Zwei Empfehlungsgedichte von Johannes Gregor Macer Szepsius (ca 1530 – nach 1579)

Abstract

The humanist writer Johannes Gregor Macer Szepsius (circa 1530-after 1579) came from the small town of Moldava nad Bodvou in present-day Slovakia. He studied at the Faculty of Arts in Cracow, and he continued working in Cracow after completing his studies. He wrote typical Latin occasional poetry, but he also became interested in alchemy and natural sciences. One of his friends, the Swiss physician Anton Schneeberger (1530-1581) published a catalogue of Latin and Polish plant names, and Macer contributed with a commendation poem here. It is written similarly to the well-known fourth ode of the first book of Horace and it has two parts, the first inspired by the arrival of spring, while the subject of the second part is Schneeberger's book itself. In 1562 Schneeberger published a work on salt and a commendation poem by Macer again appears there. The epigram is written in elegiac distich and partly reflects the content of the treatise, but Macer also adds his own thoughts. Both poems are good examples of occasional poetry, in which the author presents himself as a poet and a natural scientist.