Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium Graecae et Latinae
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Sacrae litterae. Anagramatyczne wariacje na temat Virginis – Deiparae w Oraculum Parthenium Józefa Stanisława Bieżanowskiego (1668) [Sacrae litterae. Anagrammatic variations on Virginis Deiparae in Oraculum Parthenium by Joseph Stanislaw Bieżanowski
Get PDFJoseph Stanislaw Bieżanowski, a professor at the University of Krakow, a eulogist and poet, in the collection entitled Oraculum Parthenium (Krakow 1668) used a hundred of simple anagrams of Giovanni Battista Agnese published in Rome in 1661. These short (one-sentence) phrases, formed from the letters of the first part of the Angelic Salutation (Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus Tecum), accentuated on Mary’s immaculate purity and freedom from the stain of the original sin on the one hand and her divine motherhood on the other, thus increasing the role and the importance of Mary in God’s plan of salvation. Bieżanowski used these anagrams, making each of them a motto elaborated on in his epigrammatic comment. Epigrams of the Krakow lecturer are characterized not so much by the deepening of the religious reflection, as attention to the formal aspects, the pursuit of artistry. This is reflected in the application, many times within one work, of rhetorical figures highly valued in the Baroque (antitheses, oxymorons), the chiastic structure and interspersing the punch line of the epigram with the anagram from the motto (sometimes in a modified form). Anagram not only served as an additional rhetorical decoration, highlighting the main idea of a work, but also provided a bridge integrating the entire composition. Bieżanowski enclosed the anagrammatic-and-epigrammatic praise of the Virgin Mother of God by an interesting theory of the genre outlined in the preface to Pope Clement IX, whom the University of Cracow gave the collection while making efforts to proceed with the beatification of John Cantius. It combines the literary and theological reflection and in this way exalts the genre, contrary to the opinions of some seventeenth-century theorists. Bieżanowski’s original approach is also evident in the change in the system of anagrams proposed originally by Agnese. In this new system Oraculum Parthenium could perform several functions: educationional, propagandistic and polemical. Above all, however, it was a poetic prayer, complementing the official Marian liturgy
Z Tibullusowej palety gatunkowej . Modlitwa i hymn jako wykła dniki programu poetyckiego elegika
Get PDFThe author’s aim is to analyse religious hymns and litterary prayers contained in love elegies by Tibullus. These genres are used in order to emphasise his sincere relation with poet’s native villages and to underline his intense attachment to Messala
An Unwelcome Aspect of Life: the depiction of Old Age in Greek Vase Painting.
Get PDFThe subject of old age is rarely addressed in Greek vase painting and usually appears in scenes from mythology or daily life. Older men in these representations are Homeric heroes, esteemed as kings, leaders and sages who have rendered great services to society; older people are also present in scenes of everyday life – usually as fathers or child supervisors. depending on the technique of decoration, these figures were characterised mostly through hair colour (as well as thinning hair and baldness in the case of men), a stooped and frail frame or an obese one. Besides, on red-figure and white-ground vessels it was possible to render facial wrinkles. These features apply predominantly to the images of men, because due to the social ideal of kalokagathia Athenian women were usually depicted as timelessly young. The article contains an analysis of selected depictions of the elderly in vase painting in terms of their iconography and the types of scenes in which they appear, including references to the written sources
Kilka uwag na temat polskiej edycji Seksualizmów łacińskich Jamesa N. Adamsa (A few observations on the Polish edition of The Latin Sexual Vocabulary by James N. Adams)
Get PDFLast year, Homini Publishing House published a Polish edition of The Latin Sexual Vocabulary by J.N. Adams. The translation was made by J. Janik. In comparison with the original English version, the Polish edition has been enriched with translations of its Latin quotations. In this paper, I will carry out a critical review of the Polish edition of the book.Hoc superiore anno in lucem prodiit Polona editio libri The Latin Sexual Vocabulary a I.N. Adams conscripti, quem Polonice reddendum curavit Ioanna Janik. Opus illud, quamvis valde desideratum et propter thema susceptum vera laude dignum, haud exiguo lapsuum numero, qui in Polona interpretatione exemplorum Latinorum occurrunt, admirationem affert singularem. Poloni editores tacito quoque praetermisisse videntur libri censuras, quae primam eius editionem Anglicam sequerentur, ubi iuste quidem operis vitia enumerarentur. Nihil ergo correctum, nihil ex enumeratis vitiis in illa recentissima editione adnotatum est (praeter corrigendorum et adnotandorum indicem in ultimis pagellis versionis propriae positum). Nonnullis ergo mirum fortasse appareat librum quendam vitiosum ad scientiarum disciplinas investigandas spectantem nunc triginta dilapsis annis ab eius prima editione in vernaculas linguas interpretari, cum certe illius temporis spatio scientiarum status multo progressus sit. Nullum tamen opus aliud vocabulis Venereis Romanorum adhuc dicatum est, quam ob rem duo restant faciunda: aut liber diligentissime recensendus, aut materies ipsa denuo investiganda et novo libro tractanda. Quod nisi fiat, sperandum est proximam libri editionem correctiorem fore, hac praesenti autem philologorum animos ad oriundam disputationem de Latinis vocabulis eroticis admoveri
Famae petitor. Lucan’s Portrayal of Pompey.
Get PDFIn spite of the fact that Lucan’s sympathies are apparently with the Republicans, his attitude to Pompey, which emerges from the Pharsalia, turns out to be rather critical. Moreover, this criticism actually comes very close to ridicule. Lucan depicts Pompey as a senile and narcissistic leader who dwells on his past success and lives in the world of his own fantasies. Trapped in the vicious circle of his delusions of grandeur, he is rather grotesque than majestic. The harder he tries to enhance his public image, the more pathetic he becomes both in the eyes of his friends and in those of his enemies. The effects of his efforts are, therefore, quite contrary to their purpose. On the one hand, the figure of the senile and deluded Pompey is the caricature of the decaying Roman Republic, whose degeneracy it obviously mirrors. On the other hand, however, Lucan’s grotesque anti-hero is the exact opposite of archetypal epic characters such as Virgil’s Aeneas. Willing yet unable to emulate his literary predecessors, he functions as the caricature of the literary paradigm of a standard epic hero
Pocieszenie dla Liwii po śmierci syna Druzusa (przekład Consolatio ad Liviam) („Consolatio ad Liviam” – a Polish translation)
Get PDFConsolatio ad Liviam is a poem written in elegiac couplets at the beginning of 1st century AD by an anonymous author. Although the text used to be attributed to Ovid until as late as 16th century, its artistic level, historical context and meta- as well as intertextual hints almost certainly disprove his authorship. While not exceptionally remarkable as a piece of literature, the Consolatio seems to be of a certain interest from the historical point of view and to bring a valuable image of the Augustus’ entourage as well as funeral rites. It is also a noteworthy example of a combination between two literary traditions, namely those of consolatio and epicedion. Therefore, a first Polish translation should be useful for philologists and, more significantly, historians, who not always have obtained the knowledge of Latin sufficient to read ancient poetry. A pseudo-isometrical translation has been chosen, in order to compromise the Roman colouring with the metrical requirements of the Polish language
Myśli Heraklita – niedrukowane drobiazgi z przekładów Stefana Srebrnego (Heraclitus’ Thoughts: Unprinted Bits and Pieces of Stefan Srebrny’s Translations).
Get PDFThe author publishes several ‘thoughts’ by Heraclitus translated by Prof. S. Srebrny (1890–1962), so far unprinted, and compares them with three other and most recent translations of the philosopher’s aphorisms. It turns out that the value of S. Srebrny’s translation is unimpaired by time, and it remains to be regretted that not all of the Greek thinker’s surviving fragments had been translated into Polish by Srebrny’s hand
Marek Fabiusz Kwintylian, Institutio oratoria, Księga XI 3, 30–184 [Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, Institutio oratoria, book XI 3, 30–184 (Introduction and translation)]
Get PDFQuintilian begins the 30th chapter of the 11th Book claiming the rules of oratory declamation are identical with the rules of word art. Pronuntiatio will be more clear if, above all, words will be spoken whole and not swallowed or omitted. According to Quintilian, well-chosen pronuntiatio is adjusted to the topic of the speech. For the most part it is driven solely by emotions and the orator’s voice rises and resounds. Voice, which is a kind of mediator between us and our audience, will reach the judges in the same shape it leaves us. Next the author of Institutio oratoria devotes a large passage to gesticulation as it complements voice and is obedient to the commands of mind. In plays written for performance on the stage the masters of oratory declamation find inspiration for expressing emotions also from the characters of a drama. This is why in tragedy Merope is sad, Medea is terrifying, Ajax is benumbed and Hercules is aggressive. In laudatory speeches, with the exception of funeral ones, the words should be flowery, magnificent and exalted in order to express thanks, encouragement etc. The funeral speeches, consolations and most of defensive court speeches are characterized by pain and humility. When we speak in senate we need to be authoritative, when in front of the people – dignified, when in private affairs – moderate. Pronuntiatio should have three qualities: it should cause good will, convince and affect, as this is how delight can be naturally evoked. Favour of the audience can be won either by praise of character, which is mysteriously revealed in the voice and gesticulation of an orator, or by the charm of style. Quintilian ends Book 11th with a remark that moderation plays the most important role. His aim is to form an orator, not a comedian. This is why he does not recommend to search for all the subtleties of gesticulation, nor to use classifications, rhythms or emotional states in the way of speaking. He is right when he criticises pronouncing words with exaggerated face expressions, distracting gesticulation and abrupt changes of tone. An orator should control his speech, aiming to achieve elegance and style and yet not to lose the authority of a noble and dignified man
Old Age before the Court: Monnica and Socrates in Book Nine of Augustine’s Confessions.
Get PDFEven though the character of Augustine’s mother, Monnica, has been studied from different angles, the students of the Confessions have not paid much attention to a curious image of her standing before the tribunal of God, which appears in Augustine’s prayer after her death. This short scene, which could be called the “trial of Monnica” is a carefully created passage, in which Augustine juxtaposes Pagan and Christian ethical ideas, probably alluding to Socrates’ trial and confronting the Christian attitude of his mother to that of the greatest of ancient sages. Augustine argues that Monnica should not respond to the Devil’s accusations and should not try to defend herself, because that would make her salvation impossible. On the contrary, abandoning of defense and loving trust in God’s mercy can save her soul from eternal damnation. This attitude is contrary to the proud self-defense of Socrates, who emphasized his innocence and moral perfection. Augustine’s image of Monnica before the court of God is an expression of his idea of original sin and of human inability to achieve virtue without God’s grace, which is a significant break with the Pagan ethical tradition. The end of Book Nine is also an intriguing combination of such elements as the traditional idea of old age as the time of assessing one’s life, Roman rhetorical and judicial tradition, and integration of Biblical and philosophical truths into an original, influential Augustinian synthesis
Quemlibet dehortari ne … senectutis vicia desideret. Maximianus’s Elegy on Old Age and a Few Examples of Its Medieval Reception.
Get PDFThe present paper is devoted to Maximianus, and in particular to the motif of mala senectutis as developed by this late antique (6th cent. A.D.) Latin elegiac poet. After discussing some particularly informative passages, I focus on Maximianus’s interpretations and reinterpretations by Columbanus (543 – 615), Eugenius of Toledo († 657), and the anonymous author of the ninth century Imitatio Maximiani. I also point out his presence in vernacular medieval literature, namely English. Last but not least, I demonstrate how Maximianus’s image of an old man praying to Mother Earth inspired one of medieval scribes copying his text (in ms BJ 2141)