Distorted Exegesis and Gregory of Nazianzus’ Poetic Response: A Revised Text and New Interpretation of Carm . II.1.39.1–24

Abstract This article argues that vocabulary drawn from Origen is crucial for understanding the opening section of Gregory’s poem On His Own Verses , a poem central to his self-conscious articulation of a classicizing Christian poetics. It also adopts a transposition proposed by Nigel G. Wilson and presents a revised text, together with a translation and commentary on selected passages. Gregory’s argument may be summarized as follows: he expresses regret that he did not advise people in time against attempting exegesis, since writing about God is not for most, who can at best reach only the literal or lower senses, which can never yield unassailable explanations of Scripture. Since the world is already full of heretical interpretations, one remaining response – by way of further disseminating sound readings of Scripture – is to recast part of his prose works in verse.