Terrance Callan, «The Style of the Second Letter of Peter», Vol. 84 (2003) 202-224

Readers of the Second Letter of Peter have often commented on its style, usually in negative terms. This essay examines the style of 2 Pet more thoroughly than has been done heretofore, using Cicero’s discussion of style, and that of other ancient writers, as a framework. This examination shows that 2 Pet largely conforms to ancient canons of style and should be seen as an example of the grand Asian style. Recognition of this may help readers avoid unthinking assessment of 2 Pet’s style by standards not accepted by its author, and develop greater appreciation of its style in terms of its author’s own aims and standards.

of the paean (either long - short - short - short, or short - short - short - long), the former kind at the beginning of a sentence, and the latter at the end. Cicero comments that the latter kind of paean is almost the same as the cretic (long - short - long) (3.182-83). Sentences should end with either the trochee (long - short) or dactyl or either of them alternating with the second kind of paean or the cretic (3.193).

        Dionysius of Halicarnassus describes the twelve possible two- and three-syllable feet and evaluates each (On Literary Composition 17). The pyrrhic (short - short) is not impressive or solemn, while the spondee (long - long) is. The iamb is not ignoble, but the trochee is. The tribrach is a mean foot, but the molossus (long - long - long) is elevated. The amphibrach (short - long - short) is effeminate and ignoble. The anapest (short - short - long) and the dactyl are both very beautiful. The cretic is not ignoble. Both the bacchius (long - long - short) and hypobacchius (short - long - long) have dignity and grandeur.

        Quintilian’s discussion of rhythm (in Institutio Oratoria 9.4.45-120) is less prescriptive. He too describes the twelve possible two- and three-syllable feet (79-82) and argues that each has its proper use in prose (83, 87-89). He says that one should be concerned about no more than the last three feet of a sentence, nor fewer than two (95), and illustrates the effect of using various feet to conclude a sentence (95-111). He notes that Asian writers frequently end a sentence with two trochees (103).

        Charles Bigg finds in 2 Pet a "tendency to fall into iambic rhythm"²⁴. He explains that "many sentences can be turned into tragic senarii with very little alteration"²⁵. Bigg illustrates this assertion by citing portions of 2 Pet 2,1.3 and 4 that he has altered by omitting or rearranging words. He says that the cadence and color of 1,19 are the same, but does not provide a citation. He says that in the third chapter "there is a perceptible approach to the movement of blank verse"²⁶ and illustrates this by citing portions of 3,10 and 12, in this case without alteration. Finally, Bigg says that 2 Pet 2,22 "falls very