1. „Polluit sanguis iste, non redemit“ -- Beobachtungen zum Motiv des Blutes in Firmicus Maternus, De errore profanarum religionum.
- Author
-
Reese, Bettina
- Subjects
- *
DEVIL , *SACRAMENTS , *POLLUTION , *CHRISTIANITY , *SALVATION , *CULTS ,ROMAN Empire, 30 B.C.-A.D. 476 - Abstract
In his De errore profanarum religionum, Firmicus Maternus fiercely attacks the traditional cults of the Roman Empire as well as the mysteries, which he considers to be the invention of the devil and a complete perversion of Christian sacraments. This paper analyses the motif of blood in his work. A close reading of the text reveals that Firmicus applies dichotomic functions to the use of blood in ritual contexts, such as poison and remedy, purity and pollution, and salvation and damnation. These dichotomies serve two purposes for him: First, they allow him to construct clear boundaries between the pagan religion (deliberately constructed as 'one' system and suppressing its diversity) and Christianity as two opposing religious systems. Second, by turning the tables, they allow him to undermine the traditional conceptions concerning ritually used blood. Thus, he presents 'pagan' blood as being venomous, polluting, and only leading on the road to perdition, whereas only the blood of Christ truly has the power to heal, to cleanse, to redeem, and to grant eternal salvation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF