De Sancto Antonio et monstris

Deep in the desert, where silence stretches as vast as the night sky and holds as many secrets as the stars above, and where the wind carries only the echoes of long-forgotten stories, two figures stood face to face: Antony, who had turned his back on the world to seek holiness, and Paul, the first hermit.
The path to the old ascetic’s retreat was anything but easy. As he traversed the barren wilderness, Antony encountered beings that seemed to have stepped out of the world of myth – a centaur and a satyr. Were they illusions sent by the devil to lead him astray? Or signs from God, meant to guide him on his way?
This extraordinary journey was set down in the 15th century by Maffeo Vegio – humanist and poet – who wove the life and deeds of Saint Antony into the measured rhythm of hexameter verse. In our meetings, we will delve into passages from the second and third books of his work, tracing a narrative where the austere world of Christian hermits meets the lingering echoes of ancient legend.
Could a hermit truly have encountered creatures from the realm of pagan myth? Or is this a riddle wrapped in allegory, waiting to be unraveled?

This course will be led by dr Elisabetha Górka.

The first class on April 2nd at 20:00 (CEST)
The second class on April 9th at 20:00 (CEST)

Participation fee 120 PLN / 30 EUR