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During the second century C.E., there was a newfound need to
know about other people. This need was expressed in a newly created
genre: the biography. An analysis of the author's life would be
created, but not using the same criteria that we would use today
to define a biography.
A biography was not necessarily a historically accurate book.
In fact, many of the "facts" contained within the book
came from what the author thought the person should have said
and not what he actually said.
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Secondly, the major points of a person's life would likely be glossed
over in exchange for some of the smaller events. Plutarch writes, "I
am not writing histories but biographies, and it is not mainly in the
most striking actions that virtue or vice is revealed. On the contrary,
a small detail, a word, or a joke is often better index of character
than combats resulting in thousands of deaths, or the most important
pitched battles and sieges" (1.2).
Also, it was not necessary to remind people of what you did wrong during
your life. Anything that was less than perfect would be summed up by
a single phrase in the biography and then the author would continue
on. "We must then seek out what is best; nor should we limit ourselves
to contemplating it, but make this contemplation food for our minds"
(Plutarch, 1.3). While many authors attempted to create a biographies,
few were as successful and popular as Plutarch.
This was a popular genre in the foundling Christian movement of the
second century. Many authors attempted to take the stories circulating
in the Christian community and write a biography of Jesus' disciples
known today as the Acts. As with
the non-Christian biographies, the authors did not find it necessary
to check the accuracy of the information they had and would often add
extra events to make the accounts seem more fantastic and make the Christian
movement appear more credible.
Another popular form of Christian biographical writing was the martyrology
or the description of a martyrdom. Many of these survive and some relate
the terms of death to those of Jesus (as in The
Martyrdom of Polycarp). The usual martyrology includes the martyr
being given the chance to live if he denies Christ or worship the Emperor,
but the martyr always refuses. The execution is then carried out and,
usually, miraculous events surround the death.
Plutarch
The Acts
of John
The
Martrydom of Polycarp
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