Gregory’s poems present particular interest as an attempt to create a distinctive Christian poetry within the tradition of classical literature. Gregory may not have been the first to write classicizing Christian verse, but his poetry is the earliest Greek verse of this kind that survives in any great quantity. Gregory often wants to engage his reader in exploring literary allusions. In fact the reader of Gregory’s verses can often fully understand his text only if he is aware of the classical texts to which Gregory alludes.

Christos Simelidis, Selected Poems of Gregory of Nazianzus: A Critical Edition with Introduction and Commentary, 9.