Metamorphic Reflections: Essays presented to Ben Hijmans at his 75th birthday

by R. van der Paardt, M. Zimmerman

This Festschrift honours the Dutch Latinist Ben Hijmans. Besides his studies on Seneca and Ovid, Hijmans published numerous articles on ApuleiusAe works. In 1973 he initiated the research project Groningen Commentaries on Apuleius, and until his retirement he was editor-in-chief of the series of commentaries issued from that research project. This collection of essays contains a number of important new and original articles on Apuleius' Metamorphoses, on the reception of the Latin novel, and on Apuleius' rhetorical work. The book presents original research on Ovid's Metamorphoses and its reception. Other contributions testify to the broader interests of Ben Hijmans and deal with general cultural aspects, art history, the art of translating, archaeology and iconography. Ben Hijmans' fascination with, and insight into mythical motifs is reflected not only in articles on Pyramus and Thisbe and Actaeon respectively, but also in contributions on Narcissus and on Seneca's mythical tragedies and their transformation in Roman Declamation.

345 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2004