ABSTRACT
Harsh, railing satire combines disparagement and ridicule. It is technically called diasyrm. The basic meaning of that term implies tearing a man apart. 1 The example of Elijah and the priests of Baal gave to diasyrm a privileged place - perhaps the most privileged place - among Christians. The glossators and exegetes make that abundantly clear. For Grotius, diasyrm is not unfair when used against those who are truly enemies of piety or corrupters of the people.
