Prosecturus eram longius hoc dulcissimum somnium Lucianic Esprit and Menippean Satire in Thomas Morus’ Utopian Dreams

Thomas Morus’ Utopia (1516) does not only bear traces of a philosophical ideal state, a political manifesto and a religious vision, it is also an elaborate literary game: By illuminating the multi-layered reception of Lucian’s œuvre and his use of the σπουδογέλοιον, this contribution will demonstrate in close readings how the humanist author draws on his predecessor’s satiric wit, his strategies in character portrayal and the Menippean topos of the mundus inversus to pillory corrupted European customs.