Colloquia Maruliana ..., Vol. 5 , 1996.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Marulić's Six Friends
Cvito Fisković
Sažetak
Concluding his renowned Latin epistle in verse, addressed to Franjo Božićević Natalis, the poet, who at that time was staying at Nečujam, sends his regards to some of his Split friends, inviting them all to his quiet cove on the island of Šolta:
... Ipsos nunc Thalia nostra salutat,
Intima quos nobis iungit amicitia,
Hyeronimum cythara clarum, gravitate Marinum,
Ruris et agrorum cultibus Alvisium,
Nicoleon risu facilem, sed ut ipse iubemus
Ante salutetur Barbarus usque meus.
Ille licet Musis et sanguine praestet avorum,
Non tamen invitus carmina nostra legit.
The author undertakes to find out the true identity of these personages, the only clue to it being their first names and the poet’s brief remarks on their characters.
Hieronymus cythara clarus is most probably Jerolim Papalić (Hieronymus Papalis), son of Matija, who, according to the poet’s biographer F. Natalis, sang Marulić’s poems with great expressiveness, accompanied by the lyre (carmina sua ad lyram argutissimis modulis decantare solebat).
Nicoleos risu facilis could refer to a certain Nikola Alberti, known for having sent his juvenile poems to Marulić and to whom the poet replied in a short epistle, praising his exceptional talent.
The most difficult task was, however, to identify Marinus, whose characteristic, according to Marulić, was gravitas. The author suggests that this personage could be recognized in the figure of Marin Domić, bringing forth new evidence to complete the picture of that rather obscure contemporary of Marulić. Mentioned in archival docu-ments as ser Marinus Domitius, Domić was on terms of personal friends with the il-lustrious Toma Niger (Thomas Nigris), a close friend of Marulić. Toma’s younger brother Kristofor (Christoforus Nigris), to whom the poet dedicated an epitaph, prob-ably also belonged to Marulić’s humanist circle.
Alvisius, good at cultivating fields, is probably Alviz Papalić (Alvisius Papalis), whom Marulić appointed to act as the executor of his will.
Special greetings are sent to a certain Barbarus, distinguished, according to the poet, for his verse and his old stock. He is probably Ermolao Barbaro (Hermolaus Barbarus), who, at the beginning of his career, held the office of treasurer and castellan at Split and who came from an illustrious Venetian family conspicuous for propagating the ideas and habits of the Renaissance Humanism in the 15th and 16th centuries. The poet was undoubtedly well acquainted with the names and the prominence of Ermolao’s illustrious ancestors, since his library contained a work by Francesco Barbaro, entitled De re uxoria. Also, the poet probably kept in high regard the role that Ermolao, as the castellan of Split, played in the defence of the town against the Turks.
The same grievous circumstances were the reason of Marulić’s invitation to his friends, who he wished to distract from concerns and sufferings brought about by Turkish bloody pillage, persecutions and violence, that were taking place in the surroundings of Split. Marulić’s epistle is an exhortation to his friends to forget all the miseries of the time and enjoy a fugitive moment of Renaissance convivality in his calm port.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
9721
URI
Datum izdavanja:
22.4.1996.
Posjeta: 2.340 *