I've been able to get back to writing this week, but I am still bogged down in this chapter section on Gregory of Nazianzus and Maxiums the Cynic.
#amwriting

The chapter deals with examples of "verbal clothing" in Christian texts, specifically the ways in which Christian writers wrote about the clothing and appearance of philosophers for either apologetic or polemical purposes.

So sometimes the philosopher's garment is associated positively with pedagogical and moral authority, and sometimes it is associated with deception, falsehood and immorality. A lot of this actually goes back to the Hellenistic schools.

Gregory does both -- when writing about the same person! In Or. 25 he praises the priest Maximus the Cynic for his fashion choices. As a Christian who dressed like a philosopher he represented the convergence of reason and faith.

But after Maximus tried to install himself as bishop of Constantinople in place of Gregory, Gregory recanted. In his De vita sua, he disfigures Maximus rhetorically, focusing now on his long curly blond hair and wearing of cosmetics (things he ignored in Or 25).

He presents Maximus as sexually ambiguous, both male and female. Whereas his resemblance to contemporary philosophers had earlier been a boon, now it was a reason for suspicion.

Translating this section of De vita sua, I learned a whole bunch of new Greek words for hair, curls, hairstyling, and the like.

which is cool just because it's interesting, but also because I come from a family of hair professionals -- mom was a hairdresser and dad was a barber. A few aunts and uncles were also in the business.

Did mention I can probably count on both hands the number of haircuts I've paid for *in my life*, and most of them while I was in Italy for extended periods.