„Spopielałe relikwie” Wiecznego Miasta. Melancholia i nadzieja w Starożytnościach Rzymskich Joachima Du Bellay

Podczas pobytu Joachima Du Bellay w Wiecznym Mieście (1553–1557) powstał zbiór sonetów zatytułowany Starożytności rzymskie (Les Antiquités de Rome), który często po zostaje w cieniu tego bardziej znanego –  Żalów (Les Regrets). Jednak coraz częściej doceniany jest urok wierszy poświęconych Wiecznemu Miastu, historii jego wielkości i upadku. Poeta w sposób konsekwentny opisuje wrażenia, jakie wywołuje w szesnastowiecznym obserwatorze obraz starożytnego miasta, z którego, jak się wydaje, pozostały tylko ruiny. Nastrój melancholii budowany jest przy pomocy obrazów i odpowiednio dobranego słownictwa. Pojawia się wizja miasta obróconego w ruinę, w którym nawet honor jest „spopielały”, a z dawnej chwały pozostała tylko nazwa. Jednak poeta nie chce pozostawić odbiorcy w nastroju przygnębienia i starannie przeplata motywy melancholijne z optymistycznymi: ślady wielkości antycznego Rzymu przetrwały w najświetniejszych utworach literackich, a sam Du Bellay podkreśla, że jest pierwszym poetą francuskim, który opisuje chwałę Wiecznego Miasta. Jest to ważne również z tego względu, że zbiór zadedykowany jest królowi Henrykowi II i zapewne ma mu wskazać drogę, którą powinna pójść Francja, dążąc do doskonałości rzymskiego imperium, unikając jednak jego błędów. Zbiór nie jest zatem tylko melancholijnym wspomnieniem starożytnego Rzymu, ale również canzoniere poświęconym pięknemu miastu, w którym można odnaleźć inspirację do budowania Francji w duchu gallikanizmu.

ABSTRACT

The “reliques cendreuses”of the Eternal City. Melancholy and Hope in Antiquités de Rome by Joachim Du Bellay

During his stay in Rome (1553–1557), Joachim Du Bellay composed the collection of sonnets Les Antiquités de Rome, often overshadowed by the more famous Les Regrets. However, the charm of the poems dedicated to the eternal city, and the history of its greatness and fall, is increasingly appreciated. The poet consistently describes the impressions of a sixteenth-century visitor contemplating the image of the ancient city from which only ruins seem to have remained. The mood of melancholy is built by a specific construction of images and appropriately selected vocabulary. It is a vision of the city turned into ruin, where even the honor is turned into ‘ashes’, and the only remnants of the past glory is its name. However, the poet does not want to leave the reader in a mood of despondency, and carefully interweaves melancholic and optimistic motifs: traces of the greatness of ancient Rome have survived in the finest literary works, and Du Bellay himself emphasizes that he is the first French poet to describe the glory of the eternal city. This is also important because the collection is dedicated to King Henry II and is probably conceived to show him the path that France should follow in striving for the perfection of the Roman empire, while avoiding its weaknesses. Therefore, the collection is not only a melancholic reminiscence of ancient Rome, but also a canzoniere dedicated to the beautiful city, where one can find inspiration to build France in the spirit of Gallicanism.

During his stay in Rome (1553–1557), Joachim Du Bellay composed the collection of sonnets Les Antiquités de Rome, often overshadowed by the more famous Les Regrets. However, the charm of the poems dedicated to the eternal city, and the history of its greatness and fall, is increasingly appreciated. The poet consistently describes the impressions of a sixteenth-century visitor contemplating the image of the ancient city from which only ruins seem to have remained. The mood of melancholy is built by a specific construction of images and appropriately selected vocabulary. It is a vision of the city turned into ruin, where even the honor is turned into ‘ashes’, and the only remnants of the past glory is its name. However, the poet does not want to leave the reader in a mood of despondency, and carefully interweaves melancholic and optimistic motifs: traces of the greatness of ancient Rome have survived in the finest literary works, and Du Bellay himself emphasizes that he is the first French poet to describe the glory of the eternal city. This is also important because the collection is dedicated to King Henry II and is probably conceived to show him the path that France should follow in striving for the perfection of the Roman empire, while avoiding its weaknesses. Therefore, the collection is not only a melancholic reminiscence of ancient Rome, but also a canzoniere dedicated to the beautiful city, where one can find inspiration to build France in the spirit of Gallicanism.