Difficile est saturam non scribere

the long version

"The concept of varietas - the blend of classical, medieval, and contemporary sources in Renaissance satires - can add to our understanding of the four authentic books of Rabelais's Pantagrueline Chronicles. The first two books are characterized by farce - popular and straightforward satire; while a more subtle and ambiguous form of satire is to be found in the Tiers and Quart Livres. They all illustrate the assimilation and 'creative imitation' of literary models so characteristic of Renaissance texts."--Publisher's website.