Pierre Vesperini,“« Un gentil mécréant, avec qui l’on entre aussitôt dans le seul monde qui compte »: Cinq lettres du père Festugière à Michel Foucault (1956-1957)”, Anabases 31, 2020, 125-130.

André-Jean Festugière was known to me as the translator of Artemidorus, Onirocritica, which Foucault discusses in the The Care of the Self and the Subjectivity and Truth lectures. I discuss that reading at length in Foucault’s Last Decade. I also knew that in 1956, Foucault invited Festugière to Uppsala to speak at the Maison de France.

Now Pierre Vesperini has published the letters which Festugière sent to Foucault – Foucault’s letters have unfortunately not been found – and they are an interesting insight into an intellectual friendship. Another footnote to The Early Foucault, and an unexpected indication of a line to follow for a future project.