Although the significance of antiquity for the poetry and thought of Giacomo Leopardi is beyond question, the nature of this antiquity is rarely explicitly examined. Starting from the assumption that any reference to antiquity inherently includes its transformation, this volume explores Leopardi's diverse allusions to antiquity, ranging from origin myths and political theory to philosophy and heroism, as well as the practice of translation and individual readings of ancient authors such as Pliny, Propertius, and Virgil. Antiquity in Leopardi proves to be a dynamic resource of a "pensiero poetante" (Antonio Prete), unleashing ever new and surprising movements of thought.