Description: This is a study of ancient didactic poetry, a type of literature which uses verse as the medium for teaching theoretical knowledge or practical skills. Volk combines a general discussion of didactic poetry as a genre in Greek and Latin literature with detailed interpretations of four famous Latin didactic poems by Lucretius, Vergil, Ovid, and Manilius.
Review Quotes: "[This] is the product of a superior mind steeped in the literature, both ancient and modern, relevant to her subject. [Volk's] analyses of her four didactic poets...are clearly and elegantly written, persuasive, and sympathetic, revealing a dry but attractive sense of humour."--Greece & Rome