Book excerpt: In the course of an academic career spanning five decades, Professor Roy Arthur Swanson established himself as an internationally recognized scholar and outstanding teacher in Classics and literary studies. He is the author of five books and the co-author of three books, and has been active as an editor and contributor of articles and reviews to scholarly publications. Twelve former students, colleagues, and friends have contributed papers in honor of Professor Swanson's seventy-fifth birthday. These papers all touch on subjects close to his heart, ranging from Greek, Roman, Italian, Scandinavian, and German literary studies to modern pop culture.