Niebo poetów w odach Macieja Kazimierza Sarbiewskiego w świetle mitu platońskiej jaskini
The heaven of poets in the odes of Mathias Casimirus Sarbievius in the light of the myth of Plato’s cave

Summary/Abstract: This article presents an analysis of the motif of the heaven of poets in selected panegyric odes by Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, interpreted through the lens of Plato’s allegory of the cave. The poets’ heaven is envisioned as a spiritual realm reserved for exceptional individuals – po- ets and heroes – which stands in stark contrast to the material world, the material world, lik- ened to Plato’s cave, which the poet perceives as transient and illusory. Drawing inspiration from both Plato and Aristotle, Sarbiewski employs the motif of heaven as a space for ethical projection and rhetorical persuasion. By placing the addressees of his odes – such as Pope Ur- ban VIII and Cardinal Francesco Barberini – within this elevated realm, the poet not only of- fers them praise but also constructs idealized models they are expected to embody in real life. Heaven thus becomes an alternative axiological order governed by the triad of beauty, good- ness, and truth. The author also explores Sarbiewski’s own ambivalence toward this space – heaven functions simultaneously as an escape, a spiritual aspiration, and a mode of artistic expression. This concept, rooted in the poet’s theoretical reflections, constitutes a deliberate and integral part of his creative strategy.

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