The first book of the De excessu fratris is built around three main thematic strands, namely consolation, expression of grief, and praise of the deceased. Alongside Ambrose inserts many personal recollections: these are clearly autobiographical elements. The analysis is conducted according to two themes: the bond between the two brothers and the theme of grief. Four levels of autobiographical writing are recognisable: (1) a psychological one, linked to writing as catharsis; (2) the account of the lives of the two brothers is interpreted in the light of passages from the Bible; (3) Ambrose raises his own grief as an exemplum of how Christians should deal with the loss of a family member; (4) a Christological level, because Ambrose's personal grief is assimilated to that of Christ.
University of Naples Federico II, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-2157-2345
Chapter Title
Lacrimavi ergo, fateor, etiam ego: elementi autobiografici nel primo libro del De excessu fratris di Ambrogio
Authors
Daniele Di Rienzo
Language
Italian
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-0676-1.06
Peer Reviewed
Publication Year
2025
Copyright Information
© 2025 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Book Title
In aula ingenti memoriae meae. Forme di autobiografia nella letteratura tardolatina
Book Subtitle
Atti dell’International Workshop - Siena, 13 e 14 giugno 2024
Editors
Filomena Giannotti, Daniele Di Rienzo
Peer Reviewed
Number of Pages
240
Publication Year
2025
Copyright Information
© 2025 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Publisher Name
Firenze University Press, USiena Press
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-0676-1
ISBN Print
979-12-215-0675-4
eISBN (pdf)
979-12-215-0676-1
eISBN (epub)
979-12-215-0677-8
Series Title
Studi di Antichistica