prodigal son. The play was performed by the students of Trinity College in Cambridge, and at Prague University. In 1539 Macropedius’ most successful play, Hecastus, was published. This drama secured him a place among the world's dramatists. It is a freely composed version of the late medieval Dutch morality play Elckerlijc (in English known as Everyman). The main character, Hecastus, is a wealthy young man enjoying the good things of life. When he learns that he is to die soon, not one of his friends, relatives or servants is willing to accompany him on his final journey. It's considered a masterpiece and it was very successful. Before the end of the century, Hecastus was performed and printed in the original Latin and in translation. Twelve independent editions and six German translations are known. One of these translations was made by the famous poet of the Reformation, Hans Sachs. The play was also translated into Danish, Dutch and, in 1681, into Swedish. In the Netherlands, Hecastus was performed several times. In Germany the play was the most successful. Eighteen performances have been well established. For the second edition (1552), Macropedius had to revise and extend the play. The tolerant humanist Macropedius was apparently suspected of sympathizing with the Reformation. Therefore, he was forced to revise and extend the second edition (1552) of the play as can be concluded from the prologue as well. Legacy Macropedius’ successes were not only limited to the field of drama. As a teacher or headmaster in 's-Hertogenbosch, Liège and Utrecht he had many students who later became influential men in government, science and in the arts. Among them were the Greek scholar Arnoldus Arlenius; the philologist Willem Canter; Johannes Heurnius, professor of medicine at Leyden university; the geographer Gerardus Mercator; the lawyer and friend of William of Orange, Elbertus Leoninus; the printer Lawrence Torrentinus, who became famous in Italy; and the well-known physician Johannes Wier, who disputed the belief in witchcraft as early as 1563. Macropedius remained famous until at least half a century after his death. In 1565 a group of former students published a collection of poems to commemorate their admired master: Apotheosis D. Georgii Macropedii. In the seventeenth century, Macropedius and his works gradually sank into oblivion. His plays were no longer performed and his books were not reprinted anymore. The plays were written in Latin, whereas the self-confident poets and playwrights of