Aspetti lessicali delle epistole di Ambrogio

In this paper two aspects are examined, concerning the meaning of lexical choices in Ambrose’ letters. Firstly, the use of rare words, that mark texts as belonging to the literary genre of epistolography, both connecting them to a tradition (Cicero) and re-shaping the tradition itself. This is the case of the Greek adoleschésai. Secondly, what we could call lato sensu Ambrose’ ‘playing with words’, namely antimetabole and wordplays based on ambiguitas of common and proper names. This device seemingly reinforces in the whole corpus the ‘epistolary illusion’, i.e. the impression that, through letters, we as readers are enabled to catch a close glimpse of the life of the writer and addressee.