Petrus Lotichius Secundus, Carminum libellus

One of the most important Latin elegiac poets of humanism is Petrus Lotichius Secundus, born in 1528 in Niederzell near Schlüchtern (Kinzigtal), who died in Heidelberg in 1560 after an eventful life. His "Elegiarum liber et carminum libellus" ("Book of Elegies" and "Booklet of Songs") was published in 1551.

The cyclically arranged elegies, Carmina and Eklogen, trained on Tibull, Ovid, Catull and Horace, not only testify to the eventful fate of a Wittenberg student; Lotichius endeavoured to create moods, feelings and theoretical reflections. It therefore extends far beyond conventional neo-Latin poetry. Nature and human destiny, the joy of love and the muse's battle against the weapon trade are his preferred themes. The defeat of the Protestants at Mühlberg in 1547 and the victorious arrival of Charles V (1500-1585) in Wittenberg put an end to the joy of love. Behind the poetic depictions of war is the longing for the lost idyll.

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