Giuliano “l’antisanto”. Retorica della santità nelle Or. 4 e 5 di Gregorio di Nazianzo

Abstract

The Κατὰ Ἰουλιανοῦ (Or. 4 y 5) by Gregory of Nazianzus are a milestone in the creation of the image of the Apostate, the epithet with which Julian (361-363) has gone down in history, for having disavowed Christian faith. In this article, we carry out a reading of the two speeches from an "anti-hagiographical" angle, analysing the interaction between ψόγος and hagiography from a rhetorical and literary point of view. We will therefore suggest some interpretations of the mechanisms used by late antique rhetoric of sainthood and their function in the 4th century religious transition.