Fthonos as Seen through the Eyes of Gregory of Nazianzus the Poet

Abstract

The paper discusses the mentions of envy in the poetry of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, specifically in his historical (Carmina quae spectant ad alios, Carmina de se ipso) and moral poetry (Carmina moralia). Since the range of themes in Nazianzus’ poems is broad, the paper also follows the connection between the overall content of the poems and the views of envy they provide. The theme of envy is present in the poems on multiple levels. It is seen as evil, repeatedly identified with the deceptive character of the devil, but also as an aspect of Gregory’s life, be it Gregory as an object of envy or as a person who envies others.