Leben und Abenteuer des Großen Königs Apollonius von Tyrus zu Land und zur See: Ein Abenteuerroman von Heinrich von Neustadt verfaßt zu Wien um 1300 nach Gottes Geburt. Übertragen mit allen Miniaturen der Wiener Handschrift C, mit Anmerkungen und einem Nachwort von Helmut Birkhan. Second unchanged ed. (first: 2001). bern, berlin, et al.: Peter Lang, 2005. Pp. 463; 10 colored ill., 119 b/w ill. €40.70.

Dispositio Picta—Dispositio Imaginum: Zum Zusammenhang von Bild, Text, Struktur und 'Sinn' in den Überlieferungsträgern von Heinrichs von Neustadt "Apollonius von Tyrland." Von Simone Schultz-Balluff. Deutsche Literatur von den Anfängen bis 1700, 45. Bern, Berlin, et al.: Peter Lang, 2006. Pp. 396; 128 b/w ill. ¤67.40.

One of the great literary "bestsellers" throughout the Middle Ages was the amazing account of King Apollonius of Tyre (Historia), originating in late antiquity. The first version of this internationally popular romance was created shortly after 215 C.E. in Latin, but it seems to have been based on a Greek text. Since then Apollonius has exerted a great appeal far into the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and it continues to be most attractive even for modern readers. Around 1300 the Viennese author Heinrich von Neustadt created a Middle High German version, expanding it considerably and adding numerous new anecdotes and adventures that the protagonist has to go through. Heinrich produced his version for the Viennese aristocratic audience, but despite his considerable success subsequent German poets, such as the anonymous composer of the so-called Leipziger Apollonius (after 1419) and Heinrich Steinhöwel (1461), returned to the Latin 'original' for their own renditions.

Albrecht Classen
University of Arizona