Abstract

Adding to an already quite impressive collection of writings on the 16th century and particularly on Erasmus, Professor Hyma has given us a most interesting account of some of the scholarly controversies which have attended the study of Erasmus’ life. Convincingly Hyma argues that there is no reason for assuming that Erasmus was publicly abusive of Pope Julius. Erasmus’ relationship with Luther, on reading Hyma’s account, becomes quite complex and many-faceted. An extremely important discussion of Erasmus’ relationship to "Epicureanism" is found in chapter 15.