In Pushkin’s poem «The Bronze (literally “Copper”) Horseman», the epithet of the horseman goes back to Mickiewicz’s cycle «Digression» («Ustęp»), but has a different meaning. With Mickiewicz, the expression «copper tsar» is ironic, with Pushkin the epithet «copper» is associated with apocalyptic Bible motifs and emphasizes the infernal nature of the Horseman.
Keywords: Pushkin; Mickiewicz; Peter I; Yu. Borev; E. Khaev; biblical
metaphorics.