2007
DOI: 10.1215/03335372-2006-022
|View full text |Cite
|
Sign up to set email alerts
|

From Polemic to Exegesis: The Ancient Philosophical Commentary

Abstract: Commentary was an important vehicle for philosophical debate in late antiquity. Its antecedents lie in the rise of rational argumentation, polemical rivalry, literacy, and the canonization of texts. This essay aims to give a historical and typological outline of philosophical exegesis in antiquity, from the earliest allegorizing readings of Homer to the full-blown "running commentary" in the Platonic tradition (fourth to sixth centuries CE). Running commentaries are mostly on authoritative thinkers such as Pla… Show more

Help me understand this report

Search citation statements

Order By: Relevance

Paper Sections

Select...
1

Citation Types

0
1
0

Year Published

2012
2012
2018
2018

Publication Types

Select...
3
2
1

Relationship

0
6

Authors

Journals

citations
Cited by 36 publications
(1 citation statement)
references
References 66 publications
0
1
0
Order By: Relevance
“…Less comprehensive and non‐linear commentaries had already been written on Plato’s works by his pupil Crantor (Proclus, in Tim . 1.76.1–2), and an exegetical tradition of interpreting religious statements pre‐existed them (Betegh 2004: 46; Baltussen 2004 and 2007). Learned Jews also had a long tradition of writing commentaries on the Pentateuch , and during the Hellenistic period some, most notably Philo of Alexandria (first century BCE to first century CE), composed his commentaries under the influence of pagan Greek philosophy (see Runia 1986 and 2001).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Less comprehensive and non‐linear commentaries had already been written on Plato’s works by his pupil Crantor (Proclus, in Tim . 1.76.1–2), and an exegetical tradition of interpreting religious statements pre‐existed them (Betegh 2004: 46; Baltussen 2004 and 2007). Learned Jews also had a long tradition of writing commentaries on the Pentateuch , and during the Hellenistic period some, most notably Philo of Alexandria (first century BCE to first century CE), composed his commentaries under the influence of pagan Greek philosophy (see Runia 1986 and 2001).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%