The Classical Tradition : Greek and Roman Influences on Western Literature

Gilbert Highet’s The Classical Tradition: Greek and Roman Influences on Western Literature is a landmark work first published in 1949 that explores how Greek and Latin literature have profoundly shaped the literary traditions of Western Europe and America. Highet traces the influence of classical themes, genres, and authors—from Ovid and Virgil through the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque periods, to the rise of modernism—demonstrating how classical literature underpins key developments in Western literary history. The book is noted for its broad scope, accessible style free from dense academic jargon, and its humanist perspective, making it a foundational text in the study of classical reception and comparative literature.