The Olympia Epics of Jan van der Noot - Noot, Jonker Jan van der 1539-1595; Zaalberg, C. A. 1909-2004 (Assen Van Gorcum, 1956)
Facsimile edition of 'Das Buch Extasis', 'Een cort begryp der XII. boecken olympiados' and 'Abrege des douze livres olympiades'
With this work, Van der Noot ventured an attempt at a great epic. It was to be called Olympia after the beloved who is there the object of a long and dangerous wandering of the soul, dreamed of by the poet on a spring day. That is why in the German edition - the most complete that remains of it - the work is called 'Das Buch Extasis,' for ecstasy is the going out of the soul from the body. Such soul journeys based on the philosophy of Plato are quite common in European literature. Van der Noot was inspired by an Italian work of this kind from 1499 via a French adaptation. During such a journey, the soul was allowed to gain victories over the powers of hell. He is assisted by the good forces: freedom, reason, deliberation, will, virtue, etc. Along the way he is crowned poet by Apollo and the muses on the Parnassus and from time to time meetings with the beloved took place until finally the poet has reached heaven where the wedding banquet, attended by the gods, is festively arranged and celebrated with songs and speeches. Then the poet awakens from dream; the nightingale sings in the tree under which he lies.
Keywords: 16th Century (1501-1600); Poetry; Antwerp (Belgium)