Author Description

At his sudden death in 1987, Håkanson left a number of unpublished scholarly works. A former volume in this series (2014) printed four essays on the pseudo-Quintilianic Major Declamations; one more has appeared elsewhere. The present volume contains a commentary on Book One of the Controversiae by Seneca the Elder. After an introductory note by the editors, Michael Winterbottom offers a sympathetic appreciation of Håkanson’s life and scholarship. This is followed by a full bibliography of his publications. Håkanson’s own introduction deals with three key issues: Seneca’s sources and his use of memory; his method of composition; and the textual tradition of the excerpts from his work. Håkanson’s Teubner text (1989) of Controversiae I is subsequently reprinted. The core of the volume is Håkanson’s commentary, mostly – but not exclusively – devoted to textual elucidation. The volume closes with a bibliographical updating on the issues dealt with by Håkanson in the book, and an index locorum. With its keen insights and stimulating discussions, this publication appeals not only to scholars focussing on ancient rhetoric, but to anyone concerned with the culture of the Roman imperial era.