Barbarian in the garden

The book "Barbarian in the Garden" was written by Zbigniew Herbert in 1958-1960, first published in 1962. An imaginary pilgrimage to the origins of European civilization begins in the Lascaux Cave, which contains masterpieces of Paleolithic frescoes, then leads us to the Dorian temples of Paestum and the Roman monuments of Arles, Romanesque and Gothic temples of Orvieto and Siena, cathedrals and parks in France. The real historical symphonies are essays on the fate of the Albigensians and the tragedy of Provence, the rise and fall of the Knights Templar and the work of the poet's favorite painter, the painter Piero della Francesca.