DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49369#0070
52 THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE AND POLYXENA
him. In the Miracula c. 2, a blind beggar is inspired by Satan to
refuse to receive his sight. Lastly, the arrival of Polyxena in
Greece (c. xxiv.) is somewhat like the situation in the Miracula
c. 24.
5. The Acts of Philip. In this case again the introduction
of Philip as an actor in our book is a principal reason for supposing
that Acts of Philip were known to the author. The scene is the
right one : the second ττράξις (ed. Tischdf. p. 95 sqq.) and the
fifth, sixth, seventh, and beginning of the eighth (ed. Batiffo],
Anal. Bolland. ix. 204—248) all treat of Philip’s mission to Greece.
Besides this, in our Acts c. xxv. there is an allusion to the
ε’ττβνδήττ/ς of Philip, which is also mentioned in Act. Phil, in
Hellade § 1. The appearance of a shining inscription on Paul’s
brow (c. viii.) may be compared with Act 5th § 16, where Philip is
seen as μεγα τι, φως, and the speaking lioness in c. xxx. resembles
the leopard of Act 8th 4 and 7.
6. The Acts of Thomas (ed. Bonnet). With this romance,
the completest Gnostic novel which we possess, the Acts before us
show a certain number of coincidences of language. On p. 58 we
have a dream in which an eagle plays a principal part: so in the
dream of Probus, c. xvii. In our Acts, the utterers of prayer often
profess their inability to speak aright (cc. iv. xiv. xxx.): so do
various speakers in the Acts of Thomas (pp. 13, 54, 73) and in
very similar terms. There is also a certain resemblance in
vocabulary: βκφαναι (c. i. and p. 53) έπι,ζητώ (cc. iv. viii. etc.:
p. 13, etc.) are two instances: the condescension of Christ, and in
particular the Descent into Hell, are dwelt upon (cc. iii. xii.: pp. 10,
13, 81). And, speaking generally, the style of the speeches and
prayers in our book resembles very strongly those in the Acts of
Thomas. The other points are insignificant, but a comparison of
the speeches in cc. iv. vi. xii. xiv. with those on pp. 13, 43, 53, etc.
of the Acts of Thomas will go further than any amount of detail
to show that the latter has served to mould the style of the
former.
What conclusions can we draw from the facts here collected as
to the date and character of our book? One point may have
struck the reader: it is that a sharp line of demarcation may be
drawn between cc. i.—xxi. and xxii.—xlii. Paul, Xanthippe and
him. In the Miracula c. 2, a blind beggar is inspired by Satan to
refuse to receive his sight. Lastly, the arrival of Polyxena in
Greece (c. xxiv.) is somewhat like the situation in the Miracula
c. 24.
5. The Acts of Philip. In this case again the introduction
of Philip as an actor in our book is a principal reason for supposing
that Acts of Philip were known to the author. The scene is the
right one : the second ττράξις (ed. Tischdf. p. 95 sqq.) and the
fifth, sixth, seventh, and beginning of the eighth (ed. Batiffo],
Anal. Bolland. ix. 204—248) all treat of Philip’s mission to Greece.
Besides this, in our Acts c. xxv. there is an allusion to the
ε’ττβνδήττ/ς of Philip, which is also mentioned in Act. Phil, in
Hellade § 1. The appearance of a shining inscription on Paul’s
brow (c. viii.) may be compared with Act 5th § 16, where Philip is
seen as μεγα τι, φως, and the speaking lioness in c. xxx. resembles
the leopard of Act 8th 4 and 7.
6. The Acts of Thomas (ed. Bonnet). With this romance,
the completest Gnostic novel which we possess, the Acts before us
show a certain number of coincidences of language. On p. 58 we
have a dream in which an eagle plays a principal part: so in the
dream of Probus, c. xvii. In our Acts, the utterers of prayer often
profess their inability to speak aright (cc. iv. xiv. xxx.): so do
various speakers in the Acts of Thomas (pp. 13, 54, 73) and in
very similar terms. There is also a certain resemblance in
vocabulary: βκφαναι (c. i. and p. 53) έπι,ζητώ (cc. iv. viii. etc.:
p. 13, etc.) are two instances: the condescension of Christ, and in
particular the Descent into Hell, are dwelt upon (cc. iii. xii.: pp. 10,
13, 81). And, speaking generally, the style of the speeches and
prayers in our book resembles very strongly those in the Acts of
Thomas. The other points are insignificant, but a comparison of
the speeches in cc. iv. vi. xii. xiv. with those on pp. 13, 43, 53, etc.
of the Acts of Thomas will go further than any amount of detail
to show that the latter has served to mould the style of the
former.
What conclusions can we draw from the facts here collected as
to the date and character of our book? One point may have
struck the reader: it is that a sharp line of demarcation may be
drawn between cc. i.—xxi. and xxii.—xlii. Paul, Xanthippe and