GAIUS VALERIUS MAXIMUS, OR THE MORALISING HISTORY, ITS FATES THROUGHOUT THE PAST CENTURIES AND THE POLISH TRANSLATION OF BOOK IV 1-15

G. Valerius Maximus, a roman author living in the times of Augustus and Tiberius, wrote somewhat singular volume entitled Factorum et dictorum memorabilium libri novem. Its intention was to supply teachers of schools of rhetoric with historical material that they were to use in teaching and resuscitating mores maiorum as well as in drafting moralising speeches. Nine books demonstrate over 950 examples taken from history of Rome (exempla domestica) and foreign nations (exempla externa). Valerius took the generally well-know historic figures, their fates, events and sayings, adopted from various historians and writers and arranged them according to virtues and vices. His historiographic method relied on the Cyceronian concept which was founded on two canonical premises: “historia magistra vitae” and “historia opus oratori magnum maxime”. The introductions to almost every chapter, whose number exceeds 90, are the most original fragments. Facta et dicta memorabilia, with its air of Roman tradition, patriotic and humanitarian notions and feelings enjoyed great popularity throughout the ages, as a reference work on general history of antiquity and handbook of Latin. That students were able to learn moral values on actual examples was even more important. In Poland, Valerius’ work was known since the times of Wincenty Kadłubek (12th/13th cent.); in the 15th-17th century the volume is discussed at lectures at the Academy of Cracow, is referenced or quoted in the writings of Polish historians and writers (Paweł of Krosno, Marcin Bielski, Stanisław Iłowski, Krzysztof Opaliński and others). 1609 saw the publication of a somewhat peculiar translation by Andrzej Wargocki, in which the translator not only omitted certain parts, but also extended the text by examples taken from the history of Poland. The author of the paper argues that a new Polish translation of the antique monument be made and himself translates fragments 4, 1, praef., 1-15.Based on Facta et dicta memorabilia by Valerius Maximus, the author discusses a type of moralising history in the ancient times and selected examples of its fates in Antiquity, the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque periods in Europe, Poland in particular. The quoted translations of excerpts from Book IV indicate the need to effect a Polish translation of the text.919721812Studia Europaea Gnesnensi