Augustine of Hippo as philologist and commentator

Taking its start from the edition of Augustine`s first commentary on the account of creation this project will study the philological and exegetical techniques of this work of Augustine. By comparing the hermeneutical methods of other works of the same author dedicated to the same creation narrative, an overall picture of Augustine as philologist and exegete can be drawn. The project will pursue three central themes: 1) The grammatical and philological techniques. - In Augustine`s intellectual world grammar as a discipline for establishing and interpreting texts operated on four clearly distinct divided levels: the clarification of the terms, the clarification of the facts, metrics, and the use of language and style. The project has within its scope to determine to what extent Augustine`s knowledge and application of these philological techniques influenced his understanding of the Genesis account. 2) The influence of the neoplatonic commentary upon Augustine`s exegesis. - During late antiquity the most important medium of philosophical expression was commentaries, predominantly on Plato and Aristotle, which emerged in the context of a school first in oral and later often in written from. This systematically structured genre of philosophical commentary with its initial statement of the topic, the citation of the text prior to its explanation, and the hypothetical form of argument had its influence on Augustine. Special attention will be devoted to the question of the role played in his interpretation of the Bible by the ontological or metaphysical basis of such philosophical commentary and by the idea that word of the inspired text is an outpouring of the primordial One. 3) The impact of Augustine`s semiotics upon the practice of textual interpretation. - In several works Augustine develops a theory of signs that describes the reflexivity of the verbal sign, metalanguage, conventional codes as norms for understanding, and the subordination of the "verbum" to "res". As a consequence of his linguistical scepticism Augustine argues that knowledge of God is not truly communicated by means of the word of the Bible, but by the rational soul. The question to be dealt with is how Augustine as an interpretator of the Bible is able to combine his belief in the preeminence of an individual`s vision of God with the claim that the canonical word of the Bible articulates a truth that holds for everyone.

This project concentrated on philological and exegetical techniques Augustine of Hippo applied in his commentaries on the creation account. By analyzing Augustine`s explanations of biblical terms and biblical stories it became evident that he was well acquainted with all techniques of philology and grammar of his time, though contrary to the aims of pagan education he reduced the value of grammar to its function in teaching the correct use of language. The other scope of traditional grammar, i.e., the interpretation of the works of classical authors, did not find a place in Augustine`s educational program, since the world of pagan poetry has for him a lower ontological status. Furthermore, Augustine was a grammarian of highest ability and one of the most sever critics of his own discipline. When interpreting the creation account, he never discusses philological techniques in central parts of his works, because he aims at actualizing the biblical text for a Christian community. Contrary to historical and critical approaches to the bible which we find in modern theologians, in Augustine not the text itself is in the foreground, but its usefulness for the church. In accordance to his theory of the superiority of meaning over the verbal signs he holds that the doctrine of the church should regulate and control the different ways of interpretation. For it is the church that always is provided with the overall sense which is signified by single and often vague words. Despite his extraordinary qualification in the field of grammar, Augustine acts not as a philologist but rather as a pastor. Very typical of Augustine`s exegetical writings is the disposition which follows the principles of classical rhetoric. Thus, in some of his most important works a threefold structure of exordium - narratio / argumentatio - peroratio can be observed. The reception of the doctrine of the so-called status legales could also be proved. Augustine`s commentaries are strongly influenced by the tradition of the commentaries on (pagan) poetical works, whereas late antique commentaries on pagan philosophical works did not contribute as much to the form and the function of his exegetical works.