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KRASSER, H., Horazische Denkfiguren. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen, 1995. 164p. Sewn. Series: Hypomnemata, Untersuchungen zur Antike und zu ihrem Nachleben, 106. Nice copy. ‘This book is the revision of a 1989 Tübingen thesis under the direction of E.A. Schmidt, and its metapoetical tendencies reflect this background. Krasser’s main thesis is that the passages of Odes 1-3 where Horace represents himself as connected with the gods (…) form a crucial part of his self-representation as an elevated and independent poet, in a sense matched with the gods in that the poetry of the ‘Odes’ is a great achievement and can itself confer immortality. This idea differentiated the poet’s grander self-representation in ‘Odes’ from less pretentious claims in Horace’s other poems. This thesis is in general not unattractive, and is here argued with clarity and learning and with much interesting illustrative material; but, at least in the form presented here, it will not convince all readers. (…) This is an interesting work which provides much information and much food for thought (…). It is rich in bibliographical and other material on various topics, but these are not always those central to its main arguments and are in some cases unnecessary (…). Nevertheless, this is a book which asks important questions about Horace’s self-presentation in the ‘Odes’ (…) and deserves praise for its determination to find answers, even if those answers will not command universal assent.’ (S.J. HARRISON in Gnomon, 1998, pp.672-676). € 20.00 (Antiquarian) ISBN: 9783525252062