Renaissance epic epicedium in Radivilias by Jan Radwan

The study is concerned with the 4th book of an epic poem entitled: Radivilias sive de vita et rebus praeclarissime gestis immortalis memoriae illustrissimi principis Nicolai Radivili […] libri quattuor (Vilnius, 1592) by Jan Radwan. The book, which has a literary shape of epicedium, portrays in a panegyric manner Mikołaj Radziwiłł, the Red struggling against Ivan, the Terrible during the Livonian War. Radziwiłł appears as an ideal ruler and citizen, gifted military commander and a person respected for his bravery, moral strength and honour. His virtues are described according to both the ancient system of moral principles and Christian science of morals