'Time has passed since you sent your letter': Letter Phraseology in 1 and 2 Maccabees

Research notes: 
18/12/2011 AS Reader checked 22/12/2011 SE
Reference type: 
Journal Article
Author(s): 
Nisula, Timo
year: 
2005
Full title: 

'Time has passed since you sent your letter': Letter Phraseology in 1 and 2 Maccabees

Translated title: 
Journal / Book Title || Series Title: 
Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha
Volume: 
14
Issue / Series Volume: 
3
Number of volumes: 
0
Series Title: 
Abbreviated Series Name: 
Collaborating Author: 
Place of Publication: 
Publisher: 
Pages: 
201-222
Chapter: 
Work type: 
Abstract: 

This article studies how Greek letter phraseology is used in the extensive array of letter texts in 1 and 2 Maccabees. In general, letter phraseology serves the purpose of underlining the reliability of the texts concerned. It is shown that the letter texts point to a good knowledge of Greek epistolary conventions, not only on a basic phraseological level (salutations and other formulae) but also in using more sophisticated means of Hellenistic epistolography (phraseology of friendship, recommendation rhetoric). It is also suggested that some peculiar formulations in the letter of Antiochus IV in 2 Maccabees 9 are due to conscious stylistic considerations by the author of 2 Maccabees.

Notes: 
Language: 
Alternative title: 
JSP
Date: 
Primary Texts: Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha: 
Composition / Author: 
1 Maccabees
Passage: 
12
Composition / Author: 
2 Maccabees
Passage: 
9
Edition: 
Original Publication: 
Reprint edition: 
URL: 
http://jsp.sagepub.com/content/14/3/201.full.pdf+html
DOI: 
ISBN: 
Accession number: 
Call num: 
Label: 
11/07/2005
Record number: 
7 778