“To turn one idea into more shapes than Proteus”: The copious use of words in Erasmus and Milton

Abstract

The article aims to present a critical application of Richard Waswo’s notion of the “cosmetic” aspect of language in the Renaissance, with a special focus on Erasmus' and Milton's language praxis within a framework of two related issues: Questione della Lingua and Imitatio.

Keywords

• John Milton, Erasmus, language praxis, imitatio, Questione della Lingua