The author revives here his memories of Professor Kazimierz Kumaniecki's seminars devoted to textual criticism of the 'De oratore' in 1967-1972. In his approach to Cicero's work, Kumaniecki proved to be a forerunner of the scholars of the last decade who introduce the problems of orality and use of writing into its interpretation. Similar problems are present in Adam Mickiewicz's lectures on Latin literature, delivered in Lausanne in 1839-1840. Both Cicero and Mickiewicz tried to find their way to the minds of their contemporaries and descendants balancing between the persuasive efficacy of live speech and permanence of writing.
The article quotes and analyses the editorial opening the first issue of the journal “Meander” (1946). A closer look at that text shows its hidden message – defence of values endangered by the new political reality. In 1953 and 1954 various periodicals criticized the editors of “Meander” for their conservative approach to antiquity. This campaign probably aimed at replacement of Professor Kazimierz Kumaniecki, the editor-in chief of the journal and the head of the Classics Department of the University of Warsaw, by Professor Bronisław Biliński, a scholar favoured by the Communist authorities.