in the 16th century polish literature flourished. one thing, however, lacked. there was no long epic poem in poland. jan kochanowski, the greatest poet of the renaissance in kingdom of poland, wrote many lyrical pieces and some stories in verse. his nephew, piotr kochanowski was the first poet to give an epic poem to the poles. he did not write a poem on his own. he translated two epic masterpieces from the italian. they were "jerusalem delivered" by torquato tasso and "orlando furioso" by ludovico ariosto.