ISTVAN [

STEPHEN]

See also:

• ISTVAN [STEPHEN] GYONGYOSI (1620-1704)

GYONGYOSI (1620-1704)  , Hungarian poet, was born of poor but noble parents in 162o . His abilities early attracted the notice of Count Ferencz Wesselenyi, who in 164o appointed him to a post of confidence in Fulek castle . Here he remained till 1653, when he married and became an assessor of the judicial board . In 1681 he was elected as a representative of his county at the diet held at Soprony (Oedenburg) . From 1686 to 1693, and again from 1700 to his death in 1704, he was deputy lord-lieutenant of the county of Gomor . Of his literary works the most famous is the epic poem Murdnyi Venus (Caschau, 1664), in honour of his benefactor's wife Maria Szecsi, the heroine of Murany . Among his later productions the best known are Rbzsa-Koszori, or Rose-Wreath (1690), Kemeny-Linos (1693), Cupido (1695), Palinodia (1695) and Chariklia (1700) . The earliest edition of his collected poetical works is by Dugonics (Pressburg and Pest, 1796) ; the best modern selection is that of Toldy, entitled Gyongyosi Istvdn vdlogatott poetai munkdi (Select poetical works of Stephen Gyongyosi, 2 vols., 1864-1865) .