„Porządek i ozdoba rzeczy”
“The Order and Adornment of Things"

Astronomical Motifs in “Psalm 19” by Jan Kochanowski against the background of the Bible and the Neoplatonic Tradition

Author(s): Agata Starownik
Subject(s): Cultural history, 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, History of Art
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Jan Kochanowski; Psałterz Dawidów; Psalm 19; cosmos in literature; Neoplatonism
Summary/Abstract: The text discusses astronomical motifs in the first part of “Psalm 19” by Jan Kochanowski. They are considered against the background of the Bible and Neoplatonic tradition. The text begins with a brief presentation of the Old Testament original, its composition and the astronomical references it contains. Subsequently, Kochanowski’s text concerning heavenly bodies is juxtaposed with the biblical text, represented by the Vulgate in Robert Estienne’s edition. Neoplatonic thought, represented by the statements of Marsilio Ficino, whose echoes can be discerned in “Psalm 19,” is an important context for the comparison. The article then references a corresponding paragraph in “Pieśń VI” forming part of Fragmenty. Finally, the issue of the dependence of Kochanowski’s work on Buchanan’s paraphrase is briefly discussed. The article seeks to answer two questions relevant to the interpretation of Kochanowski’s psalm: (1) What do the astronomical themes of “Psalm 19” mean to the poet? (2) Can references to celestial bodies in the paraphrase be the basis for inferring the poet’s interest in the cosmos?

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