Abstrakt:
In this chapter I present a detailed analysis of leaflets containing songs about the
end of the world and the final judgment, which in Polish tradition often took on
the form of the prophecy of the ancient oracle Sibyl. In the first part of the text
I describe the source materials and reconstruct the scheme, according to which
the end of the world is pictured in the songs. Further considerations apply biblical
and apocryphal sources of particular topics and themes; special attention is paid
to the rich and complex tradition of Sibylline books. In conclusion I point out that
in the analysed songs there are two models of portraying the end of the world,
which correspond to the two types of apocalyptic images: the older, associated
with the concept of a mythical cyclic time (returning apocalypse) and younger,
associated with the concept of linear time (final apocalypse).
