The Labyrinth Poem Piotr Rypson Akademia Ruchu Theater Publications Warsaw, Poland The labyrinth, the mythical structure conceived by Daedalus, has been a persist­ ent motif throughout the history of Mediterranean culture. We find it both in visual art of all kinds as well as in literature, and also in the fascinating no­ man's-land between these two. In the area of word-image interaction there exists a whole collection of texts that were given the name of "poetical labyrinths". The origin of labyrinthine poems goes back to the Rome of Augus­ tus Caesar; the visual pattern of these pieces seems to indicate the pattern of a magical dance, perhaps the ancient Greek dance of the Grue. The idea of the labyrinth reconstructed in the dance was that of a fortress or city. The labyrinth poem in medieval times seems also to encompass the idea of the city, of the heavenly jerusalem. Medieval poetical labyrinths have definite religious conno­ tations, as is also evident in the later works in this genre, influenced by the jewish Kabbala. This hermeneutic is still valid for the baroque in the case of a number of works, yet more and more labyrinth poems appear in a secularized, ornamental context. This article traces the most significant of these lines of development of this form and its function. [The minotaur] was closed in the labyrinth: Who entered it, could not leave. Apollodorus, Biblioteca Ill, 15, 8, 6 To Shrii Probhal Rainjan Sarkar Entrance There are many reasons why an author may hesitate to start writing: the reason in my case is the intricacy and the horizons of the road whose entanglements run through almost the entire expanse of the Mediterranean. To be able to speak about poetic labyrinths one must first enter the ambiguous conceptual space of the labyrinth, a symbol older than historical memory. It has attracted people's attention in specific periods in the history of culture, last during the European baroque. It has also found favor with the contemporary intellect, to which numerous studies and a few experts give evidence., Although the function of the symbol in culture and art has been dealt with in a number of studies, little has been written about poetic labyrinths, the enig­ matic form of visualliteratu re whose beginnings fade out of sight in antiquity. A few well-known (and, undoubtedly, other less known) examples testify that 65 Rypson I The Labyrinth Poem Visible Language, XX 1 (Winter 1986) , pp. 65-95. Author's address : Akademia Ruchu Theater, ul. Kaliska 8/10 m. 47 , Warsaw 02-316 , Poland . @ 1986 Visible Language, 2643 Eaton Road, Cleveland, OH 44118 . Figure 1. A letter labyrinth with a center, from johann Knorr von Figure 2. A progressive letter labyrinth by Bartholomaeus Roth­ Rosenroth, Kabbalae Denudatae . .. (1684). See note 61. mann, a poet from Gdansk who composed a series of labyrinth poems on various social occasions (mainly weddings) in the late 1630s and early 1640s. From the PAN Library (Gdansk). ~,taa3e~e~~~~ott3~J ~ ~~ot~~m~ta~ : mct ~ ~e~~f~~ottEe~J~ ~~~O~~~I~U~~I~~~~~IcrLU~I~~~O~~~ 3t~~3~~ef~~~Ott~")~m~OI~~~~~~~m$OIJ ~ E~m~~00tt~E~J~~ ~mo~~~IMUIJIJ~l~IJIJIITII(MI~~SO~IA ~g3~~~~~:~~~~ ~&~H*~~ }.~~~~ ~' ~.;~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~g~~~~ mo~~~IMU~~~~~~~A~I~TIYIIll~I~~SOU ~i~~~~::~~~t~~~i~~f~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~::~j~~2~~~ OS~~I~criri~~IIMA ~~I~~ITLU~IM~80 ~~ee•~~ott3~3~~0ot~~~0tA~~~ot~iet~~~~ottte~Jteott~J ~~~~~~ott3"Jt~0ot~t~0t~~~~ot~•e~0~~~ottteeJieott~Jt ~~Ml~lL~IT~IM~US~AMITT~~L ~I~AS ~~-~~Ott3~.)t~~OI~t~~~A~~~0!3TISt0f~~OttiB~J~00tt~)lt e111a0ot t :.lll3 ~ \1:'00 t ~e 1110 t i• ~~~o t Jr>etQ!t ~00 t t tte~3 tCIIO t t~l t t <n ~~1M ~~~rr~~~~SOSUANI77IT U~I~~ Plll00tt3iil3eD00t~t~0tA~~~Ot3met~l~<80ttt~eJ~00tt~)lt~~ MIMU JI~~mAUSO~O$U~~ I~TiiL'tMI~ M00tt3~3t~eot~t~0t~~m~ot~•e~~~~~ott~te~Jt0ott~Jtt<n~D 00tt3M3f~00 t ~€~0 t ~'ll'D'DO t Jilr8of01!'ll00t t ;t6~)1!00t t'm:l t tm ·)lDI!l I _M UL :r I J" J' I 1M lf US 0 :R J'.R 0 S U M I :r' :T I :r Lrfi~ I Ott~~Jt~00t~tM0t~~'D'DOtJ~et~~'ll00tti~~.)ll'mOt2D)It~'llD~u tt~~~t~eot~elll0t~~'D'DOI~~~01!'ll00t~~ ~ »l~•oztmJtt~~D~i~ ~ULJIJJIM~'lSo~-J~J~OS AMI~TITLroM 1 UL'J'!I TT I M.AUI.S DRJ"3'1E:N::T .H 01 UJt.M I I Tih U ti ~\I)~~~ 4r~~~~ :, ~~~~~ ~eiU~~~~~ ~~~g~~~f gTt {~i~~~~ 5~ J':r &li~0o t '.lie~~ t ,\~m'Do 1 :J~Stl!lt~~ot ttt:O~Jil ~; ot tmJ t t~'~\t'Qll'• z::~m ·;:~ LiJ I!"J rT I M~ US 0 R 'J [){E CEJ1 :T LRJ SIU41 ..' I "J T l TiL ~t~00t'.llflll0ti~'D'DOt)~Sof01!~00ttof60J;teOttTI)ttm~D0~t)~~m t~0o t !iltlll01 i• '.lim 'Dot J1llet 0t ~00 t t ~ .se J 1!: ·~o t HliJ t t 'n~D01\ t )<a y1\:m ':r 11:1 :T' I .;'1IAIU S 0 R Yl~ E C 0 C EI:N :J · 0 J'lt [}I~ I j :r I ·J ~0ot~t1110tA'.llmmot:J~e~<at'.li00ttteeJw•otzmJttm~D•~tJ8l~~l 1 00t~~~0ti~'D~Ot:J~8t0~~00tttB~JI~OIID)lt~~D0~t)8)mllli~ Irr~~~~USOW~~ECO~OCE~~RO ~~ M!~~~ Ot~11'1110ti'.li~'DOtJ~et0t~00tt;t60l~~~~~ ~ J•t~~~<8itl~Jmm~~~ f:rb"IM:.A. IISOIRT::NEC.OrN:U OCE)'l'.T iCSI Jlli' Ir:rr:l t~flll0t4~~'nOtJ~St01!~00ttii'60Jil~Ott~lllm~D~ul.)W)UIDI~DJ '.lltlll0t~'ll'D'DOtJ.8t0f'.ll00ttll'ee)ll'00ttm)tt~~DCIIit38J~m~~D~~ FT I ~.:A. US ()"R T ~IE C 0:1'-(UX [N·O C E !1 IIi 0 SIU.1 l'1 I I" e~e t 1\ '.ll'li'DO t :l'Ji8t ~!t'JI00t t !t6~) .. 00 t tJJIJ t t'D~DI& ,·, t :)<i!J'D1lll;t ~D I 01 J I AU S TlN C 0 NJ JX;£ UI.N 0 C S M0t~'.li'D~Ot:J~8fQI!t'.ll00ttte0)~00ttDJit'n~D~~t3~:l·~~~~~U)» V'1 OIR ~L :T!RIO liAlM! 0 t u'JI'D~O t"tJlletee'.ll00t t!t6~)ftlll0t t~J ll 'D'.liD0io t JQ)~Dil~D~~i-')~ :f I MIA US 0 RJ" I'(E CIOI:NJUIX 1>£0 C E r{l' 'RiOIS U.-J.lM n ~£:~~~ 1 ~e:~:~:~f~~:;g~~~~g~~~ 1~~~~~g~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ i -'J' l ~'1-A.U 8 0 R r~ E C OJ.l:(LU 0 C[£~.Jl~ Oj.~l!J.tl-"' I lJl '.ll!lli!O t J~8f0!t !1100 t tt8~:) ~(80 l t1JI) It .1) )!D l'l 11 t )(IIJ~f IIID~ ~~~~I'll~~ '»mot J:IMe~t~lt~~o t t teo Jot<Bot t ·DIJ t t~JlDIIl ,; t JQ):J~'lll!t ~'Dllllli ~ t 11 "ill mot:l~e~t<B!t~~&ott~te~Jteott~lrtm~D~~t:J<i!l~~i~Dll~~ tll'.ll0'» Ol:l~~ll'0t'.li<BOtt!tee eeottm:Jtt!ll~'D~itl<BJ~mt~~11~J tli~0'D~ 1 t .:linat 01f~Qlot ttteeJ eot t~J l t'II'llD<Bo'• t :J<BJ~mft ~t>'ll ~ ,:1 o t11~0m~ !l 1 r I r :r 1 MA::U o} :r MIE c ~r:r R o s!u.AlM 1!TIT r :J'IL1 J"Die<t ~lot ~lillC> l ~tee 3 1!00 t t'lll) t tm~D0oi t J Ql:JJ}ffllflll D ~ ~.) J)'lll11 'lllll!ll J il ~ :IMt311'0t~aott;te03~00tt~Jt~!ll')]DIIlit:lB:l~tlli'DJ~J~~~11~0!1l~flli'D lU T I T T I Mi.A i.~ R 'JtN. ~J'IR 0 .,. ll .fUM I T T I I:T l lll 8~01l~<80ttlt68)~(80ttlliJtt~'llD<8it3~3fumot~DJ~'0~!J~~'D~~~~~D~ 1M L~ I~ T lM U .~ 0 KlJ LH. 0 SU.Ai]\1 ITT I 1"L UM1 ::~:~~i~:~~i~~~~~~ri~~~~~&~~~*'~~~~~~i~ri~~~'D~-~~~~ I ~ tl L 1" I T 'T I ..A t S b R i 0 S l A ~ l !::f :T I T L U }I I t~00tteeO:)t<80ttDI)ltm~DeitJ~)DDii~DI~JO')]tJ')]0'D~gaD0t8!11 '.li0.0t t <~e03 t0o t t~:J t ttJ'llD~ u t 1 0:l'lr.'lll<! lllt-11 t'l :J ~.>'ll t 11 ~0!113 t ~~~~~tetJ~ ~IMU JITTIN~ JSO OSUAM T~ITLUMI~ eot t lf80J lf<BO t t~J t t!ll'llD.!I i• t ::1 Ill J mm.t ~r- JIll.) e'll t 1~e~3 tat>ete!ll~~ Ottt80Jif(80tt~llttl'llD0itJ0J~IflliD~Ili:JO~t'll'll~tl3ta~0tetJTt~ll ~)J I U'1 LIL 'f I YT I tv AlLIS 0 Si :ll:/l M I T I TILIUlM INA ttt80JI<aOtt~3ltV"D<8~tJ~J:I)IDIItlliD!~:Je')]t11'.li<8'DJ~a~0f8'II'JIDli'D tt80Jf(80tt~Jlttl~D(8MtJe3mllitiiiD'li~JO'.lllli~<B'D3~~~Qit8~')]~li'D~ ~r .tlM I M U !~I ~l'J: I l':Jbft~tt!.~, ~~ .£ I_;r: _I J'I ~1}1 IN A S1 eeo3teott~Jlt~,.~•~t3e:J~ta~1a3~~~'li~<B!DJIIII~eee~'JI~11'D~o etJ ..eot t~J t u1~~0~ t:l8l\llr.eltlll~ll~30 · ~ t ll~0'»~ta~etetl'.li~11'D~oe .9 sA In_ r N ~r~r~t Jl:(I ~- ~~JVtu~'l- n_ rt~ i:-J·:r.