This volume embeds Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock's biblical epic poem Der Messias (1748-1773) in the context of contemporary discussion concerning epic poetry. In the middle of the 18th century the 'epos' was perceived to be the most important of all literary genres. It shows, that the idea of 'aemulatio', i. e. the competition with both classical and modern models which distinctly aims at surpassing these paragons of poetry, is constitutive for Klopstock's Messias. The biblical epic poems written by the epigones of Klopstock will serve as a comparison: Johann Jacob Bodmer's erudite "Patriarchade" Der Noah (1752), Christoph Martin Wieland's fabulous biblical epic poem Der gepryfte Abraham (1753) and Salomon Gessner's idyllic prose epic poem Der Tod Abels (1758).