not to an inexorable fatality but merely to stupidy and demagoguery." The tragedy depicted is that of characters who understand what is at stake but who cannot stop the whells of events put in motion, ushering the impending doom (the Trojan War). As such, Miłosz writes, the play has no heroes outside the state of Troy. The works main theme are the responsibilities of statesmanship, critique of weak rulers and failings of power, where the voice of "wise and reasonable" is drawned by that of passionate but selfish and poorly educated youth. commented on its universal values such as "the truth about the superiority of the common good and dependence of the country and of its future on its citizens’ stance". The tragedy also connected to the 16th century reality of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, with the deliberations of Greek statesmen resembling that of Polish Sejm, and the weakness and impotence of King Priam was a commentary on the Commonwealth's constitutional monarchy. Reception The play is one of Kochanowski's more important and better known works; already described as well studied by scholars in the mid-1960s. Miłosz called it "the finest specimen of Polish humanist drama". Kotarski in turn wrote that the work "was Poland’s first really poetic and deeply reflective drama, the first and for a hundred years the only one". Despite its significance, it failed to inspire much imitators in Poland, at least not until centuries later (works of Stanisław Wyspiański). See also Theatre of Poland References Works by Jan Kochanowski Polish plays Tragedies (dramas) 1578 works Trojan War literature Polish-language plays Renaissance plays