Motivul Ubi sunt în Sfaturile lui Matei al Mirelor

Abstract

The "Advice" of Matthew of Myra (1550–1624) to Alexandru Iliaș belongs to the parenetic genre represented by authors such as Sinesius of Cyrene, Agapetus, Basil I the Macedonian, Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, Theophylact, thearchbishop of Bulgaria, Manuel Palaeologus, Neagoe Basarab, etc. However, Matthew of Myra introduces certain innovative elements in to his writing. Thus, critics have noticed the contextualization and pragmatism of theadvice [Sapovici, 2016: 402; Vincent, 1998: 316], as well as the inclusion of the chapter entitled «On rapacity and injustice. And a lament on Constantinople», a lament in which the author deplores the fate of Constantinople [Sapovici, 2016: 403]. Another aspect that is worth mentioning is the innovative use, in this chapter, of the "ubi sunt" motif, a motif with biblical origins, widespread in medieval writings, adaptedby Matthew of Myra in his effort to offer, at the end of this lament, a surprising solution, namely the conversion of Muslims to Christianity.