Croatian Latinists on the work of Ivan Gundullć

Abstract

Croatian literature from the 15th to the 19th century was to a large extent bilingual, Croatian- Latin, anti at certain points during this period it was the Latin component that held the position of prominence. No pronounced rivalry or intolerence took place between the Croatian and Latin language: the first was aimed at a home audience whereas writers primarily employed Latin to inform foreign audiences about the problems and the spiritual achievements of Croatia. The Latinists, as well as those who wrote exclusively in Latin, looked upon the literary productions in Croatian with sympathy and pride. This found its finest formulation in the acclamations of the work of Ivan Gundulić we find in the Latin bio-bibliographical manuals dating from the 18th century by Ignjat Đurdevic, Sebastian Slado and Serafin Crijević.