿƩƽƺƻƺƶƺƨǄƫƹ ƽƫǀƨƣƹƞƞƹƢƺƹƺƽƫǀƾ ǀƨǀƾƿƺƢǀƹƣƹƾƫƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇺᇻ ᇴᄙᇷ ƩƣƫƾƿƣƽơƫƞƹơƩƺƺƶᄘƫƶƶƫƞƸƺƤƿᄙƩƫƣƽƽǄƞƹƢƣƽƹƞƽƢƺƤ ƶƞƫƽǁƞǀǃᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇻᇺ ᇴᄙᇸ ƩƣǀƿƩƺƽƾƺƤƿƩƣᇳᇵƿƩƣƹƿǀƽǄᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇲᇶ ᇴᄙᇹ ƩƣᇳᇶƿƩƞƹƢ ƞƽƶǄᇳᇷƿƩƣƹƿǀƽƫƣƾᏺ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇲᇻ !!!! # " ‫؜؜؜ة‬ ѹ‫ئاءؘاءآ‬ ҆ؔ‫اإ‬ѿѿ The Reception and Translation of Gregory of Nyssa’s Texts in the Italian 15th Century ƩƞƻƿƣƽᇵᄘᏺƩƣƣǂƞƿƫƹƣƽƾƫƺƹƾƺƤǄƾƾƣƹƞƢƣƫƹ ƿƞƶǄǀƽƫƹƨ ƿƩƣᇳᇷƿƩƣƹƿǀƽǄ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇴᇷ ᇵᄙᇳ ƩƣǀƸƞƹƫƾƿƫơᅵƣƹƞƫƾƾƞƹơƣᅷƺƤƿƩƣƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƾƺƤƿƩƣ ƽƣƣƴ ƞƿƩƣƽƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇴᇷ ᇵᄙᇴ ƩƣƞƿƫƹƣƽƾƫƺƹƺƤƢƽƩƻƞƶǀƺƩƺƟǄƣƺƽƨƣƺƤƽƣƟƫǅƺƹƢᏺ . . . . ᇳᇵᇲ ᇵᄙᇵ ƫƣƿƽƺƞƶƟƫᄕƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƺƽƺƤƿƩƣƩƞƳƶƧƼƺơƢƞƵƩƴƞƢƻ ƹƢƺƼƹƹƢƠƻƩƶƵƢ and ƢƽƩƻƞƞƠƹƩƵƞƢ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇶᇲ ᇵᄙᇶ ƩƣƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƢƶƹƞƻƩƶƵƢơƶƴƩƵƩƠƞ by Athanasius Ʃƞƶƴƣƺƻƺǀƶƺƾᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇶᇳ ƩƞƻƿƣƽᇶᄘᏺǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƺƽƴƾƞƹƢ ƞƽƶƫƣƽƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƾƫƹQuattrocento ǀƟƶƫơƞƹƢƽƫǁƞƿƣƫƟƽƞƽƫƣƾ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇶᇻ ᇶᄙᇳ Ʃƣ ƶƺƽƣƹƿƫƹƣƞƹǀƾơƽƫƻƿƺƤƞƹƿƺƻƫƽƫƿƺƞƹƢƿƩƣƫƽơƶƣƺƤ ǀƫƨƫƞƽƾƫƶƫᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇶᇻ ᇶᄙᇴ ƩƣƣǃƿǀƞƶƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƫƹƽƞǁƣƽƾƞƽƫᄙƩƣƺƢƣǃƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾ ƵƞƵƻƩƠƼƴƠƞƵƻƩƠƶƹƼƴ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇷᇷ ᇶᄙᇵ ƫƽƣơƿƞƹƢ ƹƢƫƽƣơƿƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƣǃƿƾƫƹ ƫơƩƺƶƞƾƺƤǀƾƞᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇷᇺ ᇶᄙᇶ ƩƣƽƣƣƴƞƹǀƾơƽƫƻƿƾƫƹƣƾƾƞƽƫƺƹᅷƾƺƸƞƹơƞƢƣƸǄᏺ . . . . . . . . ᇳᇸᇶ ᇶᄙᇷ ƺƸƣƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƣǃƿƾƫƹƺƸƣᄕ ƶƺƽƣƹơƣƞƹƢƽƟƫƹƺᏺ . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇸᇸ ᇶᄙᇸ ƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƣǃƿǀƞƶƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƫƹƫƺǁƞƹƹƫƫơƺᏺ . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇹᇷ ҆ؔ‫اإ‬ѿѿѿ ƨƢƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƩƠƞƳ ƵƤƳƼƢƵƠƢƶƣǀƺƺƢƵᅍƺƨƢƶƹǀƶƣ ƹƢƢơƶƴƶƵƻƨƢ Authors of the Quattrocento ƩƞƻƿƣƽᇷᄘᏺƫƹƢᄕ ƽƣƣƫƶƶƞƹƢƿƩƣƫǁƫƹƨ ƸƞƨƣƺƤƺƢᄘ ƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƹƿƩƽƺƻƺƶƺƨǄƫƹƫơƩƺƶƞƾƺƤǀƾƞ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇺᇻ ᇷᄙᇳ ƩƣƩƴƞƧƶƢƩƽƩƽƞƞƹƢƿƩƣƞƿǀƽƣƺƤƿƩƣƫƹƢᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇺᇻ ᇷᄙᇴ ƩƣƺƹơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤ ƽƣƣƫƶƶᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇳᇻᇶ ᇷᄙᇵ ƩƣǀƣƾƿƫƺƹƺƤƿƩƣƫǁƫƹƣƩƞƽƞơƿƣƽƺƤǀƸƞƹƫƿǄᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇲᇲ !!!! # " ѹ‫ئاءؘاءآ‬ ‫ث؜‬ Ʃƞƻƿƣƽᇸᄘᏺ ƹƢƣƧƬƹƫƿƣƞƿǀƽƣƞƹƢƽƣƞƿƫǁƣ ƽƣƣƢƺƸᄘƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤ ǄƾƾƞƞƾƞƺǀƽơƣƤƺƽƫƺǁƞƹƹƫƫơƺƢƣƶƶƞƫƽƞƹƢƺƶƞ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇲᇻ ᇸᄙᇳ ǀƸƞƹƫƿǄᅷƾƺƾƫƿƫƺƹƫƹƿƩƣƹƫǁƣƽƾƣᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇳᇲ ᇸᄙᇴ Ʃƣ ƹƢƣƧƬƹƫƿƣƩƞƽƞơƿƣƽƺƤǀƸƞƹƞƿǀƽƣᏺ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇴᇲ ᇸᄙᇵ ƣƶƤᅟơƽƣƞƿƫǁƣƩƺƫơƣƞƹƢƹƿƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶ ƽƣƣƢƺƸᏺ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇵᇴ ᇸᄙᇶ ƺƾƾƫƟƶƣƣƞƾƺƹƾƤƺƽƫơƺᅷƾƫƶƣƹơƣƣƨƞƽƢƫƹƨƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤ Ǆƾƾƞᏺ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇶᇶ Ʃƞƻƿƣƽᇹᄘᏺƺƹơƶǀƾƫƺƹ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇶᇻ ƫƟƶƫƺƨƽƞƻƩǄ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇷᇷ ƹƢƣǃƺƤƞƹǀƾơƽƫƻƿƾ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇹᇻ ƹƢƣǃƺƤƹơƫƣƹƿᄕƣƢƫƣǁƞƶƞƹƢƣƹƞƫƾƾƞƹơƣǀƿƩƺƽƾ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ᇴᇺᇳ !!!! # " !!!! # " Acknowledgements ƩƫƾƸƺƹƺƨƽƞƻƩƫƾƞƽƣǁƫƾƣƢǁƣƽƾƫƺƹƺƤƸǄƢƺơƿƺƽƞƶƢƫƾƾƣƽƿƞƿƫƺƹᄕƢƣƤƣƹƢƣƢƞƿ the Universidad de Buenos Aires in Apriƶᇴᇲᇳᇸᄙ ƾƩƺǀƶƢƶƫƴƣƿƺƣǃƻƽƣƾƾƸǄƨƽƞƿƫ- ƿǀƢƣƫƹƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƻƶƞơƣƿƺƿƩƫƾƻƽƣƾƿƫƨƫƺǀƾƫƹƾƿƫƿǀƿƫƺƹƤƺƽƣƸƟƽƞơƫƹƨƸǄƻƽƺưƣơƿ ƞƹƢƿƺƿƩƣƞƿƫƺƹƞƶƺǀƹơƫƶƺƤơƫƣƹƿƫƧƬơƞƹƢƣơƩƹƫơƞƶƣƾƣƞƽơƩƺƤƽƨƣƹƿƫƹƞ ( ᄭᄕǂƩƣƽƣ ƹƺǂƾƣƽǁƣƞƾƞƽƣƾƣƞƽơƩƣƽᄕƤƺƽƾǀƻƻƺƽƿƫƹƨƫƿǂƫƿƩƿǂƺƢƺơ- toral grants. ǂƞƾ ƨƽƣƞƿƶǄ ƩƺƹƺǀƽƣƢ ǂƩƣƹ ƿƩƣ ƢƫƾƿƫƹƨǀƫƾƩƣƢ ƣƢƫƿƺƽƾ ƺƤ ƿƩƫƾ ƹƣǂ ƾƣƽƫƣƾ invited me to publish my book. Due to the study’s wide thematic and temporal ƾƻƣơƿƽǀƸᄕ ơƺǀƶƢƹƺƿᄕƫƹƞƤƣǂƸƺƹƿƩƾᄕƻƽƺƢǀơƣƞƽƣǁƫƾƫƺƹƿƩƞƿǂƺǀƶƢƽƣƥƷƣơƿ the scholarly progress in such a variety of disciplines over the last six years. ƣƹơƣᄕ ƶƫƸƫƿƣƢƸǄƾƣƶƤƿƺƸƞƴƫƹƨƾƺƸƣơƺƽƽƣơƿƫƺƹƾƞƹƢƞƢƢƫƹƨƞƤƣǂƽƣƤƣƽ- ences to key studies, mainly in chapters one and six. ƿ ǂƺǀƶƢ Ɵƣ ƞ ƶƺƹƨ Ʃƞǀƶ ƿƺ ơƺƹǁƣǄ ƿƩƣ ƞơƞƢƣƸƫơ ƽƫƨƺǀƽᄕ ƨƣƹƣƽƺƾƫƿǄ ƞƹƢ warmth with which my thesis supervisor, Prof. Claudia D’Amico, and my co- supervisor, Prof. Pablo Cavallero, guided my philosophical and philological inquiries. My deepest appreciation goes to them and to my dear late professor ƽƞƹơƫƾơƺƣƺơƞƿƞᄕǂƩƺƫƹƾƻƫƽƣƢƸǄƧƬƽƾƿƞƿƿƣƸƻƿƾƞƾƞƩƫƾƿƺƽƫƞƹƺƤƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩǄᄙ ƞƸ ƞƶƾƺ ƨƽƞƿƣƤǀƶ ƿƺ ƿƩƣ ƣǁƞƶǀƞƿƫƺƹ ơƺƸƸƫƿƿƣƣ ƸƣƸƟƣƽƾᄘ ǁƞƹƞ ƺƾƿƞᄕ ƹƿƺƹƫƺ ǀƽƾƫ ƞƹƢ éctor Delbosco, for their encouraging assessments and ǁƞƶǀƞƟƶƣƾǀƨƨƣƾƿƫƺƹƾᄙƞƹǄƺƿƩƣƽƾơƩƺƶƞƽƾƩƞǁƣƨƣƹƣƽƺǀƾƶǄƽƣƞƢƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹƿƻƞƽƿƾ of this study or discussed some of its theses with me, helping me make sev- ƣƽƞƶ ƞƢưǀƾƿƸƣƹƿƾ ƞƹƢ ƫƸƻƽƺǁƣƸƣƹƿƾᄙ Ʃǀƾᄕ ƣǃƿƣƹƢ ƸǄ ƩƣƞƽƿƤƣƶƿ ƿƩƞƹƴƾ ƿƺ ƽƞƹơƫƾơƺƣƽƿƣƶƶƺƹƫᄕƹƢƽƣƞǀƦƤƺƹᄕƞƿƿƩƫƣǀƞƾƾƫƹᄕƞƿƽƫơƫƞƫƹƣƽᄕƞƸǀƣƶ Fernández, José González RíƺƾᄕƩƺƸƞƾƽǀƟƣƽᄕƩƣƺƺƟǀƾơƩᄕǀƢƫƿƩƺǁƞơƾᄕ Morwenna Ludlow, Ezequiel Ludueña, Giulio Maspero, Giovanna Murano, José Luis Narvaja, Andrea Noel, Joan Lluís Palos, Rubén Peretó Rivas, Cecilia ǀƾơƺƹƫᄕ ƶƞƽƫƞ ƫƨƺƽƣƶƶƫ ƞƹƢ ƺƩƞƹƹƣƾ ƞơƩƩǀƟƣƽᄙ ƣƣƢƶƣƾƾ ƿƺ ƾƞǄᄕ ƹƺƹƣ ƺƤ these friends and colleagues should be held responsible for my shortcomings. A further word of gratitude goes to Olga Domínguez and my sister Gaiana for ƽƣǁƫƾƫƹƨƞƹƢƻƺƶƫƾƩƫƹƨƸǄ ƹƨƶƫƾƩǁƣƽƾƫƺƹᄕƞƹƢƿƺƿƩƣƽƫƶƶƣǀƿƾơƩƶƞƹƢƾƿƞƦƤ ƤƺƽƿƩƣƫƽƻƽƺƸƻƿƞƹƢƣƦƧƬơƫƣƹƿƣƢƫƿƺƽƫƞƶǂƺƽƴᄙ After completing my dissertation, and by virtue of a Mellon Fellowship of Harvard’s Villƞ ƞƿƿƫƫƹᇴᇲᇳᇸᄕ ǂƞƾƞƟƶƣƿƺơƺƹƧƬƽƸƸǄƞƾƾǀƸƻƿƫƺƹƾƞƟƺǀƿƫơƺ ƢƣƶƶƞƫƽƞƹƢƺƶƞƩƞǁƫƹƨƽƣƞƢƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾƿƣǃƿƾƫƹƿƩƣƞƢƫƞ ƫƣƾƺƶƞƹƞᄙƣƹơƣᄕ ƢƣơƫƢƣƢƿƺƻƽƣƾƣƹƿơƩƞƻƿƣƽƾƫǃƞƹƢƞƹƫƸƻƽƺǁƣƢƾƣơƿƫƺƹᇶᄙᇸᄙᄕƺƹƽƣƨƺƽǄƞƹƢ ƫơƺᄕ ƞƾ ƞƹ ƫƹƢƣƻƣƹƢƣƹƿ ƞƽƿƫơƶƣ ƿƺ ƫǁƞƽƫǀƸᄙ ƿ ƿƩƫƾ ƾƿƞƨƣᄕ ǂƞƾ ƩƣƶƻƣƢ ƟǄ ƻƽƣơƫƺǀƾ ƞƢǁƫơƣ ƤƽƺƸ ƞǁƫƢƣ ƞƶƢƫᄕ ƹƨƣƶƞ ƽƣƾƾƣƹᄕ ƩƺƸƞƾ ƣƫƹƴƞǀƤᄕ ƺƩƹ !!!! # " ‫؜؜ث‬ ѷ‫ئاءؘؠؘؘؚؗ؟تآء؞ؖ‬ ƺƹƤƞƾƞƹƫƞƹƢƫƞƹƞƽƫƺƞƺᄙƩƣǄᄕƿƺƨƣƿƩƣƽǂƫƿƩƿƩƣƿǂƺƾǀƻƻƺƽƿƫǁƣƞƹƢ meticulous anonymous reviewers, convinced me that my textual and philo- ƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶƞƽƨǀƸƣƹƿƾƧƬƿƿƣƢƟƣƿƿƣƽƫƹƿƺƿƩƣƺƽƫƨƫƹƞƶƾƿǀƢǄᅷƾƟƽƺƞƢƣƽƤƽƞƸƣǂƺƽƴᄙ ǂƺǀƶƢƞƶƾƺƶƫƴƣƿƺƞơƴƹƺǂƶƣƢƨƣƩƣƽƣƸǄƸƺƾƿƽƞƢƫơƞƶƢƣƟƿᄕƿƩƣƺƹƣ ƺǂƣ ƿƺƸǄƻƞƽƣƹƿƾᄕƣƽƣƾƞƞƹƢƞƽƶƺƾᄕƤƺƽƿƩƣƫƽǀƹơƺƹƢƫƿƫƺƹƞƶƶƺǁƣƞƹƢƾǀƻƻƺƽƿƞƹƢ ƤƺƽƿƩƣƤƽƣƣƢƺƸƿƺơƩƺƺƾƣᄙ ƫƹƞƶƶǄᄕ ƢƣƢƫơƞƿƣƿƩƫƾǂƺƽƴƿƺƿƩƣƶƺǁƣƾƺƤƸǄƶƫƤƣᄘ ƸǄǂƫƤƣᄕƫƶƞƽƞƽƽƫƺƾᄕƞƹƢƺǀƽơƩƫƶƢƽƣƹ ƣƶƫƻƣᄕƞƽơƺƾᄕƞƹǀƣƶƞƹƢƣƶƧƬƹƞᄙ ǀƶǄᄕᇴᇲᇴᇴ !!!! # " Abbreviations CCCM ƶƹƷƼƺƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƶƹƼƴძƶƵƻƩƵƼƞƻƩƶƢơƩƞƢƽƞƳƩƺᄕƽƣƻƺƶƾᄕǀƽƹƩƺǀƿᄕᇳᇻᇸᇻᅬ CCSG ƶƹƷƼƺƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƶƹƼƴძƢƹƩƢƺƹƞƢƠƞᄕƽƣƻƺƶƾᄕǀƽƹƩƺǀƿᄕᇳᇻᇹᇹᅬ CCSL ƶƹƷƼƺƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƶƹƼƴძƢƹƩƢƺƞƻƩƵƞᄕƽƣƻƺƶƾᄕǀƽƹƩƺǀƿᄕᇳᇻᇷᇵᅬ GNO ƹƢƧƶƹƩƩǀƺƺƢƵƩƷƢƹƞᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƣƨƣƽƣƿƞƶᄙᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕƽƫƶƶᄕᇳᇻᇷᇴᅬᄕᇳᇲǁƺƶƾᄙ h ƩƠƶƳƞƩơƢƼƺƞƷƢƹƞƴƵƩƞƩƼƺƺƼƢƻƞƼƠƻƶƹƩƻƞƻƢƠƞơƢƴƩƠƞƢƩƻƻƢƹƞƹƼƴ ƢƩơƢƳƟƢƹƧƢƵƺƩƺᄕƣƢᄙ ᄙƺƦƤƸƞƹƹƣƿƞl., Felix Meiner, Leipzig/Hamburg, ᇳᇻᇵᇴᅬᇴᇲᇳᇲᄕᇴᇲǁƺƶƾᄙ Loeb ƶƢƟƳƞƺƺƩƠƞƳƩƟƹƞƹǀᄕƣƫƹƣƸƞƹƹᄕƺƹƢƺƹᄖƞƽǁƞƽƢƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾᄕ ƞƸƟƽƫƢƨƣᄬƞƾƾᄙᄭᄕᇳᇻᇳᇴᅬ MFCG ƩƻƻƢƩƳƼƵƧƢƵƼƵơ ƶƹƺƠƨƼƵƧƺƟƢƩƻƹǌƧƢơƢƹƼƺƞƵƼƺ-ƢƺƢƳƳƺƠƨƞƣƻ, Matthias-Grünewaldᄕƞƫƹǅᇳᇻᇸᇳᅬᇳᇻᇺᇸᄖƞǀƶƫƹǀƾᄕƽƫƣƽᄕᇳᇻᇺᇻᅬᇴᇲᇳᇸ NPNFሿ ƢƳƢƠƻƩƟƹƞƹǀƶƣƩƠƢƵƢƞƵơPost-ƩƠƢƵƢ ƞƻƨƢƹƺƶƣƻƨƢƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƨƼƹƠƨჯ ƢƠƶƵơƺƢƹƩƢƺᄕƩƣƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƫƿƣƽƞƿǀƽƣƺƸƻƞƹǄᄕƣǂƺƽƴᄕᇳᇺᇻᇲᅬᇳᇻᇲᇲ PG ƞƻƹƶƳƶƧƩƞƢƼƹƺƼƺƶƴƷƳƢƻƼƺძƢƹƩƢƺƹƞƢƠƞ, ed J.-Pᄙƫƨƹƣᄕƞƽƫƾᄕ ᇳᇺᇷᇹᅬᇳᇺᇸᇸ PL ƞƻƹƶƳƶƧƩƞƢƼƹƺƼƺƶƴƷƳƢƻƼƺძƢƹƩƢƺƞƻƩƵƞ, ed J.-Pᄙƫƨƹƣᄕƞƽƫƾᄕ ᇳᇺᇶᇳᅬᇳᇺᇸᇷ SCh ƶƼƹƠƢƺƠƨƹǾƻƩƢƵƵƢƺ, ÉƢƫƿƫƺƹƾƢǀƣƽƤᄕƞƽƫƾᄕᇳᇻᇶᇳᅬ ƹƢƧƶƹǀƶƣǀƺƺƞᅍƺƾƶƹƲƺƠƩƻƢơ ƟƳ. ƢƟƶƞƟƫǀƸᄕǀƺƢƹƺƹƾƫƹƿƿƽƣƾ GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙ ᄙǀƣƶƶƣƽ dei ƵჯƢƻƹƢƺ. De anima et resurrectione GNO ᄧᇵᄕƣƢᄙᄙƻƫƽƞ Antirrh. Antirrheticus adversus GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙ ᄙǀƣƶƶƣƽ Apollinarium Bas. ƹƞƾƫƶƫǀƸƤƽƞƿƽƣƸ GNO XᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙƣƹƢƶƣ Beat. De beatitudinibus GNO ᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙᄙ ᄙƞƶƶƞƩƞƹ Cant. ƹƞƹƿƫơǀƸơƞƹƿƫơƺƽǀƸ GNO ᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƹƨƣƽƟƣơƴ ƢƩƻჯ ƩƳ. De deitate Filii et Spiritus Sancti GNO XᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙ ᄙƩƣƫƹ ƩƥƣჯƢƺƺჯƨǀƷ. ƣƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹƿƫƞƣƾƾƣƹƿƫƞƣƣƿ Ed. Courtonne, ƞƩƵƻƞƺƩƳƢჯƢƻƻƹƢƺ, hypostaseos ǁƺƶᄙᇳᄕƻƻᄙᇺᇳᅬᇻᇴ ƠƠƳ. ƹ ơơƶƣƾƫƞƾƿƣƹ GNO VᄕƣƢᄙᄙƶƣǃƞƹƢƣƽ ƷƩƺƻ. Epistulae GNO ᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƾƼǀƞƶƫ ƼƵ. Contra Eunomium GNO & ᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƣƨƣƽ ƞƻ. Contra fatum GNO ᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙᄙᄙơƺƹƺǀƨƩ ƹƞƢƠ. Ad Graecos GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙ ᄙǀƣƶƶƣƽ !!!! # " ‫ة؜ث‬ ѷؕؕ‫ئءآ؜اؔ؜ةؘإ‬ Hex. Apologia in Hexaemeron GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙᄙƽƺƟƹƣƽ Infant. De infantibus praemature abreptis GNO ᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙᄙᄙƺǂƹƫƹƨ ƵƺƠƹ. ƹƫƹƾơƽƫƻƿƫƺƹƣƾƾƞƶƸƺƽǀƸ GNO VᄕƣƢᄙᄙᄙơƺƹƺǀƨƩ Inst. De instituto Christiano GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƣƨƣƽ ƞƠƹ. De vita Macrinae GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙƺƺƢs Callahan ƶƹƻ. De mortuis GNO ᄕƣƢᄙᄙƣƫƶ Ʒჯƨƶƴ. ƣƺƻƫƧƬơƫƺƩƺƸƫƹƫƾ Ƣᄙ ƺƽƟƣƾᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇲᇴᅬᇵᇳᇺᄴGNO ᄧᇴᄵ ƹჯƠƞƻ. Oratio catechetica GNO ᄧᇶᄕƣƢᄙ ᄙühlenberg ƹჯơƶƴ. De oratione dominica GNO ᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙᄙ ᄙƞƶƶƞƩƞƹ (SCƩᇷᇻᇸᄭ Perf. De perfectione GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƣƨƣƽ Prof. De professione Christiana GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƣƨƣƽ Ƣƣ. ƼƵ. Refutatio confessionis Eunomii GNO ᄕƣƢᄙᄙƞƣƨƣƽ ƼƵƠƢƻƩƷƺƢ ƹƫƶƶǀƢᄘǀƹơƣƿƫƻƾƣ ƫƶƫǀƾ GNO ᄧᇴᄕƣƢᄙᄙᄙƺǂƹƫƹƨ Virg. De virginitate GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙᄙƞǁƞƽƹƺƾ Vit. ƶǀƺ. De vita Moysis GNO ᄧᇳᄕƣƢᄙᄙǀƾǀƽƫƶƶƺᄬƩ ᇳƟƫƾᄭ !!!! # " Introduction ஥௺ ஝ொஓ஑஥஠ఋ஥஠ச஑௯ ஥௮஝ங஠ஞந஢௖஝஑, ௶ ஬ஞ஘஢ப஡஠த (Gregory of Nyssa, Ʒჯƨƶƴᄙᇴᄕᇳᄭ ƿơƞƹƟƣƞƽƨǀƣƢƿƩƞƿƿƩƣơƺƹơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤƩǀƸƞƹƹƞƿǀƽƣƫƾƿƩƣơƺƽƹƣƽƾƿƺƹƣƺƤ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƺƤ Ǆƾƾƞᅷƾ ƣƹƿƫƽƣ ƾǄƾƿƣƸ ƺƤ ƿƩƺǀƨƩƿᄙ ƹƢƣƣƢᄕ Ʃƫƾ ǀƹƢƣƽƾƿƞƹƢƫƹƨ ƺƤ ƩǀƸƞƹƫƿǄƻƣƽǁƞƢƣƾƞƹƢƶƫƹƴƾƿƺƨƣƿƩƣƽƩƫƾƫƢƣƞƾƺƹƿƩƣƽƫƹƫƿǄᄕơƽƣƞƿƫƺƹᄕƫƹơƞƽ- ƹƞƿƫƺƹƞƹƢƾƞƶǁƞƿƫƺƹƩƫƾƿƺƽǄᄙ ƿƫƹǁƺƶǁƣƾƟƺƿƩƞƟƞƶƞƹơƣƢƾǄƹƿƩƣƾƫƾƺƤƢƫǁƣƽƾƣ philosophical perspectives and profound originality. As with other subjects, Gregory proves himself to be an expert conciliator. He weaves together his skills as a teacher of rhetoric, a lover of Greek litera- ture, a deep connoisseur of the Bible and a philosopher and theologian of the ƩƫƨƩƣƾƿƽƞƹƴᄙƩƣƿƩƣƺƽƫƣƾƺƤƶƞƿƺƞƹƢƿƩƣƶƞƿƺƹƫƾƿƾƾƩƫƹƣƿƩƽƺǀƨƩƩƫƾǂƺƽƴƾᄕ but there is also room for Aristotle’s dynamism and integration of nature, the Stoic theories of universal sympathy and mixture and many other medical ƞƹƢƾơƫƣƹƿƫƧƬơƿƽƞƢƫƿƫƺƹƾƺƤƹƿƫƼǀƫƿǄᄙ ǁƣƹƫƤƩƣƺǂƣƾƸǀơƩƿƺƻƽƣǁƫƺǀƾƣǂƫƾƩ ƞƹƢ Ʃƽƫƾƿƫƞƹ ƞǀƿƩƺƽƾ ƾǀơƩ ƞƾ Ʃƫƶƺᄕ ǀƾƿƫƹᄕ ƽƣƹƞƣǀƾᄕ ƶƣƸƣƹƿᄕ ƽƫƨƣƹ ƞƹƢ Methodius, he never leaves their doctrines unchanged. ǀƿǂƩƣƽƣƢƺƣƾƩƫƾƞƹƿƩƽƺƻƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶƫƹƨƣƹǀƫƿǄơƺƸƣƤƽƺƸᄞ ƟƣƶƫƣǁƣƫƿƾƿƣƸƾ ƤƽƺƸ Ʃƫƾ ƞƿƿƣƸƻƿ ƿƺ Ƹƣƽƨƣ ƿƩƣƺƽƣƿƫơƞƶ ƽƣƞƾƺƹƫƹƨ ƞƹƢ ƶƫƿƣƽƞƽǄ ƹƞƽƽƞƿƫǁƣᄙƩƫƾ attempt goes beyond his concern to write even his more abstract dogmatic treatises in a polished style. Following Plato’s lead, Gregory wants to fashion ƶƫƴƣƶǄ ƸǄƿƩƾ ƞƹƢ ƸƣƞƹƫƹƨƤǀƶ ƧƬơƿƫƺƹƾ ƺƤ ƿƩƣ ƽƣƞƶᄙ ƫƴƣ ƽƫƨƣƹ ƞƹƢ ƶƺƿƫƹǀƾ ƟƣƤƺƽƣƩƫƸᄕƩƣƞƫƸƾƿƺơƺƹǁƣǄƫƹƩƫƾǂƽƫƿƫƹƨƞƶƫǁƫƹƨƣǃƻƣƽƫƣƹơƣƺƤƫƹƣƦƤƞƟƶƣ truths, by both the consistency of his arguments and the rhythmical beauty of his prose. And just as Longinus portrayed sublimity of style, Gregory tries to lead his readers not only to persuasion (க௣த஡கங஘ొ) but to a state of ecstasy (க௣த ௅சண஥஑ணஙஞ).ሾ ƹƿƩƣơƞƾƣƺƤƿƩƣƩǀƸƞƹơƺƹƢƫƿƫƺƹᄕƿƩƫƾƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶƞƽƿƫƾƿƽǄƽƣƞơƩƣƾǀƹƣǃ- plored grounds because humanity itself is presented as a living and autono- ƸƺǀƾǂƺƽƴƺƤƞƽƿᄕƞƹƞơơǀƽƞƿƣƽƣƥƷƣơƿƫƺƹƺƤƺƢᅷƾƞơƿƫǁƫƿƫƣƾƞƹƢƻƣƽƤƣơƿƫƺƹƾƿƩƞƿ moulds the very shape of its being into whatever it wishes. Certainly inspired by the dynamism of the intellectual nature in Plato, Clement and Origen or by the theme of the soul as a self-made statue in ƶƺƿƫƹǀƾᄕƺƽƻƩǄƽǄƞƹƢ ƞƸƟƶƫơƩǀƾᄕƽƣƨƺƽǄơƩƞƸƻƫƺƹƾƞƸǀơƩƸƺƽƣƻƺƾƫƿƫǁƣ and intrinsic understanding of human all-inclusiveness, plasticity and free ᇽ ƤᄙᄴƺƹƨƫƹǀƾᄵᄕƢƺƼƟƳƩƴƩƻƞƻƢ ᄕᇶᄙ # " ‫؜ةث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ self-transformationᄙ ƹƿƩƣƸƫƢƾƿƺƤƩƫƾƽƫƹƫƿƞƽƫƞƹƞƹƢƩƽƫƾƿƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶơƺƹƿƽƺ- ǁƣƽƾƫƣƾᄕǄƾƾƣƹƽƣƧƬƹƣƾƩƫƾơƺƹơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤƤƽƣƣƢƣơƫƾƫƺƹᄬ஡஢஠஑ృ஢கணஙத) by resort- ing to the dialectics between the common essence and the unique hypostases. Ʃƫƾ ƻƣƽƾƺƹƞƶ ơƩƺƫơƣ ƫƾ Ƥƞƽ ƤƽƺƸ Ɵƣƫƹƨ ơƺƹƾƫƢƣƽƣƢ ƞ Ƹƣƽƣ ƣƶƣơƿƫƺƹ Ɵƣƿǂƣƣƹ ƞƶƿƣƽƹƞƿƫǁƣƾƺƽƞơƞƻƞơƫƿǄƤƺƽƿƩƣƤƞƶƶᄙ ƿơƺƹƾƫƾƿƾƽƞƿƩƣƽƫƹƿƩƣƶƺƽƢƾƩƫƻƺƤƣƞơƩ person over their destiny and their own being, that is to say, ontological free- dom, a most precious gift safeguarded by God himself. Not surprisingly, the duteous divine respect for human ஡஢஠஑ృ஢கணஙத, even in opting for and thus creating evil itself, generates an unusual drama in the unfolding of creation, for which Gregory deploys and reframes all the resources of his beloved Greek culture. ƿǂƞƾƢǀƣƻƣƽƩƞƻƾƿƺƿƩƫƾƣǃơƣƻƿƫƺƹƞƶơƺƸƟƫƹƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƿƺƻƫơƾᄘƩǀƸƞƹƢƫƨ- nity, indeterminacy and creative freedom, that Nyssen’s anthropology, as this study will attempt to show, traversed centuries of Latin Medieval and Greek Byzantine traditions to become one of the fundamental sources for the human- ƫƾƿƫơƞƹƢƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶƽƣƹƣǂƞƶƺƤƿƩƣ ƿƞƶƫƞƹƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ. ƽƣǁƫƺǀƾơƩƺƶƞƽƾƩƫƻƺƹǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƩƣƺƽǄƺƤ ƽƣƣƢƺƸƞƹƢƿƩƣƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤ Patristic Sources ƞƿǀƽƞƶƶǄᄕƸƞƹǄƺƤƿƩƣƞƽƨǀƸƣƹƿƾƫƹƿƩƫƾƟƺƺƴƩƞǁƣƟƣƹƣƧƬƿƣƢƤƽƺƸƿƩƣǂƺƽƴ ƺƤƣƞƽƶƫƣƽƾơƩƺƶƞƽƾᄙƣǂƫƶƶƟƽƫƣƥƷǄƸƣƹƿƫƺƹƧƬƽƾƿƾƺƸƣƺƤƿƩƣƸƺƾƿƫƸƻƺƽƿƞƹƿ studies on Nyssen’s conception of freedom and, in the second place, the main trends of research on the philosophical sources of Medieval and Renaissance anthropology, paying special attention to the reception of authors from the patristic period. Scholarship on Gregory of Nyssa received a great impetus in the second half ƺƤƿƩƣᇴᇲƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽǄƿƩƞƹƴƾƿƺƿƩƣlong-awaited critical edition of his works. ƩƫƾƻƽƺưƣơƿᄕǂƩƫơƩƩƞƢƟƣƣƹƻƞƽƿƫƞƶƶǄƞƿƿƣƸƻƿƣƢƿǂƫơƣƟƣƤƺƽƣƟǄƣƺƽƨƣƞǄ ƺƽƟƣƾƞƹƢ ƽƞƹǅƣƩƶƣƽᄕƧƬƹƞƶƶǄƞƢǁƞƹơƣƢƿƺǂƞƽƢƾơƺƸƻƶƣƿƫƺƹǀƹƢƣƽƿƩƣƞǀƾ- pices of Ulrich von Wilamowitz-ƺƣƶƶƣƹƢƺƽƦƤ and was accomplished by his student Werner Jaeger and a number of prestigious scholars in what is today’s standard edition, the ƹƢƧƶƹƩƩǀƺƺƢƵƩƷƢƹƞ.ሿ ᇾ Ƥᄙƣƽƹƣƽƞƣƨƣƽƣƿƞl. (eds.),ƹƢƧƶƹƩƩǀƺƺƢƵƩƷƢƹƞᄕƽƫƶƶᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕᇳᇻᇷᇴᅬᇴᇲᇳᇶᄕᇳᇲǁƺƶƾᄙᄖƣƺƽƨƣ Hay Forbes(ed.), ƞƵƠƻƩ ƞƻƹƩƺ ƵƶƺƻƹƩ ƹƢƧƶƹƩƩ ǀƺƺƢƵƩ ƞƺƩƳƩƩ ƞƧƵƩ ƣƹƞƻƹƩƺ ƸƼƞƢ ƺƼƷƢƹƺƼƵƻ Omniaᄕ ƫƿƾƫƶƫƨƺ ƽƣƾƾᄕ ǀƽƹƿƫƾƶƞƹƢᄕ ᇳᇺᇷᇷᅬᇳᇺᇸᇳᄕ ᇴ ǁƺƶƾᄙᄖ ƽƞƹǅ ƣƩƶƣƽᄕ ƹƢƧƶƹᅍƺ ƩƺƠƨƶƣᅍƺ ƽƶƵ ǀƺƺƞƟƨƞƵơƳƼƵƧƽƶƴƢƳƩƧƩƶƵƺƼƵƻƢƹƹƩƠƨƻᄕƫƶƩƣƶƸ ƹƨƣƶƸƞƹᄕƣƫƻǅƫƨᄕᇳᇺᇷᇺᅬᇳᇺᇷᇻᄕᇶǁƺƶƾᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫؜؜ةث‬ As would be expected, a large number of commendable monographs and papers were dedicated to the central issue of Gregory’s anthropology in the last century.ቀƸƺƹƨƿƩƣƾƣᄕƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƸƞưƺƽƾƿǀƢǄƺƹǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƿƩƣƺƽǄƺƤƤƽƣƣƢƺƸǂƞƾ carried out by the French scholar Jérome Gaïth.ቁ ƩƣǁƣƽǄƾƿƽǀơƿǀƽƣƺƤƞïƿƩᅷƾǂƺƽƴƫƾƿƩƣƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶᄙƣƢƣǁƺƿƣƾƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƾƣơ- tion to freedom before time, the second to the drama of freedom in time and ƿƩƣƿƩƫƽƢƿƺƤƽƣƣƢƺƸƟƣǄƺƹƢƿƫƸƣᄙ ƹƿƩƣƾƣơƺƹƢơƩƞƻƿƣƽƺƤƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƾƣơƿƫƺƹᄕ an interesting anthropological distinction is made between Gregory’s under- ƾƿƞƹƢƫƹƨƺƤƞᅵƾƿƽǀơƿǀƽƞƶƤƽƣƣƢƺƸᅷᄕǂƩƫơƩƞïƿƩƫƢƣƹƿƫƧƬƣƾǂƫƿƩƿƩƣƽƣƣƴǂƺƽƢ ௄஛க஦஘க஢ృ஑ᄕƞƹƢƞᅵƤǀƹơƿƫƺƹƞƶƤƽƣƣƢƺƸᅷᄕǂƩƫơƩơƺƽƽƣƾƻƺƹƢƾƿƺƿƩƣƿƣƽƸ஡஢஠஑ృ஢க- ணஙத. Even though Gaïth’s work is not particularly concerned with Nyssen’s his- torical context and possible sources, it displays the fruits of a thorough study of the texts, selecting and organising key passages on the nature of free will. A remarkable monograph on the same topic by Verna Harrison appeared ƫƹ ƿƩƣ ƣƞƽƶǄ ᇻᇲƾᄙቂ Although like Gaïth she adopts a predominantly theologi- ơƞƶƞƻƻƽƺƞơƩƿƺƿƩƣƻƽƺƟƶƣƸƺƤƤƽƣƣƢƺƸᄕƩƣƽǂƺƽƴƫƾƧƬƶƶƣƢǂƫƿƩƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫ- ơƞƶƞƹƞƶǄƾƣƾƞƹƢƞƿƿƣƸƻƿƾƞƿƞƟƽƺƞƢƣǃƻƺƾƫƿƫƺƹƺƤƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾƿƩƣƺƽǄᄙ ƹƽƣƞƶƫƿǄᄕ ƺƹƶǄƺƹƣƺƤƿƩƣƿƩƽƣƣƻƞƽƿƾƺƤƞƽƽƫƾƺƹᅷƾƟƺƺƴƢƣƞƶƾƾƻƣơƫƧƬơƞƶƶǄǂƫƿƩƿƩƣƿƩƣƸƣ ƺƤ ƤƽƣƣƢƺƸ ƫƹ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƺƤ ǄƾƾƞᄙƩƣ ǂƺƽƴᅷƾ Ƹƞƫƹ ƫƹƿƣƽƣƾƿ ƫƾ ƿƺ ƢƣƸƺƹƾƿƽƞƿƣ the cooperative or synergistic relationship of freedom with divine grace in ᇿ ƣƣᄕƣᄙƨᄙᄕƣƞƹƞƹƫélou, ƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƢƢƻƨǾƶƳƶƧƩƢǀƺƻƩƸƼƢჯ ƺƺƞƩƺƼƹƳƞơƶƠƻƹƩƵƢƺƷƩƹƩƻƼƢƳƳƢơƢ ƺƞƩƵƻƹǾƧƶƩƹƢơƢǀƺƺƢ, Aubier-MontaigneᄕƞƽƫƾᄕᇳᇻᇶᇶᄖƺƨƣƽƣǄƾᄕᅍƩƴƞƧƢơƢƩƢƼƠƨƢǁƞƩƵƻ ƹǾƧƶƩƹƢ ơƢ ǀƺƺƢჯ ƺƸƼƩƺƺƢ ơᅍƼƵƢ ơƶƠƻƹƩƵƢ, Descléƣ ƣ ƽƺǀǂƣƽᄕ ƞƽƫƾᄕ ᇳᇻᇷᇳᄖ ǀƟƣƽƿ ƣƽƴƫᄕ ฆ઻ાસેુસુ ષ઴ેસჯƶƵơƢƹƷƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƠƨƢƵƵƧƳƢƩƠƨƼƵƧƞƵƶƻƻǁƼƹƶƻƻǌƨƵƳƩƠƨƲƢƩƻƟƢƩƹƢƧƶƹ von Nyssa, Paulus-Verlagᄕ ƽƣƫƟǀƽƨᄕᇳᇻᇷᇴᄖƽƺƺƴƾƿƫƾᄕᅸƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƹƩƺǀƨƩƿƞƾƞƺƩƣƽƣƹƿ System”, ƼƴƟƞƹƻƶƵƞƲƺƞƷƢƹƺᇳᇴᄬᇳᇻᇷᇺᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇻᇹᅬᇳᇴᇶᄖƣƽƩƞƽƿᄙƞƢƹƣƽᄕᅸƩƣƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶ Anthropology of Saint Gregory of Nyssa”, ƼƴƟƞƹƻƶƵ ƞƲƺ ƞƷƢƹƺ ᇳᇴ ᄬᇳᇻᇷᇺᄭᄕ ƻƻᄙ ᇷᇻᅬᇻᇶᄖ DaviƢ ᄙ ƞƶás, ઻઴ૂાૃુસર ષ઴ાૃჯ ƞƵᅍƺ ƞƹƻƩƠƩƷƞƻƩƶƵ ƩƵ ƶơᅍƺ ƢƹƣƢƠƻƩƶƵƺ ƞƠƠƶƹơƩƵƧ ƻƶ ƞƩƵƻƹƢƧƶƹǀƶƣǀƺƺƞᄕƣƽƢƣƽᄕƺƸƣᄕᇳᇻᇸᇸᄖƞƹƾᄙƣƾƿƣƽƶƣᄕᅸƽƺƟƶƣƸƣƢƣƽƹƿƩƽƺƻƺƶƺƨƫƣ Ɵƣƫ ƽƣƨƺƽ ǁƺƹ Ǆƾƾƞᄘ ǀƽ ƹƿƣƽƻƽƣƿƞƿƫƺƹ ƾƣƫƹƣƽ ơƩƽƫƤƿ ᅵƣ ƩƺƸƫƹƫƾ ƺƻƫƧƬơƫƺᅷᅺᄕ Hermes ᇳᇳᇵ ᄬᇳᇻᇺᇷᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇲᇳᅬᇳᇳᇶᄖ ƹƽƫơƺƣƽƺƶƫᄕ ƳƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƶƢƳᅍƞƵƻƹƶƷƶƳƶƧƩƞƦƪƳƶƺƶƦƪƠƞơƩƹƢƧƶƹƩƶơƩƩƺƺƞ, ƫƿƞ ƣ ƣƹƾƫƣƽƺᄕ ƫƶƞƹƺᄕ ᇳᇻᇻᇵᄖ ƶƞǀƢƫƞ ƣƾƞƶǁƺᄕ ᅍᅎƶƳƻƹƢᅐ ƵƢƳ ƷƹƢƺƢƵƻƢჯ ƞ ƦƪƳƶƺƶƦƪƞ ơƢƳƳᅍƼƶƴƶ in Gregorio di Nissaᄕƫƿƞ ƣ ƣƹƾƫƣƽƺᄕ ƫƶƞƹƺᄕ ᇳᇻᇻᇸᄖ ƺƩƞƹƹƣƾ ƞơƩƩǀƟƣƽᄕ ƼƴƞƵ ƵƞƻƼƹƢ ƩƵ Gregory of NyssaᄕƽƫƶƶᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕᇴᇲᇲᇲᄖƞƹƫƣƶƣ ƺǅǅƫƞᄕ ƩƳƶƺƶƦƪƞƢƴƢƵơƞƻƞჯ ƳƢƴƢƵƻƩƠƶƵƵƢƺƺƩ ƠƶƳƢƶƷƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƶƵƢƳƳᅍƢƺƢƧƢƺƩƢƺƞƴƢƹƞƳƢơƩƹƢƧƶƹƩƶơƩƩƺƺƞ, Acireale-RomaᄕᇴᇲᇲᇸᄖƹƢƽƣƞƾ Bedke, ƵƻƨƹƶƷƶƳƶƧƩƢƞƳƺƶƺƞƩƲხơƩƢƼƣƵƞƨƴƢƞƵƻƩƲƢƹƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƩƢơƼƹƠƨƹƢƧƶƹƽƶƵǀƺƺƞƩƵ ƺƢƩƵƢƠƨƹƩƣƻᅎƢƨƶƴƩƵƩƺƶƷƩƦƪƠƩƶᅐᄕƾơƩƣƹƢƺƽƦƤᄕüƹƾƿƣƽᄕᇴᇲᇳᇴᄖǁƫƢƫǀƤƣƽƶƣƞᄕᅸᅷƫƹƧƬƹƫƿé divine chez Grégoire de Nysse: de l’anthropologie à la polémique trinitaire”, ƩƧƩƳƩƞƢƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƞƢᇸᇹᄧᇴ ᄬᇴᇲᇳᇵᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇵᇹᅬᇳᇸᇺᄖ ƶƞƽƫƞƫƨƺƽƣƶƶƫᄕƞƹƢƳƞǁƩƶƵƢხƩƶƢƳᅍƼƶƴƶჯƠƨƢƺƩƺƢƞƵƻƹƶƷƶƳƶƧƩƞƻƹƩƵƩƻƞƹƩƞ in Gregorio di Nissa, CittàǀƺǁƞᄕƺƸƞᄕᇴᇲᇴᇳᄙ ሀ Ƥᄙérome Gaïth, ƞƠƶƵƠƢƷƻƩƶƵơƢƳƞƳƩƟƢƹƻǾƠƨƢǁƹǾƧƶƩƹƢơƢǀƺƺƢᄕƽƫƹᄕƞƽƫƾᄕᇳᇻᇷᇵᄙ ሁ Ƥᄙƣƽƹƞ ᄙ ᄙƞƽƽƫƾƺƹᄕƹƞƠƢƞƵơƨƼƴƞƵƣƹƢƢơƶƴƞƠƠƶƹơƩƵƧƻƶƻჯƹƢƧƶƹǀƶƣǀƺƺƞ, Mellen, ƣǂƺƽƴᄕᇳᇻᇻᇴᄙ !!!! # " ‫؜؜؜ةث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ Nyssen’s doctrine. However, her philosophical interpretations of many of the texts already cited by GaïƿƩƞƽƣƹƺƿƣǂƺƽƿƩǄᄙ ƹƢƣƣƢᄕƞƽƽƫƾƺƹᅷƾƣǃƻƺƾƫƿƫƺƹƫƾ much more orderly and precise, particularly in showing the relationship of freedom to the various human dimensions and its environment in Gregory’s writings.ቃ ƫƞƸƻƫƣƿƽƺ ƞƶ ƺƾƺ ƻǀƟƶƫƾƩƣƢ Ʃƫƾ Ƣƺơƿƺƽƞƶ ƿƩƣƾƫƾ ƺƹ Ǆƾƾƣƹᅷƾ ƹƺƿƫƺƹ ƺƤ ஡஢஠஑ృ஢கணஙத ƫƹ ᇳᇻᇻᇺᄙቄ His work begins with a semantic and linguistic analysis of the term in selected passages from the various works, concluding with a ƸƺƾƿƶǄƿƩƣƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶƫƹƿƣƽƻƽƣƿƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƿƩƣơƺƹơƣƻƿᄙƩƣƞǀƿƩƺƽƿƞƴƣƾǀƻƞïth’s distinction between ௄஛க஦஘க஢ృ஑ and ஡஢஠஑ృ஢கணஙதƞƹƢƺƦƤƣƽƾƞǁƞƶǀƞƟƶƣƞƹƞƶǄƾƫƾƺƤ the evolution of this last notion’s meanings all through Gregory’s ƶƷƢƹƞ. ƿƩƣƽ Ƹƺƽƣ ƾƻƣơƫƧƬơ ƾǀƽǁƣǄƾ ƺƹ Ǆƾƾƣƹᅷƾ ƿƩƣƺƽǄ ƞƹƢ ơƺƸƻƞƽƞƿƫǁƣ ƾƿǀƢƫƣƾ with other authors appeared in the last decades, some of whose arguments will also be discussed in the present volume.ቅ ơƺƹƾƫƢƣƽƿƩƞƿƹƺƹƣƺƤƿƩƣƞƤƺƽƣƸƣƹƿƫƺƹƣƢƽƣƾƣƞƽơƩƞƫƸƣƢƞƿƞƹƺƽƨƞƹƫơ ƞƹƢƾǄƾƿƣƸƞƿƫơƣǃƻƺƾƫƿƫƺƹƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩǄƺƤƤƽƣƣƢƺƸᄙ ƹƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƻƞƽƿ of this book, we will try to clarify the complexity and evolution of this theory, ƺƦƤƣƽƞƾǄƾƿƣƸƞƿƫơƫƹƿƣƽƻƽƣƿƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƫƿƞƹƢƻƺƫƹƿƺǀƿƿƩƣƸƞƫƹƣƶƣƸƣƹƿƾƿƽƞƹƾ- mitted across the Middle Ages and up to the philosophers of the ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ. ƹƿƩƫƾƾƣƹƾƣᄕƫƿƫƾǁƫƿƞƶƿƺƩƫƾƿƺƽƫơƞƶƶǄơƺƹƿƣǃƿǀƞƶƫƾƣƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƻƩƫƶƺ- ƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶƢƺơƿƽƫƹƣƺƤƤƽƣƣƢƺƸᄙ ƹƻƽƣǁƫƺǀƾƾƿǀƢƫƣƾᄕƫƿƩƞƾƟƣƣƹƢƫƦƧƬơǀƶƿƿƺƢƫƾ- ơƣƽƹƿƩƣǁƞƽƫƺǀƾƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣƾƺƻƣƽƞƿƫƹƨƫƹƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾƿƩƺǀƨƩƿƞƹƢƿƺƢƣƿƣƽƸƫƹƣƿƺ what extent it represents a genuine novelty with respect to the prior tradition. ሂ Ƥᄙ ƟƩơჯᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇶᇷᅬᇴᇲᇸᄙ ሃ ƫƞƸƻƫƣƿƽƺ ƞƶ ƺƾƺᄕ ƞ ƵƶǁƩƶƵƢ ơƩ ᅎƷƹƶƞƩƹƢƺƩƺᅐ ƩƵ ƹƢƧƶƹƩƶ ơƩ Ʃƺƺƞჯ ƵƞƳƩƺƩ ƺƢƴƩɳƻƩƠƶ- ƳƩƵƧƼƩƺƻƩƠƞƢƷƹƶƺƷƢƻƻƩƽƢƞƵƻƹƶƷƶƳƶƧƩƠƨƢᄕƣƿƣƽƞƹƨᄕ ƽƞƹƴƤǀƽƿƞƸƞƫƹᄕᇳᇻᇻᇺᄙ ሄ Ƥᄙᄕ ƣᄙƨᄙᄕ ƞƽía Mercedes Bergadá, “La concepcióƹ Ƣƣ ƶƞ ƶƫƟƣƽƿƞƢ ƣƹ ƣƶ ᅵƣ ƩƺƸƫƹƫƾ ƺƻƫƧƬ- cio’ de Gregorio de Nyssa”, ƻƹƶƴƞƻƞ ᇴᇶ ᄬᇳᇻᇸᇺᄭᄕ ƻƻᄙ ᇴᇶᇵᅬᇴᇸᇵᄖ ƞƾƫƶƫƴƫ ƫƸƟƣƽƫƾᄕ ᅸ ƽƣƣƢƺƸ in Gregory of Nyssa’s Ƣ ƵƺƻƩƻƼƻƶƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƶ”, ƻƼơƩƞƞƻƹƩƺƻƩƠƞᇴᇹᄬᇳᇻᇻᇵᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇵᇻᅬᇶᇳᄖƞƽƿƫƹ Streck, ƞƺƺƠƨɿƵƺƻƢƼƻხƢƹƴƢƵƺƠƨƳƩƠƨƢƩƳƳƢƟƢƩƢƴƢƺƩƼƺƽƶƵ ƴƢƺƞƼƵơƹƢƧƶƹƽƶƵǀƺƺƞ, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göƿƿƫƹƨƣƹᄕ ᇴᇲᇲᇷᄖ ƞƹƿƣ ƣƸƸƫƿƫᄕ ᅸƞ ƶƫƟƣƽƿà ed i fondamenti ƸƣƿƞƧƬƾƫơƫƢƣƶƶᅷƞƹƿƽƺƻƺƶƺƨƫƞƢƫƽƣƨƺƽƫƺƫƾƾƣƹƺᅺᄕƫƹᄙƽƞƫƢƺƿƿƫᄕ ᄙƣƿƿƺƽƫѵ ᄙƞƹǅƫƶƶƺƿƿƞ (eds.), ા௎ ୱஅ୮ ஔ୷த୭୥୲୰୮ხ ƠƹƩƻƻƩ ƩƵ ƴƢƴƶƹƩƞ ơƩ ƶƟƢƹƻƶ ƹƢƻƞƧƶƺƻƩƵƩᄕ ǀƞƾƞƽᄕ ƺƸƞᄕ ᇴᇲᇲᇻᄕ ƻƻᄙᇴᇲᇻᅬᇴᇶᇷᄖ ƽƞƹơƫƾơƺƞƾƿƫƿƿƞƞƽƽƫƣƿᄕᅸǀƸƞƹơƺƸƸǀƹƫƺƹƞƹƢƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹơƣƫƹƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤ Ǆƾƾƞᄘ ƤƽƺƸ ƽƫƹƫƿƞƽƫƞƹ ƩƣƺƶƺƨǄ ƿƺ ƿƩƣ ƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩǄ ƺƤ ƩǀƸƞƹ ƻƣƽƾƺƹ ƞƹƢ Ƥƽƣƣ Ƣƣơƫƾƫƺƹᅺᄕ ƫƹᄙᄙƽƣơƺƶƶѵᄙƣƽƨƩƞǀƾᄬƣƢƾᄙᄭᄕƹƢƧƶƹǀƶƣǀƺƺƞხƨƢƩƵƶƹƹƢƞƻƩƺƢƺƶƵƹƩƵƩƻƞƹƩƞƵ ƨƢƶƳƶƧǀƞƵơƷƶƳƳƩƵƞƹƩƺƴᄕƽƫƶƶᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕᇴᇲᇳᇳᄕƻƻᄙᇵᇵᇹᅬᇵᇶᇻᄖƶƞǀƢƫƺƺƽƣƾơƩƫƹƫᄕᅸƺƺƢƹƣƾƾᄕ ǁƫƶƞƹƢƿƩƣ ƽƣƣƫƶƶƺƤƞƹƫƹƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅺᄕƫƹᄙƢᅷƺƫƹƣƞƹƢᄙƞƹiel (eds.), ƞƻƢძ ƹƶƽƩơƢƵƠƢƞƵơƶƹƞƳƢƺƷƶƵƺƩƟƩƳƩƻǀƩƵƵƠƩƢƵƻძƢơƩƢƽƞƳƞƵơ ƞƹƳǀƶơƢƹƵƨƶƼƧƨƻჯƻƼơƩƢƺ ƩƵƶƵƶƼƹƶƣƞƹƳƶƺƻƢƢƳᄕƣǀǁƣƹƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾᄕƣǀǁƣƹᄕᇴᇲᇳᇶᄕƻƻᄙᇵᇶᇵᅬᇵᇷᇸᄖ ƶƞƽƫƞƞƸƣƶƶƫᄕ ᅸƩƣƣƨƞơǄƺƤƽƫƨƣƹƫƹƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƩƣƺƶƺƨǄƺƤ ƽƣƣƢƺƸᅺᄕƶơƢƹƵƨƢƶƳƶƧǀᇵᇺᄧᇴ ᄬᇴᇲᇴᇴᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇵᇸᇵᅬᇵᇺᇺᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫ث؜ث‬ ƩƫƾƫƾƞơƽƫƿƫơƞƶƽƣƼǀƫƽƣƸƣƹƿơƺƹƾƫƢƣƽƫƹƨƿƩƞƿǄƾƾƣƹƩƞƾƟƣƣƹơƶƺƾƣƶǄƞƾƾƺơƫ- ated with the traditions of Platonism,ቆ Stoicism,ሾሽ the Second Sophisticሾሾ and the earlier Greek Fathers.ሾሿ *** ƾƤƞƽƞƾƿƩƣƫƹƿƣƶƶƣơƿǀƞƶƾƺǀƽơƣƾƺƤƿƩƣƣƹƞƫƾƾƞƹơƣƞƽƣơƺƹơƣƽƹƣƢᄕƿƩƣᇴᇲƿƩ ơƣƹƿǀƽǄƞƶƾƺǂƫƿƹƣƾƾƣƢƿƩƣƥƷƺǀƽƫƾƩƫƹƨƺƤƿƩƣƸƺƾƿƾƣƽƫƺǀƾơƽƫƿƫơƞƶƞƹƢƩƫƾƿƺƽƫ- cal elucidations, based on new research and discoveries of the documents and sources of the period and the humanists’ background. Burckhardt’s pioneering monograph, ƩƢƼƳƻƼƹơƢƹƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƩƵ ƻƞƳƩƢƵ, ƻǀƟƶƫƾƩƣƢ ƫƹ ᇳᇺᇸᇲᄕ ƞƹƢ ƿƩƣ ǂƺƽƴ ƺƤ ƺƿƩƣƽ ǀƽƺƻƣƞƹ ƞǀƿƩƺƽƾ ƩƞƢ ƞƶƽƣƞƢǄ ƞǂƞƴƣƹƣƢ ƞ ƻƽƺƤƺǀƹƢ ƫƹƿƣƽƣƾƿ ƫƹ ƿƩƣ ƾƺǀƽơƣƾ ƺƤ ƿƩƣ ƿƞƶƫƞƹ ƣƹƞƫƾƾƞƹơƣᄙ Ernst Cassirer carried out important studies on the Renaissance worldview.ሾቀ ƶƿƩƺǀƨƩƩƣƞơƴƹƺǂƶƣƢƨƣƢƿƩƣƾƿƽƺƹƨƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣƺƤƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƶƞƿƺƹƫƾƸƞƹƢ ህ Ƥᄙᄕ ƣᄙƨᄙᄕ ƞƽƺƶƢ Ʃƣƽƹƫƾƾᄕ ƨƢƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƶƣƹƢƧƶƹǀƶƣǀƺƺƞᄕ ƣƽƴƣƶƣǄᄕ ᇳᇻᇵᇲᄖ ƹƢƽƣ ǁƺƹ ǁƞƹƴƞᄕƳƞƻƶƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƼƺჯĈƟƢƹƞƨƴƢƼƵơƴƧƢƺƻƞƳƻƼƵƧơƢƺƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƼƺơƼƹƠƨơƩƢǌƻƢƹ, Johannes-Verlagᄕ ƫƹƾƫƣƢƣƶƹᄕᇳᇻᇸᇶᄖ ƹƽƫơƺƣƽƺƶƫᄕ ƳƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƶƢƳᅍƞƵƻƹƶƷƶƳƶƧƩƞƦƪƳƶƺƶƦƪƠƞᄖ John Rist, “On the Platonism of Gregory of Nyssa”, Hermathenaᇳᇸᇻᄬᇴᇲᇲᇲᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇴᇻᅬᇳᇷᇳᄙ ᇽᇼ See Karl Gronau, ƶƺƢƩơƶƵƩƶƺƼƵơơƩƢJüdish-ƠƨƹƩƺƻƳƩƠƨƢ GenesisexegeseᄕƣǀƟƹƣƽᄕƣƫƻǅƫƨᄕ ᇳᇻᇳᇶᄖƫơƩƞƽƢƺƽƞƟưƫᄕ ƴƶƻƩƶƵƞƵơƷƢƞƠƢƶƣƴƩƵơხ ƹƶƴƺƻƶƩƠƞƧƩƻƞƻƩƶƵƻƶƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƻƢƴƷƻƞ- tionᄕǃƤƺƽƢƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾᄕǃƤƺƽƢᄕᇴᇲᇲᇵᄖ ƽƞƹơƫƾơƺƞƾƿƫƿƿƞƞƽƽƫƣƿᄕᅸ ƫƶƫƞơƫón divina, ƢƫƨƹƫƢƞƢǄƿƺƶƣƽƞƹơƫƞᄘƢƣ ƻƫơƿƣƿƺƞƽƣƨƺƽƫƺƢƣƫƾƞᅺᄕƫƹᄙƣƽƣƿóivas (ed.), ƶƳƢƹƞƵƠƩƞხ ƻƢƶƹȵƞǀƷƹǃƠƻƩƠƞƢƵƳƞ ơƞơƢơƩƞᄕƽƣƻƺƶƾᄕƺƽƿƺᄕᇴᇲᇳᇴᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇵᅬᇴᇹᄖ ƶƞƽƫƞƞƸƣƶƶƫᄕᅸƩƣƿƺƫơ ƺơƿƽƫƹƣƺƤƫƴƣƫƺƾƫƾƞƹƢƫƿƾƽƞƹƾƤƺƽƸƞƿƫƺƹƫƹƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƶƞƿƺƹƫƾƸᅺᄕƷƢƩƹƶƵᇶᇹᄬᇴᇲᇳᇶᄭᄕ ƻƻᄙᇳᇳᇸᅬᇳᇶᇲᄙ ᇽᇽ Cf. Louis Méridier, ᅍƩƵƤƳƼƢƵƠƢơƢƳƞƺƢƠƶƵơƢƺƶƷƨƩƺƻƩƸƼƢƺƼƹƳᅍʘƼƽƹƢơƢƹǾƧƶƩƹƢơƢǀƺƺƢ, ƞơƩƣƿƿƣᄕ ƞƽƫƾᄕ ᇳᇻᇲᇸᄖ ƣƽƹƣƽ ƞƣƨƣƽᄕ ƞƹƳǀ ƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƩƻǀ ƞƵơ ƹƢƢƲ ƞƩơƢƩƞ, Harvard University Press, Cambridge (MAᄭᄕ ᇳᇻᇸᇳᄕ ƻƻᄙ ᇸᇺᅬᇳᇲᇴᄖ ƩƽƫƾƿƺƻƩ ƶƺơƴᄕ ƵƻƢƹƺƼƠƨƼƵƧƢƵ ǁƼ ƻƩƳ ƼƵơ ƨǀƻƨƴƼƺ ƟƢƩ ƹƢƧƶƹ ƽƶƵ ǀƺƺƞხ ƢƩƵ ƢƩƻƹƞƧ ǁƼƴ ƨƢƻƶƹƩƲƽƢƹƺƻǌƵơƵƩƺ ơƢƹ ƧƹƩƢƠƨƩƺƠƨƢƵǌƻƢƹ, Frankfurt am Main, AthenäǀƸᄕ ᇳᇻᇺᇹᄖ ƺƽǂƣƹƹƞ ǀƢƶƺǂᄕ ƹƻძ ƹƞƣƻძ ƞƵơƨƢƶƳƶƧǀƩƵ ƶƼƹƻƨ-ƢƵƻƼƹǀƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƼƻƨƶƹƺᄕǃƤƺƽƢƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾǃƤƺƽƢᄕᇴᇲᇴᇲᄙ ᇽᇾ Cf., e.g., Daniélou, ƳƞƻƶƵƩƺƴƢ Ƣƻ ƨƢƶƳƶƧƩƢ ǀƺƻƩƸƼƢᄖ ƣƽƹƣƽ ƞƣƨƣƽᄕ ƾƶ ƢơƩƺƠƶƽƢƹƢơ ƶƹƲƺ ƶƣ ƵƠƩƢƵƻ ƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵ ƩƻƢƹƞƻƼƹƢხ ƹƢƧƶƹǀ ƶƣ ǀƺƺƞ ƞƵơ ƞƠƞƹƩƼƺ ƶƣ ƧǀƷƻ, Brill, ƣƫƢƣƹᄕ ᇳᇻᇷᇶᄖ ƣƽƩƞƽƿ ᄙ ƞƢƹƣƽᄕ ᅸƩƣ ƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶ ƹƿƩƽƺƻƺƶƺƨǄ ƺƤ ƞƫƹƿ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƺƤ Nyssa”, ƼƴƟƞƹƻƶƵƞƲƺƞƷƢƹƺᇳᇴᄬᇳᇻᇷᇺᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇷᇻᅬᇻᇶᄖƞƽƨǀƣƽƫƿƣƞƽƶᄬƣƢᄙᄭᄕ ƠƹƩƻƼƹƢƢƻƠƼƳ- ƻƼƹƢƷƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƩƸƼƢơƞƵƺƳƞƷƢƵƺǾƢơƢƹǾƧƶƩƹƢơƢǀƺƺƢᄕƽƫƶƶᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕᇳᇻᇹᇳᄖƞǁƫƢᄙǀƹƫƞᄕ ƨƩƳƶƩƵ ƞƹƳǀƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƩƻƢƹƞƻƼƹƢჯƼƹƽƢǀᄕƞƹƺƽơǀƸᄕƾƾƣƹᄕᇳᇻᇻᇵᄕƻƻᄙᇴᇶᇵᅬᇴᇸᇳᄖƣƿƣƽ Karavites, ƽƩƳძ ƹƢƢơƶƴძƞƵơƻƨƢƶƞơƻƶƢƹƣƢƠƻƩƶƵƩƵƳƢƴƢƵƻƶƣƳƢƿƞƵơƹƩƞ, Brill, Leiden, ᇳᇻᇻᇻᄙ ᇽᇿ See Ernst Cassirer, ƞƺ ƹƲƢƵƵƻƵƩƺƷƹƶƟƳƢƴƩƵơƢƹƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƩƢƼƵơƩƺƺƢƵƺƠƨƞƣƻơƢƹƵƢƼƢƹƢƵ Zeitᄕƣƽƶƫƹᄕᇳᇻᇲᇸᅬᇹᄕᇴǁƺƶƾᄙᄖ ƢᄙᄕƨƢ ƵơƩƽƩơƼƞƳƞƵơƻƨƢƶƺƴƶƺƩƵƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨǀ, ƿƽᄙᄙƺƸƞƹƢƫᄕƞƽƻƣƽѵƺǂᄕƣǂƺƽƴᄕᇳᇻᇸᇵᄬ ƵơƩƽƩơƼƼƴƼƵơƶƺƴƶƺƩƵơƢƹƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƩƢ ơƢƹƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢᄕƣǀƟƹƣƽᄕLeipzig-Berlinᄕᇳᇻᇴᇹᄭᄙ !!!! # " ‫ثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ German mysticism on Nicholas of Cusa and that of Augustine on Petrarch, he was not interested in investigating other possible sources and tended to see in the Renaissance philosophers’ theory of knowledge and anthropol- ƺƨǄƞƻƽƣƧƬƨǀƽƞƿƫƺƹƺƤǁƞƽƫƺǀƾƤƺƽƸƾƺƤƫƢƣƞƶƫƾƸᄙ ƹƿƩƣƾƞƸƣǁƣƫƹᄕǂƣƾƩƺǀƶƢ also remember his well-known essay on Pico della Mirandola.ሾቁ For his part, ƫƺǁƞƹƹƫƣƹƿƫƶƣƩƞƢƞƦƧƬƽƸƣƢƿƩƣᅵƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƫƢƣƞƶƫƾƸᅷƺƤƿƩƣƩǀƸƞƹƫƾƿƾƞƾƿƩƣ philosophical soul of the Renaissance.ሾቂ ǀƨƣƹƫƺƞƽƫƹǂƞƾƺƹƣƺƤƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƿƺơƞƶƶƫƹƿƺƼǀƣƾƿƫƺƹơƣƽƿƞƫƹƫƹƿƣƽƻƽƣƿƞƿƫǁƣ Ɵƫƞƾƣƾᄙ ƹƿƩƣơƞƾƣƺƤƫơƺƢƣƶƶƞƫƽƞƹƢƺƶƞᄕƩƣƢƣƹƺǀƹơƣƢƞƾǀƹƢƺǀƟƿƣƢƶǄanti- historical “the excessively modernising line of interpretation which, assuming ƫơƺᅷƾᅵƩƣƽƣƾǄᅷƞƹƢƩƫƾƽƣƟƣƶƶƫƺƹᄕƾƣƣƾƫƹƩƫƾƿƩƺǀƨƩƿƞƸƞƹƫƤƣƾƿƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƫƸƸƞ- nentist humanism, an anti-ecclesiastical or even anti-religious tendency, a refutation of scholastic philosophy”.ሾቃ Garin is recognised as one of the great intellectual historians of the period, especially regarding its continuity and change with regard to the Middle Ages.ሾቄ But it was perhaps Paul Oskar Kristeller who strived the most to deepen the study of the various sources of the Renaissance.ሾቅ ƹƞƢƢƫƿƫƺƹƿƺƿƩƣƹǀƸƣƽ- ous seminal works he devoted to the subject, Professor Kristeller initiated several projects in the United States to systematise and facilitate the study ƺƤ Ƹƞƹǀƾơƽƫƻƿ ƾƺǀƽơƣƾᄙ Ʃƣƾƣ ƫƹơƶǀƢƣ ƿƩƣ ƻƢƹ ƻƞƳƩƠƼƴ, a detailed record of ǀƹơƞƿƞƶƺƨǀƣƢƺƽƻƺƺƽƶǄơƞƿƞƶƺƨǀƣƢƸƞƹǀƾơƽƫƻƿƾƫƹƸƞưƺƽ ƿƞƶƫƞƹƞƹƢ ǀƽƺƻƣƞƹ ᇽሀ Cf. Ernst Cassirer, “Giovanni Pico della Mirandola: A Study in the History of Renaissance ƢƣƞƾᅺᄕƶƼƹƵƞƳƶƣƻƨƢƩƺƻƶƹǀƶƣ ơƢƞƺ3ᄧᇴᅬᇵᄬᇳᇻᇶᇴᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇴᇵᅬᇶᇶᄖᇵᇳᇻᅬᇶᇸᄙ ᇽሁ Cf. Giovanni Gentile, ƩƶƹơƞƵƶƹƼƵƶƢƩƳƷƢƵƺƩƢƹƶơƢƳƩƵƞƺƠƩƴƢƵƻƶ, Vallecchi, Firenze, ᇳᇻᇴᇷᄕƻƻᄙᇷᇺᅬᇸᇳᄙ ᇽሂ Eugenio Garin, “Le interpretazioni del pensiero di Giovanni Pico”, in ᅍƶƷƢƹƞƢƩƳƷƢƵƺƩƢƹƶ ơƩƩƶƽƞƵƵƩƩƠƶơƢƳƳƞƩƹƞƵơƶƳƞƵƢƳƳƞƺƻƶƹƩƞơƢƳƳᅍƴƞƵƢƺƩƴƶᄕ ƾƿƫƿǀƿƺƞǅƫƺƹƞƶƣƢƫƾƿǀƢƫ ƾǀƶƫƹƞƾơƫƸƣƹƿƺᄕ ƶƺƽƣƹơƫƞᄕᇳᇻᇸᇷᄕǁƺƶᄙᇳᄕƻᄙᇳᇸᄖƸǄƿƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹᄙƤᄙ ƢᄕᅸƞᅵƫƨƹƫƿƞƾƺƸƫƹƫƾᅷ e la letteratura patristica”, ƞƩƵƞƺƠƩƻƞᄕ ƶƺƽƣƹơƫƞᄕᇳᇻᇵᇺᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇲᇴᅬᇳᇶᇸᄖ Ƣᄙᄕᅸƺƾƻƫƽƫƿƺơƽƫƾ- tiano di Pico della Mirandola”, en ƢƵƺǾƢƨƼƴƞƵƩƺƻƢƢƻƻƹƞơƩƻƩƶƵƠƨƹǾƻƩƢƵƵƢƞƼƿXV ‫ ޣ‬et XVI‫ޣ‬ ƺƩǽƠƳƢƺ, CNRSᄕƞƽƫƾᄕᇳᇻᇷᇲᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇸᇻᅬᇳᇺᇶᄙ ᇽሃ Cf. Eugenio Garin, ƢơƩƶƢƽƶ Ƣ ƩƵƞƺƠƩƴƢƵƻƶ, Laterza, Roma-Bariᄕ ᇳᇻᇹᇵᄖ ǀƽƿ ƶƞƾơƩᄕ “Eugenio Garin tra Medioevo e Rinascimento”, ƩƶƹƵƞƳƢƠƹƩƻƩƠƶơƢƳƳƞƦƪƳƶƺƶƦƪƞƩƻƞƳƩƞƵƞᇶᇺ ᄬᇴᇲᇲᇷᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇴᇹᅬᇵᇻᄙ ᇽሄ Cf., e.g., Paul Oskar Kristeller, ƻƼơƩƢƺƩƵƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƨƶƼƧƨƻƞƵơƢƻƻƢƹƺᄕ ƺƸƞᄕ ᇳᇻᇷᇸᅬ ᇳᇻᇻᇸᄕᇶǁƺƶƾᄙᄖ ƢᄙᄕᅸƫƺǁƞƹƹƫƫơƺƢƣƶƶƞƫƽƞƹƢƺƶƞƞƹƢƩƫƾƾƺǀƽơƣƾᅺᄕƫƹAA.VV., ᅍƶƷƢƹƞƢƩƳ ƷƢƵƺƩƢƹƶơƩƩƶƽƞƵƵƩƩƠƶơƢƳƳƞƩƹƞƵơƶƳƞƵƢƳƳƞƺƻƶƹƩƞơƢƳƳᅍƴƞƵƢƺƩƴƶᄕ ƾƿƫƿǀƿƺƞǅƫƺƹƞƶƣ Ƣƫ ƾƿǀƢƫ ƾǀƶ ƫƹƞƾơƫƸƣƹƿƺᄕ ƫƽƣƹǅƣᄕ ᇳᇻᇸᇷᄕ ǁƺƶᄙ ᇳᄕ ƻƻᄙ ᇵᇷᅬᇳᇶᇴᄖ Ƣᄙᄕ ᅸ ƿƞƶƫƞƹ ǀƸƞƹƫƾƸ ƞƹƢ Byzantium”, in ƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƶƵƠƢƷƻƺƶƣƞƵᄕƞƽƻƣƽѵƺǂᄕƣǂƺƽƴᄕᇳᇻᇹᇴᄕƻƻᄙᇸᇶᅬᇺᇷᄖ Ƣᄙᄕ ƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƨƶƼƧƨƻƞƵơ ƻƺƶƼƹƠƢƺᄕƺƶǀƸƟƫƞƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾᄕƣǂƺƽƴᄕᇳᇻᇹᇻᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫؜ثث‬ libraries,ሾቆ and the ongoing ƞƻƞƳƶƧƼƺ ƻƹƞƵƺƳƞƻƩƶƵƼƴ Ƣƻ ƠƶƴƴƢƵƻƞƹƩƶƹƼƴ, a remarkable collection of studies involving various specialists who trace the translations and commentaries of classical authors made in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.ሿሽ Both series have become indispensable tools for any researcher of these periods. Partly owing to these developments, new and interesting research hypoth- eses have emerged. Besides the countless existing studies on Platonic and Neoplatonic sources, which continued to develop, from the midᅟᇴᇲƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽǄ to the present day, scholars of the Renaissance have sought its philosophical roots in, among others, Aristotelianism, Scholasticism, the Kabbalah, Arabic philosophy, the Hermetic tradition and the Chaldean oracles. We will mention several of these works as our study proceeds. Ƹƺƹƨ ƿƩƣ ƧƬƽƾƿ ƞǀƿƩƺƽƾ ǂƩƺ ƫƹǁƣƾƿƫƨƞƿƣƢ ƿƩƣ ƻƞƿƽƫƾƿƫơ ƾƺǀƽơƣƾ ƺƤ ᇳᇷth- century philosophy, we can mention the literary critic and cultural historian ƫǀƾƣƻƻƣƺƦƤƞƹƫƹᄕƞơƺƹƿƣƸƻƺƽƞƽǄƺƤƞƽƫƹᄕƟǀƿƫƢƣƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶƶǄƺƻƻƺƾƣƢƿƺƩƫƸᄙ ƹƩƫƾǂƺƽƴᄕƺƦƤƞƹƫƹƾƿƽƣƾƾƣƢƿƩƣƻƽƺƤƺǀƹƢƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣƺƤƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƹƿƫƼǀƫƿǄƺƹ the humanist movement from the time of Dante.ሿሾ Of course, Garin himself also studied the impact of ancient Christianity on the ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶᄕ ƞƾ ǂƣ ƸƣƹƿƫƺƹƣƢ ƞƟƺǁƣᄙ Ʃƣ ƿƩƣƸƣ ƺƤ ƿƩƣ dignitas hominis ƞƻƻƣƞƽƣƢ ƿƺ Ɵƣ ƻƞƽƿƫơǀƶƞƽƶǄ ƫƸƻƺƽƿƞƹƿ ƫƹ ƿƩƫƾ ƽƣƾƻƣơƿᄘ ᅸƩƣ ơƣƶƣƟƽƞ- ƿƫƺƹƺƤƩǀƸƞƹƢƫƨƹƫƿǄƫƹƿƩƣᇳᇷƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽǄᅫƩƣƾƿƞƿƣƢᅫƽƣơƺǁƣƽƾƿƩƣƞƿƿƣƸƻƿƾ ƞƿ ƾǄƹƿƩƣƾƫƾ ơƩƞƽƞơƿƣƽƫƾƿƫơ ƺƤ ƿƩƣ ƧƬƽƾƿ ƻƩƞƾƣƾ ƺƤ Ʃƽƫƾƿƫƞƹ ƿƩƺǀƨƩƿᅺᄙሿሿ Kostas ƞƻƞƫƺƞƹƹƺǀǂƣƹƿƣǁƣƹƤǀƽƿƩƣƽᄕƻƺƫƹƿƫƹƨƾƻƣơƫƧƬơƞƶƶǄƿƺƿƩƣƽƣƣƴƻƞƿƽƫƾƿƫơƿƽƞ- ƢƫƿƫƺƹᄘᅸƩƣƣƹƿƫƽƣƿƩƣƺƶƺƨǄƺƤƿƩƣƩǀƽơƩ ƞƿƩƣƽƾƫƾƞƻƞƹƣƨǄƽƫơƺƤƸƞƹᄘƺƹƣ ƸƞǄƧƬƹƢƿƩƣƺƽƫƨƫƹƞƹƢƸƺƢƣƶƺƤƞƶƶƿƩƣƣƹƞƫƾƾƞƹơƣƢƫƾƾƣƽƿƞƿƫƺƹƾde hominis dignitate in Gregory of Nyssa, Maximus the Confessor, or Nemesius”.ሿቀ ᇽህ Cf. Paul Oskar Kristeller eƿƞl. (eds.), ƻƢƹ ƻƞƳƩƠƼƴჯƦƪƵơƩƵƧƳƩƺƻƶƣƼƵƠƞƻƞƳƶƧƼƢơƶƹƩƵƠƶƴ- ƷƳƢƻƢƳǀƠƞƻƞƳƶƧƼƢơƨƼƴƞƵƩƺƻƩƠƴƞƵƼƺƠƹƩƷƻƺƶƣƻƨƢƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƩƵ ƻƞƳƩƞƵƞƵơƶƻƨƢƹƳƩƟƹƞƹƩƢƺ, ƞƽƟǀƽƨ ƹƾƿƫƿǀƿƣᄕƺƹƢƺƹᄕᇳᇻᇸᇵᅬᇳᇻᇻᇹᄕᇹǁƺƶƾᄙ ᇾᇼ Cf. Paul Oskar Kristeller eƿ ƞl. (eds.), ƞƻƞƳƶƧƼƺ ƻƹƞƵƺƳƞƻƩƶƵƼƴ Ƣƻ ƠƶƴƴƢƵƻƞƹƩƶƹƼƴხ ƢơƩƢƽƞƳ ƞƵơ ƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢ ƞƻƩƵ ƹƞƵƺƳƞƻƩƶƵƺ ƞƵơ ƶƴƴƢƵƻƞƹƩƢƺძ ƵƵƶƻƞƻƢơ Ʃƺƻƺ ƞƵơ ƼƩơƢƺ, Catholic University of America Press, Washington, DC ᄬǁƺƶƾᄙ ᇳᅬᇻᄭᄖ ƺƹƿƫƧƬơƞƶ ƹƾƿƫƿǀƿƣƺƤƣƢƫƞƣǁƞƶƿǀƢƫƣƾᄕƺƽƺƹƿƺᄬǁƺƶƾᄙᇳᇲᅬᇳᇳᄭᄕᇳᇻᇸᇲᅬᇴᇲᇳᇸᄕᇳᇳǁƺƶƾᄙƣƞƽơƩƞƟƶƣƺƹƶƫƹƣ at http://catalogustranslationum.org/. ᇾᇽ ƤᄙƫǀƾƣƻƻƣƺƦƤƞƹƫƹᄕƨƢƠƶƺƞƣƼƳᅍƴƞƵƢƺƩƴƶხƩƳƹƩƺƶƹƧƩƴƢƵƻƶơƢƳƳᅍƞƵƻƩƠƨƩƻǂƠƳƞƺƺƩƠƞƵƢƳƳƞ ƠƶƺƠƩƢƵǁƞơƢƧƳƩƩƻƞƳƩƞƵƩƣƹƞƩƻƢƴƷƩơƩƞƵƻƢƢƳƞƩƣƶƹƴƞᄕƞƹƾƺƹƫᄕ ƫƽƣƹǅƣᄕᇳᇻᇴᇻᄙ ᇾᇾ ǀƨƣƹƫƺ ƞƽƫƹᄕ ᅸƞ ᅵƫƨƹƫƿƞƾ ƺƸƫƹƫƾᅷ ƣ ƶƞ ƶƣƿƿƣƽƞƿǀƽƞ ƻƞƿƽƫƾƿƫơƞᅺᄕ ƞ ƩƵƞƺƠƩƻa ᇳ ᄬᇳᇻᇵᇺᄭᄕ ƻƻᄙᇳᇲᇶᅬᇳᇲᇷᄙǄƿƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹᄙ ᇾᇿ Kostas Papaioannou, “ƢƧƵƼƴ ƨƶƴƩƵƩƺ. Some Observations on Modern Subjectivism”, ƩƶƧƢƵƢƺᇶᇳᄬᇳᇻᇸᇵᄭᄕƻᄙᇶᇲᄙ !!!! # " ‫؜؜ثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ Once again, we should add to these authors Kristeller, whose main interest ǂƞƾƿƩƣơƺƹƿƞơƿǂƫƿƩƿƩƣǄǅƞƹƿƫƹƣǂƺƽƶƢᄕƞƶƾƺƩƞƽƶƣƾƽƫƹƴƞǀƾᄕǂƩƺƣƶƞƟƺ- rated a vast and erudite enquiry on the anthropology of the divine image in the Renaissance,ሿቁƞƾǂƣƶƶƞƾƩƞƽƶƣƾƿƫƹƨƣƽᄕƤƺƽƩƫƾƟƺƺƴƺƹƽƞǁƣƽƾƞƽƫᄕሿቂ and Henri de Lubac, for his work on Pico’s patristic sources.ሿቃ Besides, important ơƺƶƶƣơƿƫǁƣƾƿǀƢƫƣƾƞƹƢƣǃƩƫƟƫƿƫƺƹơƞƿƞƶƺƨǀƣƾƣƢƫƿƣƢƟǄƣƟƞƾƿƫƞƹƺƣƹƿƫƶƣᄕ ƽƣƹƞ Backus, Mariarosa Cortesi and Claudio Leonardi were dedicated to the philo- logical, philosophical and theological reception of the Fathers in the Medieval and Renaissance periods.ሿቄ We shall discuss and make use of other palaeographical and codicological studies, library catalogues and reference works in the following sections, as ǂƣƶƶƞƾƸƺƽƣƾƻƣơƫƧƬơƿƽƣƞƿƸƣƹƿƾƺƤƿƩƣƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶƾƺǀƽơƣƾƺƤƫơƩƺƶƞƾƺƤ Cusa and Pico della Mirandola in the last two chapters. ǀƽƻƺƾƣƞƹƢƿƽǀơƿǀƽƣƺƤƩƫƾƿǀƢǄ Although Gregory of Nyssa is alluded to in many of the works mentioned above as one of the Greek Fathers whose manuscripts and translations circu- ƶƞƿƣƢƫƹ ƿƞƶǄƢǀƽƫƹƨƿƩƣᇳᇷƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽǄᄕƞƹƢƾƺƸƣƾƿǀƢƫƣƾƸƣƹƿƫƺƹƩƫƾƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣ on the anthropological views of Renaissance philosophers, no previous study ƢƣƞƶƾǂƫƿƩƿƩƫƾƩǄƻƺƿƩƣƾƫƾƾƻƣơƫƧƬơƞƶƶǄƞƹƢƾǄƾƿƣƸƞƿƫơƞƶƶǄᄕƿƞƴƫƹƨƫƹƿƺơƺƹƾƫƢƣƽ- ation the various manuscript sources and their circulation, the citations and translations of Nyssen’s works, pointing out and accounting for his conceptual and stylistic parallels with ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ ƿƽƣƞƿƫƾƣƾᄙƩƫƾ ƫƾ ƻƽƣơƫƾƣƶǄ ǂƩƞƿ ƿƩƫƾ research proposes. ᇾሀ Ƥᄙ Ʃƞƽƶƣƾ ƽƫƹƴƞǀƾᄕ Ƶ ƶƼƹ ƩƴƞƧƢ ƞƵơ ƳƩƲƢƵƢƺƺხ ƼƴƞƵƩƻǀ ƞƵơ ƩƽƩƵƩƻǀ ƩƵ ƻƞƳƩƞƵ ƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢƻƨƶƼƧƨƻᄕƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƺƤƩƫơƞƨƺƽƣƾƾᄕƩƫơƞƨƺᄕᇳᇻᇹᇲᄕᇴǁƺƶƾᄙ ᇾሁ Cf. CharleƾᄙƿƫƹƨƣƽᄕƼƴƞƵƩƺƴƞƵơƻƨƢƨƼƹƠƨ ƞƻƨƢƹƺხƴƟƹƶƧƩƶƹƞƽƢƹƺƞƹƩᄂᇉᇋᇐᇎᅂᇉᇌᇋᇑᄃ ƞƵơ ƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵ ƵƻƩƸƼƩƻǀ ƩƵ ƻƨƢ ƻƞƳƩƞƵ ƢƵƞƩƺƺƞƵƠƢᄕ ƿƞƿƣ ƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄ ƺƤ ƣǂ ƺƽƴ ƽƣƾƾᄕ ƶƟƞƹǄᄕᇳᇻᇹᇹᄙ ᇾሂ Cf. Henri de Lubac, ƩƠơƢƳƞƩƹƞƵơƶƳƢჯ ƻƼơƢƺƢƻơƩƺƠƼƺƺƩƶƵƺ, Aubier-Montaigne, Paris, ᇳᇻᇹᇶᄙ ᇾሃ Cf., e.g., Sebastiano Gentile (ed.), ƴƞƵƢƺƩƴƶƢƞơƹƩơƢƳƳƞƨƩƢƺƞხƞƵƶƺƠƹƩƻƻƩƢƩƵƠƼƵƞƟƶƳƩ ơƩ ƻƢƺƻƩ ƷƞƻƹƩƺƻƩƠƩ ơƞ ƹƞƵƠƢƺƠƶ ƢƻƹƞƹƠƞ ƞƳ ƷƹƩƴƶ ƩƵƸƼƢƠƢƵƻƶᄕ ƺƾƣᄕ ƫƶƞƹƺᄕ ᇳᇻᇻᇹᄖ ƽƣƹƞ Dorota Backus (ed.), ƨƢƢƠƢƷƻƩƶƵƶƣƻƨƢƨƼƹƠƨ ƞƻƨƢƹƺƩƵƻƨƢƢƺƻხ ƹƶƴƻƨƢƞƹƶƳƩƵƧƩƞƵƺ ƻƶƻƨƢƞƼƹƩƺƻƺᄕƽƫƶƶᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕᇳᇻᇻᇹᄖƞƽƫƞƽƺƾƞƺƽƿƣƾƫѵƶƞǀƢƫƺƣƺƹƞƽƢƫᄬƣƢƾᄙᄭᄕƹƞơƩǁƩƶƵƩ ƷƞƻƹƩƺƻƩƠƨƢ ƵƢƳƳᅍƴƞƵƢƺƩƴƶ, Sismel-Edizioni Ƣƣƶ ƞƶƶǀǅǅƺᄕ ƫƽƣƹǅƣᄖ ƞƽƫƞƽƺƾƞ ƺƽƿƣƾƫ (ed.), ƞơƹƩ ƹƢƠƩ Ƣ ƞƻƩƵƩ ƞ ƠƶƵƣƹƶƵƻƶ ᄂƺƢƠƶƳƩ XIIIᅂXV ᄃ, Sismel-Edizioni del Galluzzo, ƫƽƣƹǅƣᄕᇴᇲᇲᇶᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫؜؜؜ثث‬ Consequently, our methodology has sought to integrate a serious and metic- ǀƶƺǀƾƾƿǀƢǄƺƤƿƩƣƽƣƣƴƞƹƢƞƿƫƹƾƺǀƽơƣƾƫƹƿƩƣƫƽơǀƶƿǀƽƞƶơƺƹƿƣǃƿᅫƽƣƾƺƽƿƫƹƨ ƿƺƫƾƿƺƽǄᄕƩƫƶƺƶƺƨǄᄕƣǃƿǀƞƶơƽƫƿƫơƫƾƸᄕƞƶƞƣƺƨƽƞƻƩǄƞƹƢƺƢƫơƺƶƺƨǄᅫǂƫƿƩƞ thorough and critical analysis of their theories and arguments, following an adequate historical and philosophical approach. ƩƣƾƿƽǀơƿǀƽƣƺƤƿƩƣǂƺƽƴƤƺƶƶƺǂƾƿƩƽƣƣƸƞƫƹƻƽƺƾƻƣơƿƾᄕǂƩƫơƩơƺƽƽƣƾƻƺƹƢ ƿƺƫƿƾƿƩƽƣƣƸƞƫƹƻƞƽƿƾƺƤƿǂƺơƩƞƻƿƣƽƾƣƞơƩᄙƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƻƞƽƿƤƺơǀƾƣƾƺƹƽƣƨƺƽǄ of Nyssa’s conception of ontological and creative freedom, its central features ƞƹƢƫƿƾƣƢƫƣǁƞƶƽƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƟƺƿƩƫƹƿƩƣƣƾƿƣƽƹǂƺƽƶƢƞƹƢƫƹǄǅƞƹƿƫǀƸᄙƩƣ ƧƬƽƾƿơƩƞƻƿƣƽƩƫƨƩƶƫƨƩƿƾƿƩƣƸƺƾƿƺƽƫƨƫƹƞƶƞƾƻƣơƿƾƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƿƩƣƺƽǄƿƩƞƿǂƺǀƶƢ recur in subsequent centuries and particularly during the ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ: the divine image in humanity as freedom, the connection of free decision with the self or human person and the essentially creative character of that freedom. Ʃƣ ơƩƞƻƿƣƽ ơƺƹƾƫƢƣƽƾ ƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾ Ʃƫƾƿƺƽƫơƞƶᄕ ƾƺơƫƞƶᄕ ƞƹƢ ơǀƶƿǀƽƞƶ ơƺƹƿƣǃƿƾᄙ More importantly, it examines his dependence on the previous philosophical tradition, including the technical terminology and the arguments elaborated ƟǄ ƿƩƣ ƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹƿ ƞƹơƫƣƹƿ ƾơƩƺƺƶƾ ƞƽƺǀƹƢ ƿƩƣ ƻƽƺƟƶƣƸ ƺƤ ƤƽƣƣƢƺƸᄙ ƶƿƩƺǀƨƩ ǂƣǁƣƽƫƤǄƹǀƸƣƽƺǀƾƣƶƣƸƣƹƿƾƺƤƞƦƧƬƹƫƿǄƟƣƿǂƣƣƹǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾơƺƹơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤƤƽƣƣ decision and that of previous or contemporary authors, it is also possible to identify with more accuracy his own and original contributions, such as the ƫƽƽƣƢǀơƫƟƫƶƫƿǄƺƤƿƩƣƩǄƻƺƾƿƞƾƫƾƿƺƹƞƿǀƽƣƞƹƢƿƩƣƽƣƾǀƶƿƫƹƨᅵƺƹƿƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶᅷơƩƞƽ- acter of personal decision and the plasticity of human essence, elements that evidently reappear in the following centuries and particularly in the authors of the ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ. ƾ ǂƣ ƸƣƹƿƫƺƹƣƢ ƞƟƺǁƣᄕ ƿƩƫƾ ơƶƞƽƫƧƬơƞƿƫƺƹ ƺƤ Ǆƾƾƣƹᅷƾ Ƣƫƾƿƫƹơƿ ơƺƹƿƽƫƟǀ- tions becomes especially pressing because many of his sources: Platonic, ƿƺƫơᄕ ƣƽƫƻƞƿƣƿƫơ ƞƹƢ Ʃƽƫƾƿƫƞƹᄕ ƞƶƾƺ ƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣ ƿƩƣ ơƺƹơƣƻƿƫƺƹ ƺƤ ƤƽƣƣƢƺƸ of the authors that we analyse later in our study, along with other Hermetic, Scholastic, Oriental, and Kabbalistic texts. Ʃƣ ƾƣơƺƹƢ ơƩƞƻƿƣƽ ƢƣƾơƽƫƟƣƾ ƿƩƣ ƣƢƫƣǁƞƶ ƽƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹ ƺƤ Ǆƾƾƣƹᅷƾ Ƣ ƶƷƩ- ƦƪƠƩƶƨƶƴƩƵƩƺᄕǂƩƫơƩƩƣƶƻƾǀƾǀƹƢƣƽƾƿƞƹƢƿƩƣƣǃƿƣƹƿƺƤƩƫƾƫƹƢƫƽƣơƿƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣ ƺƹ ᇳᇷth-century intellectuals. His presence is considerable in the literature concerning the divine image in humanity and the dignity of human nature, not to mention the innumerable exegetical treatises on Genesis. Although ƿƩƣƻƽƣƾƣƹơƣƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƞƹƿƩƽƺƻƺƶƺƨǄǂƞƾƾƫƨƹƫƧƬơƞƹƿƿƩƽƺǀƨƩƺǀƿƿƩƣƫƢƢƶƣ Ages, most of the authors of that period were either unable to fully access or uninterested in Nyssen’s most novel theories of freedom. Nevertheless, they did manage to transmit some traces of his doctrines to Renaissance scholars. ƩƣƾƣƿƽƞơƣƾƫƹƢƣƣƢƞƽƺǀƾƣƢƿƩƣƫƽƫƹƿƣƽƣƾƿƞƹƢƤƞơƫƶƫƿƞƿƣƢƿƩƣƽƣƹƣǂƣƢƽƣơƣƻ- tion and translation of Gregory’s texts in the second half of the ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ. !!!! # " ‫ة؜ثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ƩƣƾƣơƺƹƢƻƞƽƿƞƹƞƶǄƾƣƾƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƿƣǃƿǀƞƶƽƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƫƹƿƩƣᇳᇷƿƩ ơƣƹƿǀƽǄᄙ Ʃƣ ƞƽƽƫǁƞƶ ƫƹ ƿƞƶǄ ƺƤ ƹǀƸƣƽƺǀƾ Ǆǅƞƹƿƫƹƣ ƾơƩƺƶƞƽƾᄕ ƿƺƨƣƿƩƣƽ ǂƫƿƩ their libraries, teaching methods, and texts, is one of the most important stim- uli for the renewed interest of humanists in the Greek classics and the wisdom of Eastern Fathers. ƩƣƿƩƫƽƢơƩƞƻƿƣƽƢƣƞƶƾǂƫƿƩƿƩƣƹƣǂƞƿƫƹƿƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƾƺƤƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾ ǂƺƽƴƾƿƩƞƿƿƩƣǂƣƾƿƣƽƹƫƢƢƶƣƨƣƾƩƞƢơƺƸƻƶƣƿƣƶǄƫƨƹƺƽƣƢᄙ ƿƾᇳᇷth-century translators, who join the medieval Dionysius Exiguus and Eriugena, are also ƤƞƸƺǀƾƾơƩƺƶƞƽƾǂƫƿƩƞƶƣƞƢƫƹƨƽƺƶƣƫƹƿƩƣƻƣƽƫƺƢᄙƩƣơƩƞƻƿƣƽƿƩǀƾƫƹƿƽƺƢǀơƣƾ and analyses the versions of ƢƽƩƻƞƶǀƺƩƺƟǄƣƺƽƨƣƺƤƽƣƟƫǅƺƹƢᄕƢƞƵƩƴƞ ƢƻƹƢƺƼƹƹƢƠƻƩƶƵƢ and ƢƽƩƻƞƞƠƹƩƵƞƢ by Pietro Balbi and ƢƶƹƞƻƩƶƵƢơƶƴƩƵƩƠƞ by Athanasius Chalkeopoulos, describing their methodologies, styles, cultural contexts, and their main anthropological passages. Also referred to in the fourth chapter are the testimonies of other enthu- siastic readers of Gregory: among others, the eminent humanists Ambrogio ƽƞǁƣƽƾƞƽƫᄕ ƫơơƺƶò Niccoli, Giannozzo Manetti, Marsilio Ficino and the Byzantines Bessarion and Argyropoulos. A detailed study is made of the ƹǀƸƣƽƺǀƾ ƽƣƣƴ Ƹƞƹǀƾơƽƫƻƿƾ ƞƹƢ ƞƿƫƹ ƿƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƾ ƺƤ Ʃƫƾ ǂƺƽƴƾ ƫƹ ƿƞƶƫƞƹ public and private libraries, with the help of philological and palaeographical disciplines. ƫƹƞƶƶǄᄕ ƿƩƣ ƿƩƫƽƢ ƻƞƽƿ Ƥƺơǀƾƣƾ ƺƹ ƿƩƣ ƨƣƹǀƫƹƣƶǄ ƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶ ƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣ of Nyssen’s most original themes on the humanists and philosophers of the ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶᄙƩƣƾƣƶƞƾƿơƩƞƻƿƣƽƾƢƣƞƶǂƫƿƩƿƩƣƿǂƺƞǀƿƩƺƽƾƫƹǂƩƺƸƿƩƣƻƽƣƾ- ence of Gregory of Nyssa’s conception of freedom is most clearly manifested: ƫơƩƺƶƞƾ ƺƤ ǀƾƞ ƞƹƢ ƫƺǁƞƹƹƫ ƫơƺ Ƣƣƶƶƞ ƫƽƞƹƢƺƶƞᄙƩƣ ƿƣǃƿǀƞƶ ƞƹƢ ơƺƢƫ- ơƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶƣǁƫƢƣƹơƣƣǃƞƸƫƹƣƢƫƹƿƩƣƻƽƣǁƫƺǀƾơƩƞƻƿƣƽƾƸƞƽƴƾƺǀƿƞƹƢơƶƞƽƫƧƬƣƾ how each author incorporates various elements of Gregory’s theory. Ǆƾƾƣƹᅷƾ ƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣ ƺƹ ƫơƩƺƶƞƾ ƺƤ ǀƾƞᄕ ƫƶƶǀƾƿƽƞƿƣƢ ƫƹ ƿƩƣ ƧƬƤƿƩ ơƩƞƻƿƣƽᄕ ƫƾ proven to be mostly indirect, although well documented. Undoubtedly, the Eriugenian tradition mediates between them. And although Cusanus does not name Gregory in any of his texts, their debt to Nyssen’s anthropological top- ƫơƾƫƾƹƺƹƣƿƩƣƶƣƾƾǁƣƽǄƾƫƨƹƫƧƬơƞƹƿᄙƩƫƾƫƾơƺƽƽƺƟƺƽƞƿƣƢƽƣƨƞƽƢƫƹƨƿƩƣƿƩƣƺƽǄƺƤ the image of God in ƢƶƷƩƦƪƠƩƶƨƶƴƩƵƩƺ, its royalty and living character (imago vivaᄭᄙƫơƩƺƶƞƾᅷƿƩƣƺƽǄƺƤƤƽƣƣƢƺƸƫƾƞƶƾƺƾƻƣơƫƧƬơƞƶƶǄƞƢƢƽƣƾƾƣƢᄕƿƺƧƬƹƢƞƨƞƫƹ clear resonances of Nyssen’s conception. Finally, we explore Gregory’s possible ƫƹƾƻƫƽƞƿƫƺƹᅫơƺƸƟƫƹƣƢǂƫƿƩƺƿƩƣƽƶƞƿƺƹƫơƞƹƢƣƽƸƣƿƫơƾƺǀƽơƣƾᅫƤƺƽƾƺƸƣ of Cusanus’ most daring theses about the alleged equality of the human being ǂƫƿƩƿƩƣƢƫǁƫƹƣᄙ ƹƢƣƣƢᄕƟƺƿƩƞǀƿƩƺƽƾƣǃƞƶƿƩǀƸƞƹƟƣƫƹƨƾᅷƞƟƫƶƫƿǄƿƺƽƣơƽƣƞƿƣ the world and themselves in the image of God’s understanding and freedom. !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫ةثث‬ Ʃƣ ơƞƾƣ ƺƤ ƫƺǁƞƹƹƫ ƫơƺ Ƣƣƶƶƞ ƫƽƞƹƢƺƶƞᄕ ƫƹ ƿƩƣ ƶƞƾƿ ơƩƞƻƿƣƽᄕ ƫƾ ƽƞƿƩƣƽ ǀƹƫƼǀƣ Ƥƺƽ ƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹƿ ƽƣƞƾƺƹƾᄙ ƹƣ ƺƤ ƿƩƣƸ ƫƾ Ʃƫƾ ƣǁƫƢƣƹƿ ƞơơƣƾƾ ƿƺ ƞ ƸǀơƩ ƨƽƣƞƿƣƽƹǀƸƟƣƽƺƤǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾǂƺƽƴƾƫƹƽƣƣƴƞƹƢƞƿƫƹƿƩƞƹǀƾƞƹǀƾᄙ ƹƞƢƢƫ- tion, Gregory and other Greek Fathers play a fundamental role in the scope of ƿƩƣƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩƫơƞƶƻƽƺưƣơƿƺƤƿƩƣǄƺǀƹƨƺǀƹƿᄙƩƣơƩƞƻƿƣƽƢƣƞƶƾᄕƞƸƺƹƨƺƿƩ- ers, with the problem of humanity’s place in the order of the world and the ƼǀƣƾƿƫƺƹƺƤƫƿƾƽƺǄƞƶƿǄƞƹƢƫƹƿƽƫƹƾƫơƢƫƨƹƫƿǄᄙƫƴƣǂƫƾƣᄕƫƿƣǃƻƶƺƽƣƾƫơƺᅷƾƞƦƧƬƹ- ity with typically Gregorian themes such as divine liberality in the creation narrative and the fullness of perfections in human nature. We also propose ƞƹƫƹƿƣƽƻƽƣƿƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƫơƺᅷƾƸǄƾƿƣƽƫƺǀƾƞƹƢƻƽƺƟƶƣƸƞƿƫơƣǃƻƽƣƾƾƫƺƹᄘᅵƩƵơƩƺƠƹƢ- tae ƶƷƼƺ ƩƴƞƧƩƵƩƺ’ in the light of Gregory’s texts. More essentially, we try to demonstrate with a series of arguments and manuscript evidence the links between Gregory’s theory of ontological freedom and self-creativity with the corresponding conception of Giovanni Pico, particularly in the way it is formu- ƶƞƿƣƢƫƹƿƩƣƧƬƽƾƿƾƣơƿƫƺƹƺƤƩƫƾơƣƶƣƟƽƞƿƣƢOratio. ǀƽƿƩƣƽƸƺƽƣᄕ ƫƹ ƿƩƣƾƣ ƿǂƺ ơƩƞƻƿƣƽƾᄕ ƿƩƣ ƾƻƣơƫƧƬơ ƣƶƣƸƣƹƿƾ ƺƤ Ǆƾƾƣƹᅷƾ ƿƩƺǀƨƩƿ ƞƽƣ ƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹƿƫƞƿƣƢ ƤƽƺƸ ƿƩƣ Ƣƫǁƣƽƾƣ ƫƹƿƣƶƶƣơƿǀƞƶ ƿƽƞƢƫƿƫƺƹƾ ƻƽƣƾƣƹƿ in the writings of ƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ scholars, disseminated and commented on throughout that century. At the same time, Gregory’s original contributions to ƿƩƣơƺƹƧƬƨǀƽƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƿƩƣƹƣǂƫƸƞƨƣƺƤƩǀƸƞƹƫƿǄƞƹƢƤƽƣƣǂƫƶƶƞƽƣƸƺƽƣơƶƣƞƽƶǄ manifest. ƹƿƩƫƾǂƞǄᄕǂƣƩƺƻƣƿƺƻƽƺǁƫƢƣƞƢƣƼǀƞƿƣƿƩƣƺƽƣƿƫơƞƶᄕƩƫƾƿƺƽƫơƞƶƞƹƢƻƩƫƶƺ- logical evidence to substantiate the reception of Gregory’s philosophy of free- dom in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. ƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᄘƞƫƺƨƽƞƻƩƫơƞƶƴƣƿơƩ ƫƹơƣƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƩƫƨƩƶǄƻƣơǀƶƫƞƽƧƬƨǀƽƣƾƫƨƹƫƧƬơƞƹƿƶǄƩƣƶƻƾƣǃƻƶƞƫƹƾƺƸƣ of the complex historical vicissitudes of his writings, before addressing his theory of freedom we present a sketch of his life and its historical, cultural, political and ecclesiastical contexts. Ʃƣ Ǆƺǀƹƨƣƾƿ ƺƤ ƿƩƣ ᅵƿƩƽƣƣ ƨƽƣƞƿ ƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƹƾᅷᄕ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ǂƞƾ ƞ ƻƽƺƤƺǀƹƢ and audacious thinker, but history allotted him the fate of an ƩƵƠƶƵƵƼƠǾƳǽƟƹƢ. ƹƢƣƣƢᄕǀƹƿƫƶƿƩƣƶƞƾƿơƣƹƿǀƽǄᄕƿƩƣƹƞƸƣƺƤƿƩƫƾᇶth-century writer was largely ƺǁƣƽƾƩƞƢƺǂƣƢ ƟǄ ƿƩƣ ƿƺǂƣƽƫƹƨ ƻƺƶƫƿƫơƞƶ ƞƹƢ ƿƩƣƺƶƺƨƫơƞƶ ƧƬƨǀƽƣ ƺƤ Ʃƫƾ ƣƶƢƣƽ brother, Basil of Caesarea. However, as we have seen, more recent scholarly research highlighted the originality of his work in areas as diverse as philoso- phy, theology, theory of language and mysticism. !!!! # " ‫؜ةثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ Ʃǀƾᄕ ƿƩƣ ƻƞƽƿƫƞƶ ƣơƶƫƻƾƣ ƺƤ Ʃƫƾ ƧƬƨǀƽƣ ƫƹ ƟƺƿƩ ƿƩƣ Ǆǅƞƹƿƫƹƣ ƞƹƢƣƾƿƣƽƹ traditions is partly due to a reality of his own time. For most of his life, Gregory lived in the shadow of his elder brother. Pushed by Basil, he reluctantly ƞơơƣƻƿƣƢƿƩƣƣƻƫƾơƺƻƞƿƣƺƤƿƩƣƾƸƞƶƶǁƫƶƶƞƨƣƺƤǄƾƾƞƫƹƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƫƹᇵᇹᇴᄕƞ ƿƞƾƴǂƩƫơƩƩƣơƞƽƽƫƣƢƺǀƿǂƫƿƩƻƺƻǀƶƞƽƾǀƻƻƺƽƿᄕƟǀƿƞƶƾƺǂƫƿƩƾƣǁƣƽƞƶƢƫƦƧƬơǀƶ- ties as a result of his limited political and administrative skills. His brother, meanwhile, was the Metropolitan of Caesarea in the same province, and the main political and theological architect of the anti-Arian front in the Eastern ƻƽƺǁƫƹơƣƾƺƤƿƩƣƣƸƻƫƽƣᄙƽƣƨƺƽǄƽƣƤƣƽƾƿƺƩƫƸƞƾᅵƤƞƿƩƣƽᅷƞƹƢᅵƿƣƞơƩƣƽᅷᄕƾƫƹơƣᄕ in addition to his parents, both Basil and his sister Macrina initiated him into classical and Christian education. But although he did not enjoy the diplomatic gifts of Basil nor their friend Gregory of Nazianzus’ poetic virtuesᅬǂƩƫơƩ earned him the appointment as ƟƫƾƩƺƻƺƤƺƹƾƿƞƹƿƫƹƺƻƶƣƞƹƢƫƸƻƣƽƫƾƩƞƟƶƣƤƞƸƣƞƾᅵƿƩƣƩƣƺƶƺƨƫƞƹᅷᅬᄕǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾ speculative thought surpassed that of both and journeyed through arduous and unexplored paths. He carefully examined human nature, its dignity and resemblance to the divine, the dynamism of its freedom and creativity, and ƿƩƣƿƽǀƣƹƞƿǀƽƣƺƤƻƣƽƾƺƹƩƺƺƢᄙƩƣƾƣƽƣƥƷƣơƿƫƺƹƾƞƽƺƾƣƞƸƫƢǁƞƽƫƺǀƾƿƩƣƺƶƺƨƫ- ơƞƶƞƹƢƣơơƶƣƾƫƞƾƿƫơƞƶƢƫƾƻǀƿƣƾƩƣƶƢƟǄƽƣƨƺƽǄƟƣƿǂƣƣƹᇵᇹᇺƞƹƢᇵᇺᇷᄕƸƞƹǄƺƤ them inherited from Basil. After a brief overview of the general cultural background of the ƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƹƾᄕ ǂƫƶƶƢƣƾơƽƫƟƣƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾƣƢǀơƞƿƫƺƹᄕƿƩƣơƩƞƹƨƣƾƫƹƿƩƣƻƺƶƫƿƫơƞƶ ƞƹƢƽƣƶƫƨƫƺǀƾơƫƽơǀƸƾƿƞƹơƣƾǀƹƢƣƽ ƸƻƣƽƺƽƩƣƺƢƺƾƫǀƾᄕƞƹƢǄƾƾƣƹᅷƾƞơƿƫǁƫƿǄ ƫƹƿƩƣƢƺơƿƽƫƹƞƶƞƹƢƻƺƶƫƿƫơƞƶƾƻƩƣƽƣƾǀƹƿƫƶƩƫƾƢƣƞƿƩƞƽƺǀƹƢᇵᇻᇷᄙ Basil and Gregory belonged to a large aristocratic family in the Roman prov- ince of Pontus, northeast of Cappadocia. From both their paternal and mater- ƹƞƶƞƹơƣƾƿƽǄƿƩƣǄƟƣƶƺƹƨƣƢƿƺƞƤƣƽǁƣƹƿƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƿƽƞƢƫƿƫƺƹᄙ ƹƞƹƫƹƿƣƽƣƾƿƫƹƨ ƞƽƿƫơƶƣᄕ ƩƺƸƞƾ ƺƻƣơƣƴ ƞƽƨǀƣƢ ᅫƞƨƞƫƹƾƿ ƻƽƣǁƫƺǀƾ ƩǄƻƺƿƩƣƾƣƾᅫ ƿƩƞƿ ƿƩƣƫƽ family belonged to the social class of the ƠƼƹƩƞƳƢƺ.ሿቅ He relied on the few indi- cations found in the brothers’ letters and biographical works, but especially on the background of most of the episcopal candidates in the same provinces ƫƹƿƩƣᇵƽƢƞƹƢᇶƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽƫƣƾᄙƩƣƤƞơƿƿƩƞƿƿƩƣǄǂƣƽƣƹƺƿƺƟƶƫƨƣƢƿƺƤǀƶƧƬƶƿƩƣ demanding ministries of the curials is explained by the exception contem- plated by law for professors of rhetoric and their families.ሿቆ Both the father, Basil the elder, and the two brothers pursued that career. ᇾሄ ƩƺƸƞƾᄙƺƻƣơƣƴᄕᅸƩƣƺơƫƞƶƶƞƾƾƺƤƿƩƣƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƹ ƞƿƩƣƽƾᅺᄕƨƼƹƠƨƩƺƻƶƹǀᄕᇶᇴᄧᇶ ᄬᇳᇻᇹᇵᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇶᇷᇵᅬᇶᇸᇸᄙ ᇾህ ƶơƢƿƨƢƶơƶƺƩƞƵƼƺᇳᇵᄕᇵᄕᇵᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫؜؜ةثث‬ Basil of Caesarea received a solid traditional Greek education in his ƩƺƸƣƶƞƹƢ ᅬƫƹƫƿƫƞƶƶǄ from his parentsᅬᄕ ǂƩƫơƩ Ʃƣ ƶƞƿƣƽ ƣƹƽƫơƩƣƢ ƫƹ Constantinople and Athens.ቀሽ ƹ ƿƩƣ ƫƸƻƣƽƫƞƶ ơƞƻƫƿƞƶᄕ Ʃƣ ƶƣƞƽƹƣƢ ǀƹƢƣƽ ƿƩƣ prestigious sophist Libanius for a few years.ቀሾ During his studies in Athens, where he probably attended the lessons of the sophists Prohaeresius and Himerius, he also met Gregory Nazianzen, who was to become his close friend and ally from then on. ƹ ᇵᇷᇸᄕ ǂƩƣƹ ƿƩƣ pro-Nicene ƣơơƶƣƾƫƞƾƿƫơƞƶ ƻƞƽƿǄ ƩƞƢ ƾǀƦƤƣƽƣƢ ƺƹƣ ƺƤ ƫƿƾ greatest defeats with the fall and persecution of its champion, Athanasius, Basil ƩǀƽƽƫƣƢƟƞơƴƤƽƺƸƿƩƣƹƾƿƺưƺƫƹƩƫƾƤƞƸƫƶǄƫƹƺƹƿǀƾᄙƩƣƫƽƟƽƺƿƩƣƽƞǀơƽƞƿƫǀƾ had died in a tragic accident shortly after devoting himself to the contempla- ƿƫǁƣƶƫƤƣᄙƞƾƫƶƿƩƣƹƸƺǁƣƢƟƽƫƣƥƷǄƿƺƞƣƾƞƽƣƞƫƹƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞᄕǂƩƣƽƣƩƣƿƞǀƨƩƿ rhetoric. His brother Gregory was probably his disciple during that period.ቀሿ ƩƣƿǂƺƽƣƨƺƽƫƣƾƞơơƺƸƻƞƹƫƣƢƞƾƫƶƶƫǁƫƹƨƫƹƞproto-monastic commu- ƹƫƿǄ ƤƽƺƸ ƞƽƺǀƹƢ ᇵᇷᇺ ƺƹǂƞƽƢƾᄙቀቀ ƿ ǂƞƾ ƶƫƴƣƶǄ Ƣǀƽƫƹƨ ƿƩƺƾƣ Ǆƣƞƽƾ ƿƩƞƿ ƞƾƫƶ and Gregory Nazianzen compiled the ƨƩƳƶƠƞƳƩƞ, a collection of passages from ƽƫƨƣƹᅷƾǂƺƽƴƾᄙ ƹƿƩƣƫƽơƺƸƻƞƹǄᄕƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞǂƞƾƞƶƾƺƫƸƟǀƣƢǂƫƿƩƿƩƣ thought of Origen, an author who would so profoundly bear ǀƻƺƹᅬƿƩƺǀƨƩ not without a critical distance on many issuesᅬƿƩƣƻƩƫƶƺƾƺƻƩǄƞƹƢƿƩƣƺƶƺƨǄƺƤƿƩƣ three great Cappadocians. Although he did not attend the major cultural centres of his day, like his brother Basil or his friend Nazianzen, at Caesarea Gregory of Nyssa received solid training in the classics and philosophy. Cappadocia, a relatively young province, was renowned for the cultural level of its inhabitants.ቀቁ Gregory’s maternal great-grandfather had died a martyr there. His paternal grandparents ƞơƽƫƹƞƿƩƣ ƶƢƣƽƞƹƢƩƣƽƩǀƾƟƞƹƢƩƞƢƾǀƦƤƣƽƣƢƩƞƽƾƩƻƣƽƾƣơǀƿƫƺƹƫƹƺƹƿǀƾ Polemoniacus under Maximian.ቀቂ We do not have explicit references or details concerning Nyssen’s formative years, as we do with Basil and their friend Gregory. However, we already men- ƿƫƺƹƣƢǁƞƶǀƞƟƶƣƽƣƾƣƞƽơƩƿƩƞƿƢƣƿƣƽƸƫƹƣƢƿƩƣǁƞƽƫƣƿǄƺƤƩƫƾƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣƾƞƹƢƩƫƾ original rhetorical, philosophical and theological style. His thought was intimately linked with the traditions of Plato and the Neoplatonists, the Stoics, and the earlier Fathers. From Platonism we can iden- tify, especially in his early works, strong contrast between the intellectual and ᇿᇼ Cf. Gregory of Nazianzus, ƵƳƞƼơƢƴƞƺƩƳƩƩ (Oratio ᄭᄕᇳᇶᄙ ᇿᇽ Cf. Gregory of Nyssa, ƷƩƺƻჯ ᄕᇶᄙ ᇿᇾ Cf. ibid. ᇿᇿ See Anna Silvas, Gregory of Nyssa: The LettersᄕƽƫƶƶᄕƣƫƢƣƹᄕᇴᇲᇲᇹᄕƻƻᄙᇻᅬᇳᇲᄙ ᇿሀ Cf. Libanius, ƷƩƺƻჯᇳᇴᇴᇴᄬ öƽƾƿƣƽᄭᄖ ǀƾƣƟƫǀƾƺƤƞƣƾƞƽƣƞᄕVita Constantini ᄕᇶᇵᄙ ᇿሁ Gregory of Nazianzus, Orationes ᄕᇷᅬᇸᄙƤᄙƫƶǁƞƾᄕGregory of Nyssa: The Lettersᄕƻᄙᇵᄙ !!!! # " ‫؜؜؜ةثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ the sensible worlds, and a conception of virtue as the assimilation of the soul to the archetypal divine beauty. From the ƿƺƫơƾᅬƻƽƺƟƞƟƶǄ through Philo, Galen, Alexander of Aphrodisias, Middle and Neoplatonism or the early Fathersᅬ Gregory takes up the symphonic unity of the cosmos and nature, the centrality of the human being, the theory of mixture, the paradigm of ஫஡ీ஘கங஑ as the fullness of ethical life and the fascination for the dilemma of human freedom. Around this last philosophical and theological problem, he also stands in the tradition of Clement, Origen, Methodius and others. Firmly established in the cultural movement of Second Sophistic, which ƩƞƢƻƽƺƨƽƣƾƾƫǁƣƶǄƻƣƽǁƞƢƣƢƽƣƣƴơǀƶƿǀƽƞƶơƫƽơƶƣƾƾƫƹơƣƿƩƣᇳƾƿƞƹƢᇴƹƢơƣƹ- turies, Nyssen followed the regular course of studies and then practised for ƾƣǁƣƽƞƶ Ǆƣƞƽƾ ƞƾ ƞ ƿƣƞơƩƣƽ ƫƹ ƣƺơƞƣƾƞƽƣƞ ƞƹƢ ƞƣƾƞƽƣƞ ƫƹ ƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞᄙƩƣ ƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣƺƤƿƩƣƾơƩƺƺƶơƞƹƟƣƢƣƿƣơƿƣƢƫƹƾƺƸƣƤƣƞƿǀƽƣƾƺƤƩƫƾƶƞƹƨǀƞƨƣᄘƿƩƣ copious richness of his vocabulary, including numerous neologisms, double ƞƹƢƿƽƫƻƶƣƻƽƣƧƬǃƣƾᄕƶƫƿƣƽƞƽǄƞƹƢƽƩƣƿƺƽƫơƞƶƢƣǁƫơƣƾƾǀơƩƞƾƽƣƢǀƹƢƞƹơǄᄕƞƹƿƫƿƩ- esis, parallelism, hyperbole and oxymoron, the grasp of irony and humour, and ƻƽƺƶƫƧƬơǀƾƣƺƤƾƣƹƾƺƽǄƫƸƞƨƣƽǄᄕƾƫƸƫƶƣƾᄕƸƣƿƞƻƩƺƽƾƞƹƢƣƴƻƩƽƞƾƣƾᄙቀቃ ƿƫƾƺƤƿƣƹƾƞƫƢƿƩƞƿƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƞǀƿƩƺƽƾƾƿƽƣƹƨƿƩƣƹƣƢƿƩƣƫƽƾƺơƫƞƶƞƹƢƻƺƶƫƿƫ- cal status in the empire when they accessed the highest levels of culture and ƸƞƾƿƣƽƣƢ ƿƩƣ ƞƽƿƫƧƬơƣƾ ƺƤ ƽƣƣƴ ƞƫƢƣƫƞᄙƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƹƨ ƿƩƣ ơƺƹƿƣƹƿ ƺƤ ƿƩƣ ƤƞƫƿƩ into the forms of classical culture was crucial for the spread of Christianity in the higher social classes. Let us remember that Julian, in his desperate attempt to restore Paganism as the main religious cult within the empire, precisely for- bade Christians to hold teaching positions.ቀቄ ƩƣƿƩƽƣƣƨƽƣƞƿƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƹƾƞƽƣƾƩƺǂƹƞƾơƺƹƿƫƹǀƞƿƺƽƾƞƹƢƽƣƤƺƽƸƣƽƾƺƤ the neoclassical style of the rhetoric of their time. Werner Jaeger says of them: ᅸ ƹƿƩƣƫƽơƞƾƣǂƣƾƻƣƞƴƺƤƞƴƫƹƢƺƤƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƹƣƺơƶƞƾƾƫơƫƾƸƿƩƞƿƫƾƺƤƸƺƽƣƿƩƞƹ merely formal character. Christianity through them now emerges as the heir ƿƺƣǁƣƽǄƿƩƫƹƨƫƹƿƩƣƽƣƣƴƿƽƞƢƫƿƫƺƹƿƩƞƿƾƣƣƸƣƢǂƺƽƿƩǄƺƤƾǀƽǁƫǁƞƶᄙ ƿƿƩƣƽƣƟǄ ƤƺƽƿƫƧƬƣƾƫƿƾƣƶƤƞƹƢƫƿƾƻƺƾƫƿƫƺƹƫƹƿƩƣơƫǁƫƶƫƾƣƢǂƺƽƶƢᄕƟǀƿƻƽƣƾƣƽǁƣƾƞƹƢƽƣǁƫǁƣƾ a cultural heritage that to a large extent, especially in the rhetorical schools of ƿƩƞƿƞƨƣᄕƩƞƢƟƣơƺƸƣƞƹƣƸƻƿǄƞƹƢƞƽƿƫƧƬơƫƞƶǁƞƽƫƞƿƫƺƹƺƤƞƤƺƽƸƞƶƫǅƣƢơƶƞƾƾƫơƞƶ pattern”.ቀቅ According to this author, just as Augustine brought about an intel- ᇿሂ Cf. Pierre Maraval (ed.), ƹǾƧƶƩƹƢơƢǀƺƺƢჯƢƻƻƹƢƺ (SCƩᇵᇸᇵᄭᄕÉƢƫƿƫƺƹƾƢǀƣƽƤᄕƞƽƫƾᄕᇳᇻᇻᇲᄕ ƻƻᄙᇶᇵᅬᇷᇲᄙ ᇿሃ See the ƶơƢƿƨƢƶơƶƺƩƞƵƼƺ ᄕᇵᄕᇷᅬᇸᄙ ᇿሄ Werner Jaeger, ƞƹƳǀƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƩƻǀƞƵơƹƢƢƲƞƩơƢƩƞ, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MAᄕᇳᇻᇸᇳᄕƻᄙᇹᇲᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫ث؜ثث‬ lectual transformation in the West, the Cappadocians produced a new culture in the East. ƹƿƩƣƾƻƣơƫƧƬơơƞƾƣƺƤƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᄕƞƣƨƣƽƺƟƾƣƽǁƣƾƞǁƣƽǄƾƻƣơƫƞƶƾƿǄƶƫƾ- tic quality. He believes that Nyssen created a new type of accentuated rhyth- mical prose, which he applied with great skill in his writings.ቀቆ ƿƣƹƞƟƶƣƢƩƫƸ to express a rich and intense sensibility. He thus succeeded in overcoming the somewhat rigid Neo-Attic canons of his contemporaries, such as the great Libanius of Antioch. According to Jaeger, we can perceive in Gregory’s text “in addition to its intellectual vigour, the persuasive force of inner passion”.ቁሽ ƩƣƾƣƼǀƞƶƫƿƫƣƾᄕƞƾǂƣƾƩƞƶƶƾƣƣᄕƞƽƣƞƴƣǄƿƺǀƹƢƣƽƾƿƞƹƢƫƹƨƩƫƾƫƸƻƞơƿƺƹƿƩƣ humanists of theƼƞƻƻƹƶƠƢƵƻƶ. Libanius himself complimented Nyssen’s style ƞƹƢǂƺƹƢƣƽƣƢǂƩƺƩƫƾƿƣƞơƩƣƽƾƩƞƢƟƣƣƹᄙ ƹƞƹƺǀƿƟǀƽƾƿƺƤƻƺƶƫƿƣƾƾƣƞƹƢƸƺƢ- esty, Gregory replied that all the riches that could be found in his writings had been obtained from the treasures of Libanius himself, the teacher of his mas- ter, Basil.ቁሾ Gregory displayed his countless philosophical, theological and rhetorical skills particularly at the height of his public splendour, after his brother Basil’s ƢƣƞƿƩᄙƿƿƩƞƿƸƺƸƣƹƿƩƫƾƧƬƨǀƽƣǁƫƨƺƽƺǀƾƶǄƟǀƽƾƿƫƹƿƺƿƩƣƻƺƶƫƿƫơƞƶƶƫƤƣƺƤƿƩƣ ƩǀƽơƩƞƹƢƿƩƣƣƸƻƫƽƣᄙǁƣƽƫƶƞƸƣƽƺƹƽƣƥƷƣơƿƾƺƹƩƺǂƩƫƾƨƽƣƞƿƾƻƣƣơƩƣƾƺƤ 3ᇺᇳᄕƺƹƿƩƣƧƬƨǀƽƣƾƺƤƣƶƣƿƫǀƾƞƹƢƩƫƾƟƽƺƿƩƣƽƞƾƫƶᄕƨƞǁƣƞƹƣǂƸƣƞƹƫƹƨƿƺ ƻǀƟƶƫơƺƽƞƿƺƽǄᄕƽƣǁƫƿƞƶƫƾƫƹƨƿƩƣǀƽƟƞƹơǀƶƿǀƽƣƺƤƿƩƣᇶƿƩơƣƹƿǀƽǄᄘᅸƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹƟƫƾƩ- ƺƻƾƾǀơơƣƣƢƣƢƿƺƿƩƣƻƶƞơƣƺƤƿƩƣƣƻƫƢƣƫơƿƫơƺƽƞƿƺƽƾƺƤƿƩƣƣơƺƹƢƺƻƩƫƾƿƫơᄖ and their speeches were more political than the earlier ones ever could be. Gregory of Nyssa does not merely describe: he wishes to persuade, and he has the whole armory of classical technique at his disposal”.ቁሿ Ƥ ơƺǀƽƾƣᄕ ƞƶƺƹƨƾƫƢƣ Ʃƫƾ ơƶƞƾƾƫơƞƶᄕ ƶƫƿƣƽƞƽǄ ƞƹƢ ƾơƫƣƹƿƫƧƬơ ƿƽƞƫƹƫƹƨᄕ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƽƣơƣƫǁƣƢ ƞ ƢƣƣƻƶǄ ƽƣƶƫƨƫƺǀƾ ƣƢǀơƞƿƫƺƹᄕ ƧƬƽƾƿ ƤƽƺƸ Ʃƫƾ ƻƞƽƣƹƿƾᄕ ƿƩƣƹ ƤƽƺƸ Ʃƫƾ older siblings, Macrina and Basil, and also through his familiarity with the bib- lical texts and the writings of the earlier Fathers.ቁቀƩƣƫƸƻƽƫƹƿƺƤƿƩƫƾƤƞƸ- ily background can be seen in his fervent and sincere adherence to the faith, the central role he attributes to women in the church, the cult of the martyrs, ᇿህ ƩƫƾƻƣƽƾƻƣơƿƫǁƣǂƞƾƤƺƶƶƺǂƣƢƞƹƢƤǀƽƿƩƣƽƣǃƻƶƺƽƣƢƟǄƩƽƫƾƿƺƻƩƶƺơƴᄕƵƻƢƹƺƼƠƨƼƵƧƢƵ ǁƼ ƻƩƳ ƼƵơ ƨǀƻƨƴƼƺ ƟƢƩ ƹƢƧƶƹ ƽƶƵ ǀƺƺƞხ ƢƩƵ ƢƩƻƹƞƧ ǁƼƴ ƨƢƻƶƹƩƲƽƢƹƺƻǌƵơƵƩƺ ơƢƹ ƧƹƩƢƠƨƩƺƠƨƢƵǌƻƢƹ, Frankfurt am Main, AthenäǀƸᄕᇳᇻᇺᇹᄙ ሀᇼ ƟƫƢᄙᄕƻᄙᇳᇶᇲᄕƹᄙᇴᇳᄙ ሀᇽ Cf. Gregory of Nyssa, ƷƩƺƻჯᇳᇵᄕᇶᅬᇸᄬGNO ᄧᇴᄕᇶᇶᅬᇶᇸᄭᄙ ሀᇾ Averil Cameron, ƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƩƻǀ ƞƵơ ƻƨƢ ƨƢƻƶƹƩƠ ƶƣ ƴƷƩƹƢხ ƨƢ ƢƽƢƳƶƷƴƢƵƻ ƶƣ ƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵ ƩƺƠƶƼƹƺƢ, University of California Press, Berkeley-Los Angeles-Londonᄕᇳᇻᇻᇳᄕƻᄙᇳᇵᇷᄙ ሀᇿ See Jean Daniélou, Le IV‫ޣ‬ƺƩǽƠƳƢძƹǾƧƶƩƹƢơƢǀƺƺƢƢƻƺƶƵƴƩƳƩƢƼᄕ ƹƾƿƫƿǀƿƞƿƩƺƶƫƼǀƣƢƣ ƞƽƫƾᄕƞƽƫƾᄕᇳᇻᇸᇷᄕƻƻᄙᇶᇹᅬᇷᇵᄙ !!!! # " ‫ثثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ his care for the poor and the sick and his admiration for the ascetic ideal and Origen’s spirituality.ቁቁ ƩƣƿƩƽƣƣƞƻƻƞƢƺơƫƞƹƾǂƣƽƣƶƺǄƞƶƩƣƫƽƾƿƺƿƩƣƣǃƣƨƣƿƫơƞƶƿƽƞƢƫƿƫƺƹƺƤƿƩƣ ƶƣǃƞƹƢƽƫƞƹƾơƩƺƺƶᄙƩƣƫƽƶƫƹƴǂƫƿƩƿƩƞƿƿƽƞƢƫƿƫƺƹƾƣƣƸƾƿƺƩƞǁƣƟƣƣƹƿƩƣƧƬƨ- ǀƽƣ ƺƤ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƿƩƣ ƩƞǀƸƞƿǀƽƨƣᄕ ƞƶƶƣƨƣƢƶǄ ƞ Ƣƫƾơƫƻƶƣ ƺƤ ƽƫƨƣƹ ƞƿ ƞƣƾƞƽƣƞ ƫƹƞƶƣƾƿƫƹƣƞƹƢƶƞƿƣƽƞƟƫƾƩƺƻƞƹƢơƺƹƤƣƾƾƺƽǂƫƿƩƞƹƣƹƢǀƽƫƹƨƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣƫƹ Cappadocia and Pontus. With Philo as its predecessor and Clement and Origen as its most illustrious representatives, the Alexandrian tradition managed to ƺƦƤƣƽƞƿƩƣƺƽƣƿƫơƞƶƞơơƺǀƹƿƺƤƿƩƣƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹǂƺƽƶƢǁƫƣǂƞƹƢƾƺƸƣƩƺǂƺƽƨƞƹƫƾƣ ƫƿƫƹƿƺƞƾǄƾƿƣƸᄙ ƿƣƸƻƩƞƾƫƾƣƢƿƩƣǁƞƶǀƣƺƤƿƩƣƞƶƶƣƨƺƽƫơƞƶƺƽƾƻƫƽƫƿǀƞƶƸƣƞƹƫƹƨ ƺƤơƽƫƻƿǀƽƣᄕƽƣƶƣƨƞƿƫƹƨƿƩƣƶƫƿƣƽƞƶƾƣƹƾƣƿƺƞƶƺǂƣƽƻƶƞƹƣᄙƩƣƻƽƫƸƞơǄƺƤƿƩƣ metaphorical was equally notable in the philosophical formulations of these authors, who favoured the use of symbolic language as a way of approaching higher realities. ƾƞƢƣơƣƹƿᅵƶƣǃƞƹƢƽƫƞƹᅷƞƹƢƽƩƣƿƺƽƫơƫƞƹᄕƽƣƨƺƽǄƞƶƾƺƸƞƢƣǀƾƣƺƤƾƣƹƾƺƽǄ images in his speculation on the divine to refer to mysteries, in such a way that they would appear at once approachable and impossible to reduce or exhaust. Now, the Cappadocian project of renewal of Christian culture was at some ƻƺƫƹƿƾƫƹơƺƹƥƷƫơƿǂƫƿƩƿƩƣơƶƞƾƾƫơƞƶƣƢǀơƞƿƫƺƹƿƩƣǄƩƞƢƽƣơƣƫǁƣƢᄙƩǀƾᄕǂƣƾƣƣ that both Basil and Gregory of Nyssa adopted an ambiguous attitude towards Hellenic culture, which ranged from unreserved admiration and assimilation ƺƹƿƩƣƺƹƣƩƞƹƢᄕƿƺƾǀƾƻƫơƫƺƹƞƹƢƣǁƣƹƺǀƿƽƫƨƩƿƽƣưƣơƿƫƺƹƺƹƿƩƣƺƿƩƣƽᄙƩƫƾ varying attitude often depended on the context in which they were writing and their recipients. ƿƫƾƿƽǀƣƿƩƞƿƽƣƨƺƽǄƣǃƻƣƽƫƣƹơƣƢƧƬƽƾƿƩƞƹƢƿƩƣƿƣƹƾƫƺƹƟƣƿǂƣƣƹƾƣơǀƶƞƽ life and religious calling. After having withdrawn with his elder brother and Nazianzen to an ascetic life for some time, Gregory decided to return to the city to exercise his father’s profession, teacher of rhetoric.ቁቂ His friend and name- sake harshly reproached him for abandoning the pathway to the priesthood: ᅸƩǄƩƞǁƣǄƺǀƾǀƦƤƣƽƣƢƿƩƫƾᄕƫƾƣƾƿƞƹᄞƩǄƢƺǄƺǀơƺƹƢƣƸƹǄƺǀƽƾƣƶƤ by throwing away the sacred and palatable books that you used to read line by line to the people? Don’t be ashamed at what you hear! Have you placed them over the smoke, like oars and shovels in the winter? Have you taken bitter and ሀሀ Cf., e.g., Silvas, Gregory of Nyssa: The Lettersᄕƻᄙᇹᄙ ሀሁ ƩƫƾƻƽƺƟƞƟƶǄƺơơǀƽƽƣƢƫƹᇵᇸᇶƺƽƾƩƺƽƿƶǄƞƤƿƣƽǂƞƽƢƾᄕƾƫƹơƣƫƹƿƩƞƿǄƣƞƽƺǁƫƞƹƾǀƾƻƣƹƢƣƢ the interdiction of Christians to teach rhetoric. !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫؜ثثث‬ ǀƹƻƞƶƞƿƞƟƶƣƺƹƣƾƫƹƿƺǄƺǀƽƩƞƹƢƾᄕǂƞƹƿƫƹƨƿƺƩƣƞƽƿƩƣƿƫƿƶƣƺƤᅵƽƩƣƿƺƽᅷƽƞƿƩƣƽ ƿƩƞƹᅵƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹᅷᄞᅺᄙቁቃ ƹƿƫƶ Ʃƣ ǂƞƾ ƞƻƻƺƫƹƿƣƢ ƟƫƾƩƺƻ ƺƤ Ǆƾƾƞ ƫƹ ᇵᇹᇴᄕ ƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƻƣƽƾƫƾƿƣƢ ƫƹ Ʃƫƾ choice of lay life, during which time he developed his discursive and literary skills. He also married, although it is possible that his wife died shortly after- wards, according to some indirect references in ƢƽƩƹƧƩƵƩƻƞƻƢ.ቁቄ Lastly, it is noteworthy that Gregory frequently uses concepts and theories ƺƤơƺƹƿƣƸƻƺƽƞƽǄƸƣƢƫơƫƹƣᄙ ƿƫƾƿƩƣơƞƾƣƫƹƸƺƾƿƺƤƩƫƾǂƺƽƴƾᄕƞƹƢƣƾƻƣơƫƞƶƶǄƫƹ the treatise ƢƶƷƩƦƪƠƩƶƨƶƴƩƵƩƺ, written shortly after Basil’s death.ቁቅƩƫƾƾƩƺǂƾ a thorough training in this science, which Nyssen probably began in the fam- ily’s household. Gregory Nazianzen says that Basil also mastered medicinal art in both theory and practice.ቁቆƩƣƫƽƟƽƺƿƩƣƽƾƞƹƢƾƫƾƿƣƽƾƞƹƢƿƩƣƸƺƿƩƣƽ Emmelia were similarly familiar with medicine and held it in high esteem. Gregory used this knowledge to enrich his conception of humanity and the body, but also to represent symbolically the healing of souls and other realities ƺƤƤƞƫƿƩᄕƾǀơƩƞƾƿƩƣ ƹơƞƽƹƞƿƫƺƹᄙቂሽ Gregory’s humanistic background and his original conception of the per- ƾƺƹƞƹƢƤƽƣƣƢƺƸƶƣƢƩƫƸƿƺƾƣƣƿƩƣƽƣƞƶƫƿǄƺƤƾƶƞǁƣƾǂƫƿƩƢƫƦƤƣƽƣƹƿƣǄƣƾƞƹƢƿƺ pronounce the most explicit and categorical condemnation of this institution preserved in Antiquity.ቂሾ Gregory based this condemnation on the equality of ሀሂ Gregory of Nazianzus, ƷƩƺƻᄙᇳᇳᄕᇶᄬƣƢᄙƞƶƶƞǄᄕǁƺƶᄙᇳᄕƻᄙᇳᇹᄖƿƽᄙƿƺƽƫƹᄕƻᄙᇳᇲᇶᄭᄘᅸ૲ృஓழ஢஡஑஘ొஞ, ఑ ண஠஧ొ஥஑஥க, ௎ ஥ృணக஑஦஥஠ఋ ச஑஥஑ஓஞ஠ేத, ஥ழத஝ோஞ ௧க஢ழதச஑௯ ஡஠஥ృ஝஠஦தஒృஒ஛஠஦த ஫஡ు஢஢ஙன஑த, றத ం஡஑- ஞகஓృஞபணசుத஡஠஥க஥త ஛஑త (஝௕ ஓழ஢஑௣ணந஦ஞ஘௢த ஫ச஠ేபஞ) ௎ ం஡ோ஢ச஑஡ஞ஠ఋ ు஘கஙச஑த, ఒத஥ழ ஡஗ஔీ஛ங஑ நகங஝ఘஞ஠த ఓ஢ஸ ச஑௯ ணச஑஡ీஞ஑த, ஥ழதஔ’ ய஛஝஦஢ழதச஑௯ ஫஡ె஥஠஦த஝க஥கநகங஢ృணப, ச஑௯ ௽ూ஥ப஢ ஫ச஠ేகஙஞ஝வౌ஠ஞ ௎ ந஢ஙண஥ங஑ஞ௺த ௌ஘ు஛஗ண஑த”. ሀሃ Cf. Gregory of Nyssa, ƩƹƧჯ 3 (GNO ᄕᇳᄕᇴᇳᇹᅬᇵᇶᇵᄭᄙƣƣƣƞƹƞƹƫélou, “Le mariage de Grégoire de Nysse et la chronologie de sa vie”, ƢƽƼƢơƢƺWƻƼơƢƺƼƧƼƺƻƩƵƩƢƵƵƢsᇴᄬᇳᇻᇷᇸᄭᄕ ƻᄙᇹᇹᄖƞƹƢƣƾƻƣơƫƞƶƶǄƿƩƣƞƽƨǀƸƣƹƿƾƫƹƫƶǁƞƾᄕGregory of Nyssa: The Lettersᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇷᅬᇴᇷᄙ ሀሄ ƣƣᄕƤƺƽƣǃƞƸƻƶƣᄕǀƾƞƹƣƾƾƣƶᄕᅸƩƣƣơƣƻƿƫƺƹƺƤƽƣƣƴơƫƣƹơƣƫƹƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞᅷƾƢ ƨƶƴƩƵƩƺƶƷƩƦƪƠƩƶ”, ƩƧƩƳƩƞƢƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƞƢᇸᇵᄧᇳᄬᇴᇲᇲᇻᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇴᇶᅬᇶᇸᄙ ሀህ Cf. Gregory of Nazianzus, ƵƳƞƼơƢƴƞƺƩƳƩƩ (Oratiƺᇶᇵᄭᄕᇳᇶᄙ ሁᇼ See, e.g., Gregory of Nyssa, ƷƩƺƻჯᇵᄕᇳᇷᄬGNO ᄧᇴᄕᇳᇻᅬᇴᇹᄭᄖƵƻƩƹƹƨჯ (GNO ᄧᇳᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇹᇳᅬ ᇳᇹᇴᄭᄙ Ƥᄙ ƺƾé Janini Cuesta, ƞ ƞƵƻƹƶƷƶƳƶƧȵƞ ǀ Ƴƞ ƴƢơƩƠƩƵƞ ƷƞƺƻƶƹƞƳ ơƢ ƞƵ ƹƢƧƶƹƩƶ ơƢ NisaᄕƺƹƾƣưƺǀƻƣƽƫƺƽƢƣ ƹǁƣƾƿƫƨƞơƫƺƹƣƾƫƣƹƿíƧƬơƞƾᄕƞƢƽƫƢᄕᇳᇻᇶᇸᄖƩƫƶƫƻ. van der Eijk, ƢơƩƠƩƵƢƞƵơƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨǀƩƵƳƞƺƺƩƠƞƳƵƻƩƸƼƩƻǀჯƶƠƻƶƹƺƞƵơƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƢƹƺƶƵƞƻƼƹƢძƶƼƳძ ƢƞƳƻƨƞƵơƩƺƢƞƺƢᄕƞƸƟƽƫƢƨƣƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾᄕƞƸƟƽƫƢƨƣᄕᇴᇲᇲᇷᄙ ሁᇽ See Gregory of Nyssa, ƠƠƳჯ (GNO Vᄕ ᇵᇵᇷᅬᇵᇵᇺᄭᄙ Ƥᄙ ƣƿƣƽ ƞƽƹƾƣǄᄕ ơƢƞƺ ƶƣ ƳƞƽƢƹǀ ƣƹƶƴƹƩƺƻƶƻƳƢƻƶƼƧƼƺƻƩƵƢᄕƞƸƟƽƫƢƨƣƹƫǁƣƽƾƫƿǄƽƣƾƾᄕƞƸƟƽƫƢƨƣᄕᇳᇻᇻᇸᄕƻᄙᇳᇲᇲᄖƞƽía Mercedes Bergadá, “La críƿƫơƞƞƶƞƣƾơƶƞǁƫƿǀƢƣƹƶƞᅵƺƸƫƶía sobre el Ecclesiastés’ de Gregorio de Nyssa”, ƞƻƹƩƺƻƩƠƞƢƻƢơƩƞƢƽƞƳƩƞᇳᇳᄬᇳᇻᇻᇲᄭᄕƻƻᄙᇸᇻᅬᇹᇺᄙ !!!! # " ‫؜؜ثثث‬ ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ all humankind, the dignity of each person and the incalculable value of the divine image imprinted on each one.ቂሿ ƹƩƫƾƩƻƞƺƞƵƠƻƞƢƞƠƹƩƵƞƢ Gregory recalls one of the last conversations ǂƫƿƩƩƫƾƾƫƾƿƣƽᄕƫƹǂƩƫơƩƩƣƶƞƸƣƹƿƣƢƞƶƶƿƩƣơƺƹƥƷƫơƿƾƞƹƢƻƣƽƾƣơǀƿƫƺƹƾƩƣƩƞƢ ƾǀƦƤƣƽƣƢƫƹƿƩƣƻƞƾƿǄƣƞƽƾᄙƞơƽƫƹƞƽƣƻƶƫƣƢƿƩƞƿƩƣƾƩƺǀƶƢơƩƞƹƨƣƩƫƾƻƣƽƾƻƣơ- ƿƫǁƣƺƹƿƩƣƾƣƣǁƣƹƿƾᄕƞƹƢᄕƫƹƽƣƿǀƽƹᄕƾƩƣƿƣƾƿƫƧƬƣƾƿƺƩƣƽǄƺǀƹƨƣƽƟƽƺƿƩƣƽᅷƾƽƫƾƫƹƨ ƻƽƺƸƫƹƣƹơƣƫƹƣơơƶƣƾƫƞƾƿƫơƞƶƞƦƤƞƫƽƾᄘᅸǀƽƤƞƿƩƣƽǂƞƾƩƫƨƩƶǄƣƾƿƣƣƸƣƢƫƹƩƫƾƢƞǄ ƤƺƽƩƫƾƶƣƞƽƹƫƹƨᄙƣƿƩƫƾƽƣƻǀƿƞƿƫƺƹƺƹƶǄƣǃƿƣƹƢƣƢƞƾƤƞƽƞƾƿƩƣƶƞǂơƺǀƽƿƾƺƤƿƩƣ ƻƽƺǁƫƹơƣᄙ ƹƿƩƣƣƹƢᄕƿƩƺǀƨƩƩƣƾǀƽƻƞƾƾƣƢƞƶƶƺƿƩƣƽƾƫƹƾƺƻƩƫƾƿƫơƾƴƫƶƶᄕƩƫƾƤƞƸƣ did not go beyond Pontus. Still, with such regard as this in his own fatherland he was content. But ǄƺǀᅬƾƩƣ saidᅬƞƽƣƹƞƸƣƢƫƹơƫƿƫƣƾƞƹƢƻƣƺƻƶƣƾƞƹƢƻƽƺǁ- inces. Churches send you as ally and reformer and churches summon you, and you do not see the grace in it?”.ቂቀ After playing an active and important role during the Council of ƺƹƾƿƞƹƿƫƹƺƻƶƣƫƹᇵᇺᇳƞƹƢƾƿƞǄƫƹƨơƶƺƾƣƿƺƿƩƣƫƸƻƣƽƫƞƶơƺǀƽƿƺƤƩƣƺƢƺƾƫǀƾ for some years, Gregory spent the last stage of his life away from the great capi- ƿƞƶƾᄙƩƣƣƸƻƣƽƺƽƩƞƢƸƺǁƣƢƿƺƫƶƞƹƫƹᇵᇺᇺƞƤƿƣƽƿƩƣƢƣƤƣƞƿƺƤƿƩƣǀƾǀƽƻƣƽ Maximus. Nyssen returned to his city and resumed his pastoral duties. His main concern was for the spirituality of the monastic communities, carrying ƺƹƿƩƣƣƦƤƺƽƿƾƺƤƩƫƾƾƫƟƶƫƹƨƾƞƾƫƶƞƹƢƞơƽƫƹƞᄙƺƿƩƣƸƺƹƴƾᄕƩƣƢƣƢƫơƞƿƣƢ his exaltation of Mosaic virtue, ƢƽƩƻƞƶǀƺƩƺ, as well as other spiritual trea- tises, ƢƷƢƹƣƢƠƻƩƶƵƢძƢƩƵƺƻƩƻƼƻƶƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƶ and ƢƷƹƶƣƢƺƺƩƶƵƢƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵƞᄙ ƹ all of them, he once again presents his conception of human freedom, which is called to cooperate with God and resemble divine nature. Perhaps the most important work of this period, where he develops his original spirituality of love and the unlimited progress of human perfection before God, are the hom- ilies ƵƞƵƻƩƠƼƴƠƞƵƻƩƠƶƹƼƴᄙƩƣƾƣƺƽƞƿƫƺƹƾƺƹƿƩƣƺƹƨƺƤƺƹƨƾᄕƢƣƢƫơƞƿƣƢ to the widow and deaconess Olympias of Constantinople, transformed some traces of intellectualism in Origen’s mysticism through a greater centrality of ஫ஓీ஡஗ᄕ ƺƽ Ƣƫǁƫƹƣ ƶƺǁƣᄙƩƣǄ ǂƣƽƣ ƿƺ Ʃƞǁƣ ƞ ƻƽƺƤƺǀƹƢ ƫƹƥƷǀƣƹơƣ ƺƹ ƸƣƢƫƣǁƞƶ mysticism, both in Byzantium and the West. ሁᇾ Cf. Bergadá, “La críƿƫơƞƞƶƞƣƾơƶƞǁƫƿǀƢᅺᄕƻƻᄙᇸᇻᅬᇹᇺᄖƞƾƿƫƿƿƞƞƽƽƫƣƿᄕᅸ ƫƶƫƞơƫón divina, digni- ƢƞƢǄƿƺƶƣƽƞƹơƫƞᅺᄕƻƻᄙᇳᇵᅬᇴᇹᄙ ሁᇿ Gregory of Nyssa, ƞƠƹ. (GNO ᄧᇳᄕ ƻᄙ ᇵᇻᇶᄕ ᇳᇳᅬᇳᇹᄭᄘ ᅸ஡஠஛ేத, ஧஗ணృ, ச஑஥ழ ஥௕ஞ ஡஑ృஔக஦ணஙஞ ௄ஞ ஥஠௰த஥ె஥கந஢ెஞ஠ஙத ௶ ஡஑஥௕஢ ௄ஞ஠஝ృ஖க஥஠, ஫ౌழ ஝ుந஢ங஥ఘஞ ௄ஓநப஢ృபஞஔஙச஑ண஥஗஢ృபஞ ௐ ச஑஥’ ஑௾஥௺ஞ ௨ண஥஑஥஠ ஔెட஑. ஝க஥ழ ஥஑ఋ஥஑ஔோ ஥ఘஞ஛஠ங஡ఘஞஔஙழ ஥௖தண஠஧ஙண஥ஙச௖த஑௾஥஠ఋ ச஑஘஗ஓ஠஦஝ుஞ஠஦஠௾ச ௄ட௖஛஘க஥௺ஞ૯ెஞ஥஠ஞ ௐ ஧ూ஝஗, ஫ౌ’ ஫ஓ஑஡஗஥௺ஞ ௏ஞ ௄சகృஞఙ ஥௺ ௄ஞ஥௢ ஡஑஥஢ృஔங஡க஢ృஒ஛க஡஥஠ஞ. ணఊ ஔు, ஧஗ணృ, ஡ె஛கணஙச஑௯ ஔూ஝஠ஙத ச஑௯ ௅஘ஞகணஙஞ ௳ஞ஠஝஑ண஥௺தக௦ ச஑௯ ணோ ஡஢௺தண஦஝஝஑நృ஑ஞ஥கச஑௯ ஔஙె஢஘பணஙஞ ௄சச஛஗ணృ஑ங஡ు஝஡஠஦ணஙச஑௯ ௄சச஛஗- ணృ஑ங ச஑஛஠ఋணங, ச஑௯ ஠௾ந ௶஢௃த ஥௕ஞ நీ஢ஙஞ္ᅺᄙ ƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹ ƟǄ ƹƹƞ ƫƶǁƞƾᄕ ƞƠƹƩƵƞ ƻƨƢ ƶƼƵƧƢƹძ ƨƩƳƶƺƶƷƨƢƹƶƣƶơᄕƽƣƻƺƶƾᄕǀƽƹƩƺǀƿᄕᇴᇲᇲᇺᄕƻᄙᇳᇵᇳᄙ !!!! # " ѿ‫ءآ؜اؖبؗآإاء‬ ‫؜؜؜ثثث‬ ƽƣƨƺƽǄᅷƾƶƞƾƿƽƣơƺƽƢƣƢƞƻƻƣƞƽƞƹơƣƫƹƩƫƾƺƶƢƞƨƣǂƞƾƫƹᇵᇻᇶƞƿƺƹƣƺƤƿƩƣ annual councils of Constantinople. He probably died in the same year, or shortly thereafter. *** ƺơƺƹơƶǀƢƣᄕǂƣơƞƹƽƣƥƷƣơƿƺƹơƣƸƺƽƣƺƹƿƩƣƧƬƨǀƽƣƺƤƽƣƨƺƽǄƺƤǄƾƾƞƞƾƫƿ stands in the history of thought. His image was weakened by the unrivalled political and theological authority of his elder brother, reinforced through cen- turies of Byzantine and Western Christian tradition. ƹƢƣƣƢᄕ ƞƾ ǂƣ Ʃƞǁƣ ƾƣƣƹᄕ ƫƿ ǂƞƾ ƞƾƫƶ ǂƩƺ ǂƞƾ ƢƣƣƸƣƢ ƿƩƣ Ƹƺƾƿ ƽƞƢƫơƞƶ reformer of doctrine and the great champion of orthodoxy. But Nyssen’s rather concealed position always gave him a distinct appeal. Less pretentious and ơƺƹƧƬƢƣƹƿƿƩƞƹƩƫƾƟƽƺƿƩƣƽᄕƻƣƽƩƞƻƾƞƶƫƿƿƶƣƿƺƺơƞƹƢƫƢƞƹƢƫƹƾƣơǀƽƣᄕƽƣƨƺƽǄ ƻƺƾƾƣƾƾƣƢƞƹƺǁƣƽƥƷƺǂƫƹƨƩǀƸƞƹǂƞƽƸƿƩƞƹƢƾƣƹƾƫƿƫǁƫƿǄᄕƞƾǂƣƶƶƞƾƞƾƩƞƽƻƞƹƢ subtle intelligence. He focused on the core of every problem, the hidden aspects of life and especially the human being in all its complexity. His pen rescued and re- dimensioned people neglected by his society, such as slaves, women and chil- dren. For all this, his memory, albeit not so widespread, was ever marked by the extraordinary achievements of his spirit. Basil himself had somehow foreshadowed his brother’s fate in one of his let- ƿƣƽƾᄙƩƣƹƫƹᇵᇹᇴƩƫƾƤƽƫƣƹƢ ǀƾƣƟƫǀƾƺƤƞƸƺƾƞƿƞƽƣƻƽƺƞơƩƣƢƩƫƸƤƺƽƞƾƾƫƨƹ- ƫƹƨƽƣƨƺƽǄƿƺƿƩƣƫƽƽƣƶƣǁƞƹƿƣƻƫƾơƺƻƞƶƾƣƣƺƤǄƾƾƞᄕƞƾƫƶƽƣƻƶƫƣƢᄘᅸ ƞƶƾƺƩƞƢ wished that my brother Gregory were governing a church commensurate with his talents. But such a church would be the whole church under the sun merged into one! But since this is impossible, let him be a bishop, not receiving dignity from his see, but himself conferring dignity upon the see. For it is the part of a truly great man not merely to be equal to great things, but also to make little things great by his own power”.ቂቁ ሁሀ Cf. Basil of Caesarea, ƷƩƺƻჯᇻᇺᄕᇴᄬƣƢᄙƺǀƽƿƺƹƹƣᄕǁƺƶᄙᇳᄕƻᄙᇴᇳᇵᄭᄘᅸ૲௺ஞஔோ ஫ஔக஛஧௺ஞૢ஢஗ஓె஢ங஠ஞ ச஫ஓగ ௌஒ஠஦஛ె஝஗ஞ ஠௣ச஠ஞ஠஝க௰ஞ ଖசச஛஗ணృ஑ஞ ஥௢ ஑௾஥஠ఋ ஧ేணகங ணే஝஝க஥஢஠ஞ. ૠః஥஗ ஔோ ௏ஞ ஡வண஑ க௣த ௉ஞ ண஦ஞ஑ந஘க௰ண஑ ௐ ం஧’ ௐ஛ృఙ. ଖ஡கஙஔ௕ ஔோ ஥஠ఋ஥஠ ஫ஔేஞ஑஥஠ஞ, ௅ண஥ப ௄஡ృணச஠஡஠த, ஝௕ ௄ச஥஠ఋ ஥ె஡஠஦ணக஝ஞ஦ஞె- ஝கஞ஠த, ஫ౌழ ஥௺ஞ஥ె஡஠ஞணக஝ஞేஞபஞ ஫஧’ ே஑஦஥஠ఋ. େஞ஥பதஓழ஢஝கஓీ஛஠஦ ௄ண஥௯ஞ஠௾ ஥஠௰த஝கஓీ஛஠ஙத஝ెஞ஠ஞ ஫஢சக௰ஞ, ஫ౌழ ச஑௯ ஥ழ ஝ஙச஢ழ ஝கஓీ஛஑஡஠ஙக௰ஞ஥௢ ே஑஦஥஠ఋ ஔ஦ஞీ஝கஙᅺᄙƽƞƹƾƶƞƿƫƺƹƟǄƺǄᄙƣƤƣƽƽƞƽƫᄕ ƞƩƵƻ ƞƺƩƳჯƨƢ ƢƻƻƢƹƺᄕ ƣƫƹƣƸƞƹƹᄕ ƺƹƢƺƹᄕ ᇳᇻᇴᇸᅬᇳᇻᇵᇶᄕ ǁƺƶᄙ ᇴᄕ ƻᄙ ᇳᇸᇻᄙ Ƥᄙ Ʃƫƶƫƻ ơƩƞƦƤ and Henry Wace (eds.), ƢƳƢƠƻƩƟƹƞƹǀƶƣƩƠƢƵƢƞƵơPost-ƩƠƢƵƢ ƞƻƨƢƹƺƶƣƻƨƢƨƹƩƺƻƩƞƵ ƨƼƹƠƨჯƢƠƶƵơƺƢƹƩƢƺჯƶƳƼƴƢჯƹƢƧƶƹǀƶƣǀƺƺƞხƶƧƴƞƻƩƠƻƹƢƞƻƩƺƢƺძƢƻƠᄕƩƣƩƽƫƾƿƫƞƹ ƫƿƣƽƞƿǀƽƣƺƸƻƞƹǄᄕƣǂƺƽƴᄕᇳᇺᇻᇵᄕƻƻᄙᇶᅬᇺᄙ !!!! # "

An Ontological Freedom: The Origins of the Notion in Gregory of Nyssa and its Influence unto the Italian Renaissance

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