Anabasis
Gradual Ascent
Anabasis is the figure in which a writing, speech, or discourse ascends step by step, each successive expression carrying an increase of emphasis or sense. Each member is stronger, higher, or more inward than the one before it, so that the hearer climbs with the text up to a summit. Anabasis forms a pair with its opposite figure Catabasis (descent); the two must be studied together so that the contrast is clearly seen.
Etymology
Greek ἀνάβασις (anábasis), from ἀνά (aná, “up”) and βαίνειν (baínein, “to go”). βάσις (básis) means “a step”. Anabasis therefore literally “a going up”, “ascent”. For the same reason Xenophon entitled his account Anabasis: it narrates Cyrus’ army’s expedition up from the coast into Central Asia. The Latins rendered the figure as INCREMENTUM (“growth”, “increase”), from which our word “increment”. Kindred Greek names are AUXESIS (αὔξησις, “growth”, “increase”) and — when the ascent is not merely from weaker to stronger but from things terrestrial to things celestial, from things mundane to things spiritual — ANAGOGE (ἀναγωγή, from ἀνά and ἄγειν ágein, “to lead”: “a leading up”).
Definition
Anabasis builds an upward stair. Each successive member outweighs the one before, so that tension increases and at the top of the stair the full force of the matter cannot be evaded. When the increase is restricted to single words — not whole sentences or images — the figure is called Climax (q.v.). Anabasis nearly always appears in connection with Parallelism (Wave C): three or more parallel members form the treads of the stair. Its opposite is Catabasis, in which the gradation descends; Bullinger treats the two side by side so that the contrast may be felt.
Bible examples
Threefold Anabasis with Parallelism — Ps. 1:1:
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Three ascending steps in the persons:
- the first are the ungodly, as to their mind;
- the second are sinners, who not only think but carry out the workings of their evil minds;
- the third are scorners, glorying in their wickedness and scoffing at righteousness.
And at the same time an ascent in the verbs: walking (taking counsel) → standing (acting, making it the principle of their walk) → sitting (settling down, as on a seat). A corresponding Anabasis appears in Ps. 2:1-3 (heathen → peoples → kings and rulers); the fulfilment is in Acts 4:27.
Other examples of ascent:
- Ps. 7:5 — “Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust.”
- Ps. 18:37-38 — “I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.”
- Isa. 1:4 — “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters!” — four ascending designations of Israel’s apostasy.
- Ezek. 2:6 — “And thou son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks.” Anabasis to charge the prophet to deliver the Word against every degree of opposition.
- Dan. 9:5 — “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments.” Five ascending steps of self-accusation.
- Hab. 1:5 — “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”
- Zech. 7:11 — “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law…” An ascent that lays bare Israel’s hardening step by step.
- Zech. 8:12 — “For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.”
- 1 Cor. 4:8 — “Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us…” Threefold Anabasis through Asyndeton — the omission of “and” hurries the reader to the summit.
- 1 John 1:1 — “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” Five ascending degrees of certainty concerning the incarnate Word.
Related figures
- catabasis — the opposite figure: gradual descent; to be studied together, as both display their full force only in mutual contrast
- hyperbole — frequently joined with Anabasis to accent the summit of the stair (cf. Ezek. 2:6)
- asyndeton — ascent often runs Asyndetically: the omission of “and” hurries the reader to the climax (cf. 1 Cor. 4:8)
- parallelism — Wave C; Anabasis nearly always operates within parallel members
Source
E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (1898), pp. 429-434.