O podrijetlu i zgodama Slavena

The work of Vinko Pribojević (Vincentius Priboevius, c. 1480 – after 1532), a Dominican and humanist from Hvar, is one of the most important works of Croatian Latin literature of the 16th century. The speech De origine successibusque Slavorum (On the origin and adventures of the Slavs) was held in 1525 on Hvar, and was first printed in Venice in 1532.

The 1951 JAZU edition (Hrvatski latinisti library, book 1) is bilingual — it brings the original Latin text with a Croatian translation. It was edited by academician Grga Novak, who wrote an extensive introduction, notes and prepared the text for printing. The translation into Croatian was made by Veljko Gortan, who also compiled the index. This is the first scientific-critical edition of the work, which made it accessible to contemporary readers with the necessary equipment.

Pribojević's work is divided into three parts. In the first, the author develops the mythological-genealogical history of the Slavs, connecting them with their biblical ancestors (through Japheth) and ancient peoples — the Illyrians, Thracians, Macedonians, Goths, Sarmatians and Vandals. He claims their autochthonousness in the Balkans and continuity since ancient times. The second part celebrates the successes and glory of the Slavs, and the third glorifies Dalmatia and their native Hvar, bringing valuable ethnographic and historical data about the island in the 16th century.

The work is a pioneer expression of pan-Slavism in Croatian culture: it promotes the idea of ​​the common origin and greatness of all Slavs, which later influenced the Illyrian movement and national consciousness. The style is typical Renaissance humanism — rhetorically lavish, full of quotations from ancient writers, biblical symbolism and classical allusions.