WIECZNE ŚNIEGI I KWIETNE ŁĄKI W POEZJI FILIPA KALLIMACHA
ETERNAL SNOWS AND FLOWERY MEADOWS IN THE POETRY OF FILIPPO CALLIMACHUS

Summary/Abstract: The paper refers to two contradictory images of Poland contained in elegies by Filippo Buonaccorsi Callimachus. Quite concise, stereotypical descriptions of Poland as a northern country covered withsnow and ice serve to locate the place of action and the origin of Fannia—the heroine and the ad-dressee of the collection as well as of a few other familiar characters. Furthermore, with antitheses (e.g.barbarian country versus beauty, barbarian country versus literary creation), the descriptions allowto amplify their admiration. Further descriptions are considered more vital, namely that of Polish win-ter as one of the seasons, and those of warm spring and summer. Callimachus was the first, long beforeJan Kochanowski, who offered a vision of Poland based on pastoral locus amoenus and Horatian springodes (I 4 and IV 7) and patterned on ancient praises of countryside, known from the Roman elegy andHorace’s 2nd epode. He was also the first to use the motive of flower chaplet that a girl gives to a boy asa sign of love.

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