Elisabeth Weber
Mourning and Consolation in Basel's Neo-Latin Epicedien
In the 16th to 18th centuries, every deceased person of the Basel bourgeoisie received his or her own funeral oration, which was printed. In numerous funeral orations, there is an appendix at the end with Latin, Greek and, more rarely, Hebrew poems bearing the title "Epicedia" and written by relatives and acquaintances for the deceased person. The content of these epicedia poems revolves around the themes of consolation for the bereaved and praise for the deceased person. The metrically demanding verses reveal not only a profound knowledge of Latin or Greek, but also a delightful play with Greek and Roman motifs. The dissertation project is a first contribution to the epic poems in the printed funeral orations of Basel. It aims to shed light on the reception of ancient culture in early modern Basel.
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