In modern times the Theriaca of Nicander of Colophon (2nd century BCE) has not attracted many enthusiasts. Its complicated style, abstruse diction and technical subject matter - venomous bites and their remedies - have long put off classical scholars. In the wake of renewed interest in Hellenistic poetry, however, Nicander's dark poetry deserves new appreciation. In this book Floris Overduin provides a literary commentary on the Theriaca, focusing on Nicander's artistic merits. Viewed against the background of Alexandrian aesthetics and the didactic epic tradition, Nicander...