Sacred fictions: holy women and hagiography in late antiquity

253 Pages·1997·3.61 MB·English

by  Lynda L. Coon

Sacred Fictions
THE MIDDLE AGES SERIES
Ruth Mazo Karras, General Editor
Edward Peters, Founding Editor
Acomplete listofbooks in the series
isavailablefrom the publisher.
Sacred Fictions
Holy Women and Hagiography
in Late Antiquity
Lynda L. Coon
PENN
University of Pennsylvania Press
Philadelphia
Copyright © 1997 University of Pennsylvania Press
Allrights reserved
Printed in the United States ofAmerica on acid-free paper
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I
Published by
University ofPennsylvania Press
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6097
Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Publication Data
Coon, Lynda L.
Sacredfictions : holywomen and hagiography inlateantiquity /
Lynda L.Coon.
p. cm.-(The Middle Agesseries)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN0-8122-3371-9(alk.paper)
1. Women inChristianity- History- Earlychurch, ca.30-600.
2. Women inChistianity-History-MiddleAges, 600-1500.
3. Christian women saints-History. +. Christian hagiography
History. 1. Title II. Series.
BRI95·W6C66 1997
270'.082-dc21
IN MEMORY OF
NELSON B. COON AND
JUDY A. COON
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Contents
List ofIllustrations IX
Acknowledgments Xl
Introduction XUI
1. Hagiography and Sacred Models
2. Gender, Hagiography, and the Bible 28
3.The Rhetorical Uses ofClothing inthe LivesofSacred Males 52
4-.God's Holy Harlots: The Redemptive LivesofPelagia of
Antioch and Mary of Egypt 71
5. "Through the Eyeofa Needle": Wealth and Poverty in the
LivesofHelena, Paula, and Melania the Younger 95
6. Civilizing Merovingian Gaul: The LivesofMonegund,
Radegund, and Balthild 120
Conclusion: Sacred Fictions 14-3
Notes 153
Bibliography 203
Index 221
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Illustrations
1. Woman ofSamaria at the well. 47
2. Francesco Traini (P.Lorenzetti?), "St. Mary of Egypt
receiving the Sacrament." 90
3.Francesco Traini (P.Lorenzetti?), "Saints Paul and
Anthony." 92
4. Saint Radegund at the table with the king, praying in her
oratory, and prostrate on the floor. 130
5.Dominique Papety, "Abba Zosimas delivers his cloak to
Saint Mary the Egyptian." 150