This final volume in the Literary and Educational Writings contains diverse woks spanning a generation. They demonstrate Erasmus' skill in applying classical rhetoric to contemporary Christian needs. Four are short rhetorical pieces; the next group illustrates facets of Erasmus' classical scholarship and includes several works that bear witness to Erasmus' friendship with Thomas More.

The last and most expansive piece in the volume, the Lingua, has not previously been translated into English. This work represents Erasmus' growing criticism of his theological position by both Catholics and reformers.

Volume 29 of the Collected Works of Erasmus series.

Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536), a Dutch humanist, Catholic priest, and scholar, was one of the most influential Renaissance figures. A professor of divinity and Greek, Erasmus wrote, taught, and travelled, meeting with Europe’s foremost scholars. A prolific author, Erasmus wrote on both ecclesiastic and general human interest subjects.

Desiderius Erasmus' profile page

Elaine Fantham is Giger Professor Emerita of Latin at Princeton University and an honorary fellow at Trinity College, University of Toronto. She is former president of the American Philological Association and was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal by the association in 2009. She is a coauthor of Women in the Classical World: Image and Text.

Elaine Fantham's profile page