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LUCAS, J., Les obsessions de Tacite. Brill, Leiden, 1974. XII,254p. Original gilt titled red cloth. Spine slightly discoloured. Series: Roma Aeterna, VIII. 'The avowed purpose of this book is to solve the outstanding problems presented by Tacitus' work by means of a psychological investigation. The fist section examines the antithesis between 'boni' and 'mali', good and evil, with exhaustive tabulation of the characteristics asribed to good and bad men. (... ) Lucas is always reluctant to accept explanations of phenomena in Tacitus which appel to the canons of rhetoric and the influence of a rhetorical education; he consistently underestimates the degree to which a man like Tacitus must have been imbued with the rhetorical conventions of thought and expression prevalent in his time. (...) The second section discusses a series of parallel speeches(...) The third section seeks to establish certain 'neurotic traits' in Tacitus' character by analysing his conception of night, his fondness for the unresolved dilemma, his attitude to death and the gods, to the 'pollustion ' of Britannicus and to the moral law in general. (...) I would stress that despite its many and various faults and follies this book is worth reading. It makes one think, and that at least is more than can be said for most books on Tacitus.' (ROBIN SEAGER in the Classical Review (New Series), 1977, pp.35-36). From the library of Professor Carl Deroux. € 22.50 (Antiquarian) ISBN: 9789004039681