Vitsentzos Kornaros

Vitsentzos Kornaros

Vitsentzos Kornaros was a Cretan Greek poet who lived in Sitia and Heraklion in the 17th century and died on 1677. There is no match information about him. His most important work is the romantic epic poem "Erotokritos", one of the most significant samples of the Cretan Renaissance. "Erotokritos" consists of 10.000 fifteen-syllable-rhymed verses. The only copy of "Erotokritos" is one of 1710 saved in Venice where it was first published in 1713.

Even though the theme is common, it is believed that Kornaros was inspired by a French medieval romance called "Paris et Vienne" and created a masterwork. Vitsentzos Kornaros also wrote the religious drama "Thisia tou Avraam", which consists of 1.154 fifteen-syllable-rhymed verses and was first published in 1713 in Venice. In this work it is believed that Kornaros was influenced by "Isaac", a tragedy written by L. Grotto.