Abstract
This thesis attempts to enumerate the poetical expressions used by St. Cyprian in his Letters. They are classified under the headings of Metaphor, Metonymy, Personification, Antithesis, Anaphora, Simile, Irony and Litotes.|When the Decían persecution which began late In 249 or early in 250 A. D. threatened the Hierarchy of the Church, St. Cyprian resorted to voluntary exile in order that he might still be of service to his brethren by his Letters.|Those written during the fourteen months of concealment and also those of a later date embrace a. wide variety of subjects. Tender solicitude for the poor, and questions concerning the reception of the lapsed into the Church, the undue leniency towards the lapsed practiced by some certain Presbyters, the mixture of wine with water in the Chalice, the validity of the election of St. Cornelius, the schism of Novatian, heretical baptism, infant baptism, all elicit his most absorbing attention.|His letters to the Martyrs and Confessors, replete with praise for their consummate bravery in facing the torture, with encouragement and exhortation to remain steadfast while keeping the thought of Heaven ever in their minds, and particularly letters to those in the mines all lend themselves especially to poetic diction.|The Letters IV, LVII, LXI, LXIV, LXVII, LXX, LXXII, written in common with others, have been included since probably they express the views of St. Cyprian.|The Latin text used is St. Cyprlen Correspondance par Le Chanoine Bayard, Société des,Belles Lettres, 1925.|The Epistles of St. Cyprian (translation) by John Henry Parker, was employed. One of the articles which proved of invaluable assistance is the Style and Language of St. Cyprian by E. W. Watson.