From Homer to Dante, from Virgil to Milton, the legacy of Greece and Rome has shaped the very foundations of Western literature. Gilbert Highet’s The Classical Tradition is a sweeping study of how classical thought, style, and imagination continued to inspire writers across centuries. With erudition and clarity, Highet traces the transmission of myths, genres, and ideals, showing how the ancient world remained a living presence in medieval, Renaissance, and modern works. Both a scholarly resource and a passionate celebration of continuity, this landmark volume illuminates the enduring dialogue between antiquity and the Western literary imagination.