' Part i of the work deals with the poet's conception of his own position. In Prudentius' statements regarding himself Thraede finds an important source of illumination in respect of his style, historical position, and originality; he confines his won investigation to the poet's motives in writing poetry as expressed above all in the ' Epilogus'. He (...) conducts a ruthless examination of the 'Epilogus' and traces the influence of poetical and rhetorical topoi in its composition together with their previous history; he finds in this poem a nexus of conventional motifs which have parallels in classical or late writers or in both; it affords no evidence for a sense of Christian mission in the poet. Thraede shows a wide familiarity with literary and rhetorical conventions, particularly those of the fourth century; his investigation of those to be found in the 'Epilogus' (and elsewhere in Prudentius) and his account of their history are of interest; and it is proper that full consideration be given to the stylistic factors involved. (...) Part ii is mainly concerned with Prudentius' use of metaphors that denote writing, theri history, and their various functions. (...) In matters of latinity and of general accuracy Thraede does not always display the discretion we might expect of a reformer of Prudentius-research (...).' (A. HUDSON-WILLIAMS, in The Classical Review (New Series), 1967, pp.165-166). From the library of Prof. Carl Deroux.