Beyond Defence. Rhetorical Strategies in Paulus Orosius’s Liber apologeticus

Abstract

This paper explores the argumentative structure of Paulus Orosius’s Liber apologeticus within the context of classical apologia. Drawing on Sharon D. Downey’s analysis of classical apologia, the research underscores the work’s adherence to classical rhetorical strategies suitable for this literary genre. Orosius follows a classical speech structure, incorporating elements from rhetorical textbooks like Cicero’s De inuentione. The analysis reveals Orosius’s division of the argument into defence and accusation, organized around status coniecturae. It is also presented how Orosius employs a comparative mode of argumentation, contrasting biblical events with Pelagius’s ideas, supported by emotional appeals and exclamationes. Another important feature of Orosius’s discourse is the frequent use of invective. In summary, my paper provides original insights into Orosius’s argumentative strategies, emphasizing the unique characteristics of the Liber apologeticus within the classical tradition of apologia.