The patron of our university, Jan Kochanowski was born in Sycyna in 1530, died in Lublin (south-eastern Poland) on August 22, 1584. He was one of the greatest poets of the Renaissance in Poland. During 1544-1559 he studied in Cracow (Poland), Königsberg (Prussia, currently Kaliningrad, Russia) and Padua (Italy). At the beginning of his writing, Jan Kochanowski used Latin, a universal language at that time. However, most of his works were in Polish. He is considered as a poet who developed Polish literary standards.
The most famous works:
- Dismissal of the Greecian Envoys (first published in 1578) – the first Renaissance tragedy written in Poland.
- David’s Psalter (first published in 1579) – a paraphrase of the Book of Psalms from the Bible.
- Laments (first published in 1580) – a set of 19 poems written after a sudden death of his dagugter, Urszula.
- Trifles (first published in 1584) – minor poems on the customs and lifestyle of society of the time.
- Songs (first published during 1580-1586) – written throughout his life, mostly after his marriage and during his stay in Czarnolas (after 1574). These are literary forms similar to Trifles, but with a more prominent lyrical element.
