The Myth of Paganism Classical Literature and Society Series Editor: David Taylor Classics and the Bible: Hospitality and Recognition John Taylor Culture and Philosophy in the Age of Plotinus Mark Edwards Homer: The Resonance of Epic Barbara Graziosi & Johannes Haubold Juvenal and the Satiric Genre Frederick Jones The Myth of Paganism: Nonnus, Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity Robert Shorrock Ovid and His Love Poetry Rebecca Armstrong Pastoral Inscriptions: Reading and Writing Virgil’s Eclogues Brian Breed Pausanias: Travel Writing in Ancient Greece Maria Pretzler Propertius: Poet of Love and Leisure Alison Keith Silent Eloquence: Lucian and Pantomime Dancing Ismene Lada-Richards The Roman Book Rex Winsbury Thucydides and the Shaping of History Emily Greenwood CLASSICAL LITERATURE AND SOCIETY The Myth of Paganism Nonnus, Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity Robert Shorrock LONDON • NEW DELHI • NEW YORK • SYDNEY Bloomsbury Academic An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10018 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com First published in 2011 by Bristol Classical Press Reprinted by Bloomsbury Academic 2013 © Robert Shorrock 2011 Robert Shorrock has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identifi ed as Authors of this work. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury or the author. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: PB: 978-0-7156-3668-8 E-pub: 978-1-4725-1966-5 E-pdf: 978-1-4725-1965-8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. Contents Editor’s Foreword vii Preface ix 1. Introduction: The Myth of Paganism 1 2. Inspiration and Authority: The Voice of the Poet in Late Antiquity 13 3. Christ and Dionysus: Nonnus’ Paraphrase of St John’s Gospel 49 4. Dionysus and Christ: Nonnus’ Dionysiaca 79 5. The Poetics of Late Antiquity 116 Notes 133 Bibliography 163 Index 175 v This page intentionally left blank Editor’s Foreword The aim of this series is to consider Greek and Roman literature primarily in relation to genre and theme. Its authors hope to break new ground in doing so but with no intention of dismissing current interpretation where this is sound; they will be more concerned to engage closely with text, subtext and context. The series therefore adopts a homologous approach in looking at classical writers, one of whose major achievements was the fashioning of distinct modes of thought and utterance in poetry and prose. This led them to create a number of literary genres evolving their own particular forms, conventions and rules – genres which live on today in contemporary culture. Although studied within a literary tradition, these writers are also considered within their social and historical context, and the themes they explore are often both highly specific to that context and yet universal and everlasting. The ideas they conceive and formulate and the issues they debate find expression in a particular language, Latin or Greek, and belong to their particular era in the classical past. But they are also fully translatable into a form that is accessible as well as intelligible to those living in later centuries, in their own vernacular. Hence all quoted pas- sages are rendered into clear, modern English. These are books, then, which are equally for readers with or without knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages and with or without an acquaintance with the civilisation of the ancient world. They have plenty to offer the classical scholar, and are ideally suited to students reading for a degree in classical subjects. Yet they will interest too those studying European and contemporary literature, history and culture who wish to discover the roots and springs of our classical inheritance. The series owes a special indebtedness and thanks to Pat Easterling, who from the start was a constant source of advice and encouragement. Others whose help has been invaluable are Robin Osborne who, if ever we were at a loss to think of an author for a particular topic, almost always came up with a suitable name or two and was never stinting of his time or opinion, and Tony Woodman, now at Virginia. The unfailing assistance of the late John W. Roberts, editor of the Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, is also gratefully acknowledged. Deborah Blake, Duckworth’s inde- fatigable Editorial Director, has throughout offered full support, boundless enthusiasm and wise advice. vii Editor’s Foreword Finally, I pay tribute to the inspirational genius which Michael Gun- ningham, fons et origo of the series and an editor of consummate skill and phenomenal energy, brought to the enterprise. His imprint is everywhere: sine quo, non. David Taylor viii Preface It has taken a long time for this project to see the light of day. I had high hopes of finishing this book before the birth of my first child. I now have three children and that first child is already seven years old. The Myth of Paganism has indeed been dragging on for so long that at times even I began to think that it was itself a myth. That I should have finished it at all is miraculous, but if anyone is to blame then Vedia Izzet must stand at the top of the list. To Deborah Blake I owe a great debt of gratitude for putting up with my regular prevarications and excuses with saintlike patience and never giving up on the book (and for her help with the cover). I would like to thank Michael Gunningham as the original commissioning editor for the series and the current series editor David Taylor for his helpful comments and support. A number of friends and colleagues have commented on various parts of the book, shared articles, ideas and bibli- ographies. I am particularly grateful to Gianfranco Agosti, Fotini Hadjit- tofi, Jason König, Konstantinos Spanoudakis and Mary Whitby, and to the participants of a stimulating conference on Later Greek Literature organ- ised by Caterina Karvounis and Richard Hunter at the University of Cambridge back in 2006. I would like to thank Eton College for the sabbatical leave that has at last given me the chance to put an end to The Myth of Paganism and to apologise in advance to my parents who think that the book they ordered on Amazon several years ago is going to be a ‘good read’. 31 May 2010 R.E.C.S. Cyprus ix