Happy Mothers Day: A Happy Mother from 7 AD

In the previous blog I wrote about a complaining mother who complained that her son was not sending any letter nor visiting her. In another letter, BGU 16.2617, a mother called, Tryphas send a letter to her son, Athenodoros about some goods. This letter was weitten abiut 7 BC and that it was found in Abusir el-Melek.

Unlike P. Berenike 2.129, thus letter shows a mother writing a happy letter to a son who not only had been (possibly) sending letters but also some goods for his mom. This mother acknowledged that she received "forty tree trunks and one and thirteen jars" while also displaying her delight. She says:

"Tryphas to Athenodoros her son, many greetings and prosper always as I pray. I received what you sent, and I secured them by myself, forty tree trunks and one, and thirteen jars. Greet my lady daughters Tryphas and Artemis. Above all, take care of yourself so that you may be well, which is my greatest prayer with all the gods. Farewell. Year 23 of Caesar, Epeiph 17."

Interesting that she mentions, "above all, take care of yourself so that you may be well, which is my greatest prayer with all the gods." A content mother's only wish is the well being of her children. This is so beautifully mentioned in BGU 16.2617.

Happy Mothers Day: Mothers from Today and from Ancient Rome

On the Mother's Day let me also show how mothers were in the first century Roman world. I think they were no different from our moms today.

One complain all mothers always say is that we dont call them much and that we dont spend much time with them. Mothers in the 1st century Roman world also had similar complains.

One such letter of a mother called Hikane is found in Berenike called P. Berenike 2.129. It was a papyrus from the 50-75 AD, found among the rubbles displaying a mother's anguish. The mother was writing to her son, Isidoros that he was not writing any letter back to her. She had to remind him that she carried him for "10 months" in her womb and that she nursed him for 3 years. The major complain of this mom is that the son doesn't write back.

I wondered why she has to remind him of her motherly duties just for a letter. Is a letter more important to her that she had to remind her son that she carried him for 10 months and that she nursed him for 3 years? Yes, for a mom the letter from her child is more important than anything in the world. And she would use any thing as a persuasion in order to receive a letter.

Here is the letter:

"[Hikane] to Isidoros [her son, greetings. First of all] I thought it necessary, since the packet boat was putting out to sea, to write . . . me. I am in Berenike. I wrote you a letter [?but did not receive a] letter. Was it for this that I carried you for ten months and nursed you for three years, so that you would be incapable of remembering me by letter? And similarly you dimissed me though the Oasites . . . not I you. But I left your brothers in Arabia . . . so that . . Egypt I might see your face and . . . breath. I only ask and beg and adjure you by the one whom you . . . and by the memory of the one who begot you, to sail away if you are well. I . . . I ask and beg you . . . Save your brother. For I have no one . . . Epaphras greets you warmly . . . and those who love us. [Year . ., month] 24. (Verso) Deliver. Hikane to Isidoros her son, harborman."

She also seems to have sacrificed much to see "his face." In addition, she asks him to send letter, and (or) possibly visit ("sail away"), and to save his brother (whatever that means). She uses three verbs "I only ask and beg and adjure you," and that in the name of a god, possibly by whose grace he was born. Therefore, the mother persuades the son with much persuasion that he must do his duties (responsibilities). First of which is to write a letter to his mom; the second is to visit her possibly; and the third is to save his sibling(s). This must be the request of any mom of anytime: write, visit, and take care of her other children.

The mothers of our time are not so different after all from the mothers of 1st century Rome. So, let us write, visit and take care of our siblings to honor the wishes of our mothers. In 2017, let us watsapp, or make video call, and buy some gifts and coupons (not just for our mom but also for our siblings) to honor our moms. Happy Mothers Day everyone.

John the Baptist, the Foil: Complementary Comparative Characterization in Luke 1-4

Can we call the character of John the Baptist in Luke 1 to 3 as a foil? A foil character is none but the one who plays as a foil to the concerned character to highlight certain characteristic features. Many times the foil characters are considered as contrast characters. Adele Berlin considers this kind of characterization as contrast characterization (Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation, 24.). However, I prefer to call this as comparative characterization. Not all comparisons are contrastive in nature. In many instances comparisons are done among the similar things. Therefore, to call all comparative characterizations as contrastive comparative characterization is not appropriate. A very good example is found in Luke 1-4.

Similar to the structure of comparative characterization of Samuel and Eli’s sons in 1 Samuel 1 & 2, Luke structures the characterization of Jesus in between the birth narratives of John the Baptist. Gabriel announces John’s birth to Zechariah and he is conceived (1:5-25); Gabriel announces Jesus’ birth to Mary (1:26-38); Mary meets Elizabeth and Fetus John meets Fetus Jesus (1:39-45); Mary sings a songs (1:46-56); John the Baptist is born and he is named (57-68); Zechariah sings a prophecy (67-80); Finally, Jesus is born in Bethlehem (2:1-7). From Luke 1:5 onwards until 2:7 the story of Jesus’ birth is kept in comparison with the birth narrative of John the Baptist. Though John the Baptist plays a foil to Jesus' character in these narratives he is not portrayed as a contrastive character but a complementary one to bring out Jesus as the promised Messiah. This is called as complementary comparative characterization. 

In Luke 3-4, John ministers in the wilderness (3:4) while Jesus starts his ministry with the temptation in the wilderness (4:1). John’s gospel is about poor (3:10-14). Similarly, Jesus’s Gospel is also about the poor (4:18). In spite of all these, John was arrested by Herod (Luke 3:18-20). Similarly Jesus was rejected in his hometown (4:22-29). These parallels validate the comparisons kept between Jesus and John, not as contrastive but complementary.

Mutual complementary comparative characterization is two characters, both playing as foil simultaneously for the characterization of the other. In this way both characters are being characterized by the same time both characters function as foils for the other. The question is this: Could John the Baptist and Jesus both function as foil to each other so that both of them could be characterized simultaneously? For this we must know the purpose of the comparisons. Does John the Baptist function only as a foil to bring about the characterization of Jesus or is he also being showcased alongside Jesus. Does John’s mere presence in the narrative is only to validate Jesus’ Messiahship or is he also presented as a major character of equal importance to Jesus. If the latter is true then we must say John’s portrayal in the narrative is mutual complementary comparative characterization. But if it is the former then it is not. This will also be one of the concerns of this paper.

Comparative Characterization in the Book of Hebrews: Abstract

Characterization is nothing but the way a character is characterized. An author may use various means to characterize a character. Among them, the author may compare a character with another character so as to bring out a characteristic trait. I call this method as comparative characterization (Comparative Characterization in the Sermon on the Mount, Wipf and Stock, 2017). The compared character can be a contrastive character like Saul for David or complementary character like John the Baptist to Jesus. I call the former as contrastive comparative characterization and the latter as complementary comparative characterization. In this paper, the book of Hebrews will be interpreted using both these comparative characterizations to see their function in the characterization of Jesus.

It is assumed that comparisons are used to characterize Jesus in a better way. Both contrastive and complementary characters are used in comparison with Jesus. The book of Hebrews is full of comparisons. In fact, the book starts with comparisons from Heb 1:1 onwards. Heb 1:1-2 shows the way the author uses comparisons in his book. In 1:1, he says, “long ago.” Similarly, in 1:2, he compares this with “in these days.” In 1:1, “God spoke to the fathers” but now he speaks to “us”. In 1:1, God spoke “at many times and in many ways,” but now God speaks only in one-way that is through his Son (1:2). In 1:1, the agents of God’s speaking to the forefathers were prophets but now the agent is His Son himself (1:2). Comparisons in these two verses are quite apparent. 1:1 is totally contrasted with 1:2a. This is the beauty of the use of comparisons. The words (1:2b-3) following 1:2a characterizes Jesus with direct and indirect descriptive characterization. This shows that the objective of use of comparisons in 1:1-2a is to characterize the Son.

 The comparisons of Jesus with the angels run from 1:4 to 1:9. The Son becomes Superior than the angels (1:4). Unlike the angels the Son is worshipped, even by the angels (1:6). While angels are just winds and fire (1:7) the Son’s throne exists forever (1:8a). In 1:9, God anoints the Son with the oil of gladness as he loved righteousness and hated wickedness “beyond his companions” (angels?) (1:9).

Similarly, comparisons are found throughout the book. In 1:10-12, the Son, who is forever, is compared with his creation, which will perish. From 1:13 to 2:9, the Son is compared and contrasted with the angels. In 3:1-19, the Son is contrasted with Moses, for “He was counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (3.3). 4:8-9 shows the Son being compared with Joshua who functions as complementary character displaying complementary comparative characterization. From 4:14 to 10:25, the Son is contrasted with earthly high priest. In 5:6 to 7:17, the characterization of the Son is complemented with the characterization of Melchizedek. In addition, the author of Hebrews compares and contrasts old covenant (8:1) and new covenant (10:25). Therefore, complementary comparative characterization and contrastive comparative characterization will help in interpreting the book of Hebrews.

Rape, Chastity and Social Order in Ancient Rome

When Roman historians speak about archaic Rome, from 6th to 4th century they speak of the change of social order from monarchy to Republic and in Republic, the change from patrician monopoly to the inclusion of plebians in political power. These two changes are significant changes for the 1st century historians. Interestingly both these stories are intrinsically connected with rape of a virtuous woman.

The first rape story is about Lucretia. Lucretia was the wife of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus. Sextus Tarquinius, the son of the king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was sent by his father to stay in the governer's mansion on a military errand. The governer's mansion was the home of Lucretia and Collatinus. Knowing that she was identified as the virtuous woman of all Rome he was attracted to her and that he wanted to have her. In the middle of the night, in the absence of her husband, Sextus entered Lucretia's chamber and gave her two choices. One was to lie with him and the other was to be killed alongside one of the young man slaves so that Sextus could claim that he saw them having sexual relationship and that he killed them both. Lucretia fearing a bad name agreed to lie with him. But she wanted to make sure that the atrocity of the king's son must be told to the public. When her husband got home she disclosed the rape by king's son and she committed suicide. Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, the husband of Lucretia gave a moving speech on her funeral which turned the whole city against the king, Tarquinius Superbus. Later, he was chased out of Rome and after that Rome opted for Republic and to never to have a king again. The rape of Lucretia was instrumental in bringing down the Roman monarchy.

The second rape story is about a virgin called Virginia. In the formation of the twelve tablets, the laws of ancient Rome, ten scholars were chosen to address the raising requests from plebians to make the laws public and not just the sole property of the patrician (the higher class). These decemviri, the ten men responsible for the completion of the twelve tablets only completed ten tablets in 451 bc. The next year more conservative fundamentalist law makers became the decemviri and made the laws more stringent that it created the divide between the patricians and plebians wider. One of the main clause of this cause was the prohibition of marraige between patricians and plebians. This divide caused more troubles for the plebians (the lower class).

One of these newer decemviri, Appius Cladius demanded sex from a young virgin called Virginia. She was unmarried but betrothed. When she declined Appius made one of his men (hangers-on) to claim that Virginia was indeed his slave and that Virginia's father Virginius had stolen her from that man. The preciding judge of that matter was Appius himself. Consequently, Appius found Virginia and Virginius guilty and ordered that she must be returned back to her so called master. Virginius seeing the scheme of Appius to take Virginia for sex took a butcher's knife from a nearby market and stabbed Virginia and killed her saying "I am making you free, my child, in the only way I can." An attempted rape of a virgin was prevented by a murder by her own father. This created major civil unrest in Rome. Virginius' speech on Virgina's funeral provoked the Roman plebians to fight against the "aristrocrstic" Patricians. Civil unrest followed suit. Plebians including Roman soldiers fought alongside to make a significant impact on the society. Eventually, patricians conceded. Plebians were given equal rights in all areas. Later on, even plebians were allowed to be elected for consulship  (367 BCE, even both consulship in 342 BCE). Therefore, the (attempted) rape of Virgina and her eventual murder changed the social order of Rome significantly.

Characterizations: Authorial, By Others and Self

1.     Authorial Characterization
2.     Characterization by the Others
3.     Self Characterization

A character can be characterized by three people (or groups). First, it must be acknowledged that all characterization in a literature is the work of an author(s). Therefore, in one sense, all characterization could be considered as the characterization of the author. However, this category is kept separately so that it could be distinguished from the other two. The other two categories are Characterization by the Others and Self characterization.

A character could be characterized by other characters. For example, in Mark 8:27-30, when Jesus asks his disciples “who do you say that I am?” Peter answers and says “You are the Christ.” Peter then characterizes Jesus as Christ. Though the characterization is primarily done by the author, he/she places these words in the mouth of Peter which makes Peter as the one characterizing Jesus as the Messiah. This could be called as characterization by the others.

The third way of characterization is self characterization. In self characterization, a character with speech and actions may characterizes himself/herself. In the book of John, Jesus with the I am sayings he characterizes himself in seven ways: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35); “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12); “I am the gate” (John 10:9); “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11); “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25); “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6); “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Further, the divinity of Jesus Christ is further characterized in self characterization in John 8:58 beautifully. In John 8:58, Jesus says  “Truly, Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Jesus characterizes himself as the one who existed even before Abraham through which he characterizes himself as the one who is divine. This is called self characterization. 

Descriptive Characterization

Descriptive Characterization

Adjectival Descriptive Characterization
Attributive Descriptive Characterization
Predicative Descriptive Characterization
Appositive Descriptive Characterization

Two generally recognized narrative techniques of characterization are showing and telling. In showing characterization, characterization is done by showing what a character does rather than describing who he/she is with adjectives or nouns as attributes. But in Telling characterization is done by direct presentation.

When Antonius asked Noemon whether he gave the boats to Telemachus willingly, Noemon says in III. 874-7: “I agreed to give it to him. Would anyone have acted otherwise, when a man like him, with a grief-stricken heart, makes a request?” Interestingly, the phrase “with a grief-stricken heart” functions as a great characterizer of Telemachus. Telemachus is seen in the whole book as the one who was “grief-stricken” without knowing the whereabouts of his father. But this phrase with an adjective characterizes Telemachus beautifully. This is what I call descriptive characterization. Telemachus was characterized as a grief-stricken son waiting for his father from book. Even in his conversation with Athena he tells how grief-stricken he is. They are showing way of characterization. But here he is described with an adjective clearly describing him as grief-stricken, which shows the classic example of descriptive characterization.

A narrator could describe a character with adjectives, nouns, etc. This I call as descriptive characterization. All characterizations are descriptive in nature where the author describes a character with words, attributes, etc. Berlin says that in descriptive characterization “descriptive terms may be based on status (king, widow, wise man, wealthy, old, etc.), profession (prophet, prostitute, shepherd, etc), gentilic features (Hittite, Amalekite, etc.) or distinctive physical features (beautiful, strong, lame, etc)” may be used (Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation, 35-36). However, direct description is very rare in the stories of the bible. Further I would like to classify this into several parts. When adjectives are used to describe a character I would like to call these as Adjectival Descriptive Characterization. And when the adjectives (even other parts of speech, such as nouns, participles, etc) function as attributive adjective, further characterizing the character, I call this as Attributive Descriptive Characterization. Homer’s Odyssey has good examples in this manner. Interestingly, Homer characterizes each character with a few key, repeated phrases descriptive to the character. He described Zeus as Aegis carrying Zeus, Nestor as Geranian horseman
 Nestor, Athena as clear-eyed Athena, Telemachus as god-like Telemachus.

In Homer, these descriptions are kept quite frequently that these phrases function more than a descriptive characterization and function more like title of the person described. Further descriptive words are also added such as for Nestor it was said “Geranian horseman
 Nestor, protector of Achaeans”
 (Odyssey III. 554) indicating further characterization. While ‘Geranian horseman’ functions like a title the phrase, “protector of Achaeans” functions as further descriptive characterization. This I call as Appositive Descriptive Characterization.

Further, these descriptions could also be kept in Predicate position. A predicate is nothing but a word or a phrase added to a noun with an equative (also copulative) verb (is, was, etc). For example, in a sentence “The fair boy is good,” the word “fair” is attributive in function while “good” is in predicative place. Neomen when he describes the men who went with Telemachus he says in __ “The young men— the ones who went with him—are excellent, except for us, the best this land affords.” The words: “excellent” and “the best this land affords” are descriptions of the young men who went along with Telemachus in search of his father. And these words “excellent” and “best” are kept in the predicate position (after the equative verb describing the subject). Therefore, this is a good example for Predicative Descriptive Characterization.