Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, Italian, English, Spanish, and German: those are the eight languages that Dutch Golden Age poet Constantijn Huygens (1596?1687) used to write his poetry and
correspondence. He also knew a bit of Hebrew and Portuguese. Examining a wide range of Huygens’s writings?including personal letters, state correspondence, and poetry?Christopher Joby
explores how Huygens tested the boundaries of language with his virtuosity as a polyglot. From Huygens’s multilingual code switching to his writings on architecture, music, and natural
science, this comprehensive account is a must-read for anyone interested in this Dutch statesman and man of letters.
