FOCUS JOANNA ORZEŁ • Greek and Roman Motifs in the Mythology of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 53 CoSMo Comparative Studies in Modernism n. 21 (Fall) • 2022 JOANNA ORZEŁ GREEK AND ROMAN MOTIFS IN THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH Inspirations, Influences, References ABSTRACT: This article analyses the inspiration for the characters and motifs originating from Greek and Roman mythology in the mythical origin stories of Poland and Lithuania (since 1569 the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). The founding fathers of these states – Lech and Palemon – were often compared to Remus and Romulus, French Faramund or British Brutus of Troy. The most extensive use of antique motifs was made by Jan Skorski, the author of an epic poem about Lech created in 1745. The poet was inspired above all by the Aeneid and the Odyssey. The use of antique motifs by Polish chroniclers and poets was in turn an inspiration for the nobility, who were also “searching” (a better word would be: creating) for their antique roots. KEYWORDS: Greek Mythology; Roman Mythology; Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, 15 th –18 th centuries Greek and Roman mythologies have inspired many creators since antiquity: artists, poets, playwrights, sculptors, but also writers of historical works. The line between literature and history in these works was intangible, hence the medieval chronicles and poems of many Western European countries which, identifying with Greco-Roman civilization, included myths that took their origins from antiquity. The most popular theme was, of course, the Trojan War, 1 which was mainly referred to by the inhabitants of Italy, but also those of France and the British Isles. During the Middle Ages the Western European community had a shared past. At the dawn of the Renaissance, “younger Europe,” including Poland and Lithuania, began to search passionately for its roots, in order first and foremost to catch up and feel equal with the Western countries. For this reason, historians began to create what at the time would have seemed probable, or plausible, stories regarding the origins of states, 2 which would allow them to be part of the great family of states of Greco-Roman civilization. Even if it was not possible to “find” 1 Gert Melville (1987, 427-29) treated the Trojan War as “the cradle of Europe;” see also Wulf (2009). 2 A brief analysis of the origin myths of the Slavs (Poland, Ruthenia and Bohemia) is given in Forycki (2011).