Did Josephus write the received Paulina and Mundus?

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maryhelena
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Re: Did Josephus write the received Paulina and Mundus?

Post by maryhelena »

Paul the Uncertain wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:32 am Greetings, MH
Have you given any thought to the idea that the Paulina story is an allegory?
I have thought about it as a stand-alone work. I don't see allegory so much as social satire. Fairly blunt social satire, too. Among the Roman characters (Paulina, Mundus, Ida, Saturninus, and Paulina's friends), intellectual firepower and severity of punishment are inversely correlated with social status.

Among them, only freedwoman Ida is depicted as having concern for a fellow human's well being (however callous she is towards Paulina). Paulina's relationship with her friends is depicted as dominated by status display, and Saturninus seems altogether emotionally absent, before and after the outrage.

In farce, heavy handedness like that is a feature, not a bug.
A Josephan allegory not Roman gossip.
I can see gossip at some lower level of detail and specificity (Temples of Isis are cesspits of corruption ...), and an opportunity to compare and contrast the Jewish scandal ("they made money the old fashioned way; they stole it") with something much worse, a toxic corruption perhaps believed to be typical of the Isis cult.
the Pauline story, a story following the TF
I doubt that the Fulvia story, and so whatever version of the Paulina story was originally present, if any, belongs where we find it now. However,
perhaps a linkage between the two stories is possible. Both stories contain references to crucifixion.
Yes, and there's the character name Saturninus in parallel roles, and the revelation of the crime specifically on the 'third day.' I am told that some people see the idea of a married woman consorting with her god as parallel to the betrothed mother of Jesus being impregnated by hers.

Moving the text block to its current position adjacent to the TF may have served somebody's agenda sometime during the 800-900 years that we don't get to see the state of the manuscripts.

It may be of some interest to compare the received Antiquities version of the story with pseudo-Hegesippus's (Book 2, chapter 4), online here:

http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/heges ... _book2.htm

There's no Ida, executions but not specifically crucifixions, no name Saturninus, and no specific timing for the revelation of the crime. It is a bit shorter than the other, but develops other concerns of the characters in some detail, especially as "pillow talk," partially making up for its relatively streamlined cast and plot.
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You have an interesting take on the Paulina story. I'm of course coming from a very different perspective. History, Hasmonean history as recorded by Josephus, being my main interest. Hence, it would be history that would influence my approach when viewing the Paulina story as allegory. Your thread has motivated me to have a closer look at the Paulina story - perhaps more to that story than meets the eye. So, my thanks for this thread.
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