An inquiry into the extent and nature of Ben Jonson's familiar knowledge of classical Latin authors, and the reflection and influence of that knowledge on his work and character

By showing the nature of his borrowings, by attempting to asses what apparently attracted him towards individual Latin classics, by showing his more absolute as well as relative likes and dislikes, and by estimating his total as well as specific indebtedness to his Majora Sidera, in particular, I hope to build up a picture, from one point of view, of both the man and his literary methods, and to make clear the position and the function that I believe he essayed in the literature and culture of his day.