First edition and translation of an unpublished poem (1566) from Johanna Otho to Camille de Morel

Abstract

This paper presents the first full edition and translation of an unpublished (1566) poem written by Johanna Otho and sent to Camille de Morel. Both young women, linked by their mutual acquaintance Karel Utenhove, were internationally recognized for their learning. Otho’s poem is a significant contribution to the corpus of women’s Latin poetry. This paper also offers a brief introduction to the poem’s historical context and suggests contem- porary political resonances for Otho’s poem. Her poem contains allusions to the conflict between courtly life and religion, which reference the ongoing conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Europe and specifically France.