verse for the first time. Richard III was staged in Serbia and directed by Kostić himself. Later, he translated Hamlet but his work was met with criticism by notable literary critic Bogdan Popović. Kostić's translation of the fourteenth stanza from Byron's Canto III of Don Juan expresses Byron's advice to the Greek insurgents: Trust not for freedom to the Franks – They have a king who buys and sells In native swords, and native ranks The only hope of courage dwells, But Turkish force, and Latin Fraud Would break your shield, however broad. Personality and private life Laza Kostić may be characterized as an eccentric but had a spark of genius. He was the first to introduce iambic meter into dramatic poetry and the first translator of Shakespeare into Serbian. At a European authors' convention at the turn of the 20th century he tried to explain the relationship between the culture of Serbia and those of major Western European cultures. Kostić was friends with Lazar Dunđerski, the patriarch of one of the most important Serbian noble families in Austria-Hungary. He was in love with Jelena Lenka Dunđerski, Lazar's younger daughter, who was 29 years his junior. Although Lenka returned his love, Lazar Dunđerski did not approve of their relationship and would not allow them to marry. He arranged a marriage between Kostić and Juliana Palanački. Kostić attempted to arrange a marriage between Lenka and the Serbian-American scientist Nikola Tesla but Tesla rejected the offer. Lenka died, probably from an infection, on her 25th birthday but some authors believe she committed suicide. After her death, Kostić wrote Santa Maria della Salute, one of his most important works and what is said to be one of the most beautiful love poems written in Serbian language. Legacy Laza Kostić is included in The 100 most prominent Serbs. Schools in Kovilj and New Belgrade are named after him. Selected works Maksim Crnojević, drama (1868). Pera Segedinac, drama (1882). Gordana, drama (1890). Osnova lepote u svetu s osobenim obzirom na srpske narodne pesme, (1880). Kritički uvod u opštu filosofiju, (1884). O Jovanu Jovanoviću Zmaju (Zmajovi), njegovom pevanju, mišljenju i pisanju, i njegovom dobu, (1902). Među javom i med snom, poem. Santa Maria della Salute, poem. Treće stanje duše, essay Čedo vilino, short story. Maharadža, short story. Mučenica, short story. Selected translations Richard III Hamlet Romeo and Juliet King Lear References Adapted from Serbian Wikipedia:Лаза Костић