Ancient Latin Epics in Girolamo Vida's Christiad /
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The Christiad (1535) is a Neo-Latin epic by the Italian Renaissance writer Girolamo Vida, based on the Gospels and written at the behest of Pope Leo X. Long seen as a Christian Aeneid, it emerges in this study as a far more complex work, demonstrating that while Virgil remains the main model, Vida also engages deeply with Lucretius, Ovid, Lucan, Silius Italicus, and Statius. By examining Vida's imitative techniques and integration of multiple epic models, this monograph reassesses the Christiad 's relationship with the ancient Latin epic tradition. In doing so, it sheds new light on the afterlife of these classical poems as print made them more widely available.
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1 online resource (260 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004738713
Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism : The Tradition of Segnature, Indigenous and Trans-cultural Shamanic Traditions in Italy /
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Shamanism is thriving as an exotic import and a hidden native tradition in Italy today. This ethnographical work uncovers two faces of Italian shamanism. The first is trans-cultural shamans who creatively adapt rituals and beliefs from indigenous cultures worldwide. Second, extensive fieldwork shows how regional folk magic practices of segnatori and segnatrici constitute a little-known but enduring form of native Italian shamanism. By documenting these parallel worlds, contemporary magic workers appear to be the heirs of ancient local healing traditions. Offering rare insights into vernacular religion, this book vividly portrays shamans' past and present on the Italian peninsula.
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1 online resource (220 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004694187
The Joseph story between Egypt and Israel /
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"Within the context of the Torah, the Joseph story can be read as a transition that explains why Jacob and his family came to Egypt. However, if one looks at other texts of the Hebrew Bible, there is no mention of the Joseph story; instead, the arrival of the Israelites is said to be the result of the decision of a 'father' or of 'fathers' to go down do Egypt. Indeed, there are very few references to Joseph at all in the whole Hebrew Bible. Apparently, the Joseph story is not necessary for explaining why the Israelites found themselves in Egypt. The question therefore arises: Why was this story written, when, and for what audience? This volume offers an overview of the current discussion on the origins, composition, and historical contexts behind the Joseph narrative. There is a tendency to date the story (or its original version) to the Persian period, but this volume includes divergent voices about this issue. The volume also shows that scholarly discussion about the historical location of the Joseph story requires to bring together Egyptologists and biblical scholars."
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vi, 178 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
316160153X
9783161601538