Without Vyacheslav Ivanov it is impossible to imagine the era of the Silver Age, of which he was one of the best poets. In addition, Vyach. Ivanov was also a philologist - a classic on a global scale; his research on the history of ancient mythology and religion is in the nature of fundamental works. As a religious thinker, Vyacheslav Ivanov considered himself a student and follower of Vladimir Solovyov with his philosophy of unity and universal Christianity. The poet lived the last quarter of a century of his life in Italy, where he was engaged in scientific and teaching activities. During the German occupation of Rome, under the roar of bombs and shells, he wrote poems that formed the “Roman Diary” cycle and became one of the greatest peaks of Russian poetry. Contrary to popular beliefs, Vyacheslav Ivanov appears in the book not as a poet exclusively “for philologists,” but as one in whose poems, according to Mandelstam, sounds the “mighty hum” of the bell of folk speech floating and waiting for its turn.