“Carmen nuptiale” by Jan Bielski as an example of Jesuit writings of occasional character

Abstract

This article discusses the poetic piece by Jan Bielski entitled Carmen nuptiale included in his tragedy Aleksy, cesarz wschodni (Alexy, eastern emperor) (Poznań, 1764). This drama was given to Joanna Nepomucena Działyńska and Teodor Koźmiński on the occasion of their wedding. In print there are two parallel versions of the wedding poem: a Latin one directed to Teodor, and a Polish one, addressed to Joanna. Both the occasion for writing the text and placing the poem within the occasional editorial framework of the piece caused that the Jesuit made reference to the rhetorical model of laudatio personae and made use of ready-made ‘praising cliché’ in the creation of the bride. Joanna’s laudation, however, was presented in the attractive form of an epic story. Bielski skillfully combined biographical information with panegyric elements. With his text he became part of a long tradition of adding splendor to important events in the lives of noble families by Jesuits in the former Republic of Poland.