Ignjat Đurđević
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Ignjat Đurđević or Ignazio Giorgi (February, 1675 - January 21, 1737) was a Croatian and Italian baroque poet and translator, best known for his long poem Tears of Repentant Magdalene.
Đurđević was born in Dubrovnik.
As a member of a rich and respectable family, he lived recklessly and often in debauchery. His love adventures cost him the position of the duke on Šipan. Because of his unrequited love towards a diklica (girl) from Dubrovnik and a libertine poem he wrote to her, Đurđević even had to leave the city for a while.
He was a tri-lingual poet (Latin, Italian and Croatian) with deep feelings, unrestrained by Catholic morals. His fiery Ljuvene pjesni (Love Poems) are some of the best lyric poems from Dubrovnik, with influences of Bunić's verse. Suze Marunkove (Marunko's Tears), Đurđević's poem about Marunko from the island of Mljet, who is sighing because of a beautiful djevičina (maid) Pavica, were obviously inspired by Derviš, written by his namesake Stijepan Đurđević. Still, Ignjat often manages to surpass Stijepan because of his freer style.
After more than twenty years of preparations, Đurđević printed Uzdasi Mandaljene pokornice (Sighs of Repentant Magdalene) in Venice in 1728, together with the cycle of Pjesni razlike (Various Poems). Magdalene is his most beautiful work, while Poems have exceptionally varied themes and forms. Experts in Croatian literature like Mihovil Kombol and Ivo Frangeš noticed that the themes and forms of Đurđević's Poems are similar to the poems of Fran Krsto Frankopan.
In 1729, his Saltijer slovinski (Slav Psalms) were printed in Venice. They contain translations or paraphrases of the psalms of King David. Their fine language and style distinguish them from many similar translations made by the poets of Dubrovnik.
