Why don’t mourners do geometry? St Maximus the Confessor and St Gregory the Theologian’s Oration 27

Abstract

The paper deals with St Maximus? Ambiguum 14 in which this Byzantine theologian interprets a paragraph from the famous First theological oration of St Gregory the Theologian. By way of comparison, the Cappadocian states that Eunomian theological discussions are misplaced in the same manner as doing geometry would be in the time of mourning. Maximus faced a rather difficult task of interpreting this odd comparison. In response to this challenge, he offered several different interpretations, admitting that he would be grateful to anyone who might offer a better solution of this ambiguity. Some scholars who dealt with the text criticism of this very oration did precisely this by suggesting that ?the geometry? (?????????) represented a lapsus calami which replaced the original phrase ?the immoderate laughter? (???? ???????), while others refused to accept their proposal. Reflections are offered in conclusion on the authority present in the patristic texts, both in case of Maximus as well as in the case of contemporary patristic scholars.