Two Friends, a Poem and Vilnius

To mark the year of Matthias Casimir Sarbievius and Baroque Literature, Vilnius University Library offers two digital stories on the Baroque. The first is dedicated to the life and literary work of Sarbievius, while the second is devoted to the Baroque pattern poetry. “Two Friends, a Poem and Vilnius” is a narrative intertwining several documents preserved in Vilnius University Library related to the life of Baroque poet Sarbievius. 

The buildings in the Observatory Courtyard were designated for monastic life, while those in the Grand Courtyard were intended for the Academy and the University. 

It might be that Matthias Casimir Sarbievius (1595–1640) and Pawel Kozłowski (1592/93–1651) got acquainted and, apparently, became good friends somewhere in these or adjacent parts of the 17th–century Vilnius.

Perhaps their paths crossed in Vilnius when they joined the Society of Jesus – Sarbievius entered the Society at 17 in 1612 [17], and Kozłowski at 18 or 19 in 1611 [5]. It might be that they got to know each other in the novitiate beside St. Ignatius Church, during the two years of the novitiate, where "there was a large community of novices, several supervising fathers and brothers who helped to run the community." [9, P. 102].

In 1621 and 1622, both young Jesuits were theology students at Vilnius University. 

In the Extraordinary Book of the Provincial, there is an entry about the theological students who were examined by five examiners in the spring of 1622, in front of the Rector. Sarbievius, a second-year theology student, and Kozłowski, a first-year student, were examined on the same day, 27 May. Both were successful, although one of Sarbievius examiners noted that he felt there was a lack of effort.

In summer, the friends’ paths separated—in August 1622, Sarbievius left for Rome to study, while Kozłowski spent all four years of his theological studies in Vilnius.

The next known meeting between the two friends occurred three years later in Nyasvizh. The Lithuanian Jesuits had established a tertianship in Nyasvizh, the last stage of the formation intended for deepening the spiritual life of graduating priests. The tertianship lasted for one year, beginning in the autumn and ending in the summer.

Extraordinary Book of the Provincial records exhaustive character references written by Father Bartilius to Sarbievius and Kozłowski. These references are situated in the book only one page apart.

Indeed, the characteristics "suggest that the two were of a similar disposition" [13, P. 34]. It can also be noted that Father Bartilius’ character references, which were a part of the Jesuit formation process and had a specific addressee, at the same time preserved some lively portraits of the friends who possessed "various human qualities and talents" [8, P. 27].

It is not known whether Sarbievius and Kozłowski, who parted in Nyasvizh, ever met again.

He continued to write poetry, was a literature theoretician, taught at various Jesuit colleges and Vilnius University, and was invited to work as a preacher in King Władysław Vasa’s court.

A letter written by Kozłowski to Sarbievius in 1633 that has survived to the present day suggests that the relationship between the former classmates had not broken off and that there was "probably quite intense communication and correspondence” between them [13, P. 33].

However, another exclusive meeting of friends took place in the world of the ode written by Sarbievius. 

It is in this edition that the 35^th ode of the Lyrics’ fourth book has been published for the first time, preserving both the memory of friendship and a charming portrait of the city. The text of the ode is rich with cultural and historical marks and references to time and space.  This text is just one way of reading the ode touching on the friends’ meeting and its setting. 

The pause from the labours of Palade – the goddess Athena, patron of science, among other things – is associated with Sarbievius' and Kozłowski's studies at the university and can be understood as an invitation to take a break from intensive studies for a tour around Lukiškės surroundings. However, the poem is thought to have been written later, in 1631, after the completion of studies, perhaps during the summer holidays spent by the friends at the Vilnius Jesuit summer villa.

A recreational day trip had to start early in the morning. The green Lukiškės Hill, where the friends are about to climb, is like the axis of the ode’s world. It is both a meeting and a lookout point, from which you can see what is otherwise invisible – the whole city. An atmosphere of friendly conversation permeates even the city, as if walking in step and sharing a glance.

The rhetorical figure used in the ode—the description of a place (descriptio loci ) [12, P. 7]—captures the details of the environment, which is why the poetic image of the city is so close to reality. Despite the distance of four hundred years, it seems to be recognisable and even trackable to today's reader: the bend of the Vilija—the Neris River—the city's sanctuaries and domes, the castle of Gediminas, and the hills.

The suburb was sparsely populated, and the townspeople used to go to these hills, then known as Moliakalnis and Devil's Hill, to relax and enjoy the views. From here, you could see a cosy view of the city, lined with the eastern hills, which was also a favourite of 19th-century Vilnius photographers. 

However, in the 17^th century, there were more than one Lukiškės: the Totoriai Lukiškės, the Lukiškės of the Seminary, the College or Great Lukiškės, and the Minor Lukiškės – all places, possessions or plots of land, which were all referred to as Lukiškės. It was a vast area with undefined boundaries, starting west of the city wall and extending along the Neris River to today's Vingis Park and even further. The Lukiškės Hill mentioned in the poem will probably be linked to the present-day Vingis Park, which was also forested at the time and was called Lukiškės Pinewood. This was the site of the Great Lukiškės, also known as the Radziwiłł or the Jesuit Lukiškės. Around the site of the present Vingis Botanical Garden was the recreation place of the Jesuits, the students and professors of the University. Surely, two scholarly fellows visited this summer villa during their free time from lectures or on holidays.

The reader's gaze is brought to the meeting place in the ode by a sailor’s riverboat, with which, carried by his full blown sail, the spring seems to be floating up the river. This river sailor is also part of the former city, and his harvest carrying boats sail from the port of Lukiškės, floating grain, leather, timber and other goods. The river port, with its piers, boats and warehouses, was located somewhere between today's Liubartas and Žvėrynas bridges. The Lukiškės summer villa is situated just around the bend in the river, downstream.

The green hill covered with rustling oak trees, at the foot of which a river flows, is probably the hills with high precipices on the other side of the former Jesuit summer villa. The view of Vilnius is special from there – across the distance – and this view of the city certainly echoes in the lines of the ode: From thence, far off, the Temples we’ll behold. Today, it is also a place for walks, with paths along the ridges and ravines of the Karoliniškės hills. 

The city is constantly changing, and its panoramic views are constantly shifting – in some places they disappear, in others, new views are opening. Even now, in early spring or autumn, when the trees have shed their leaves, while walking along the ridges of the hills, one can see Vilnius’ views echoing those portrayed in the ode: the domes and churches, the tower of the Castle of Gediminas, against the undulating city landscape. It might be taken as a coincidence – even today, oak trees grow on these hills.

The "here" repeated several times in the ode – Here, tops of Hills, themselves behold or Thence from the midst o’ th’ hill all Vilna shall / Our prospect be […] – shows that the ode’s lyric speaker is very familiar with the place, he was there and has an experience of the place and therefore it sounds like time here is paradoxically intertwined – it is both a recollection, and the place of the upcoming, awaited encounter, which in the poem is Vilnius.

The complete poem, translated from Latin into English by George Hils in 1646, can be read in one uninterrupted sitting at this reference: Ode 35. Lib. 4.  To Paulus Coslovius.

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Explore the Baroque pattern poetry here: Five Poems in Shapes

Vilnius University Library 2025

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