Note 154 — NOTE IV. ON THE HEROIC POETRY OF THE SLAVONIC PEOPLES.

There are references to the existence of heroic poetry in the neighbourhood of Spalato and Sebenico as far back as the sixteenth century; cf. Murko, Arch. f. slav. Philol., XXVIII 378. A much earlier reference has been traced in Nicephorus Gregoras' account (Hist. Byz., VIII 14) of his mission to the court of Stephan Uroš in the year 1326, where it is stated of his followers: φωναῖς ἐχρῶντο καὶ μέλεσι τραγικοῖς· ᾖδον δ' ἄρα κλέα ἀνδρῶν ὧν οἷον κλέος ἀκούομεν οὐδέ τοι ἴδμεν. But it is extremely doubtful whether these persons were Servians.