Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The First Translation of Edgar Allan Poe Into Modern Greek

Emmanuel Rhoides

Greece was a primary inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe. As a child he studied Greek and Latin literature, during which time his love for Homer developed. Because he considered Homer to be one of the most important writers ever, and Plato too, he excelled in Hellenic studies. His love for Greece led him to even lie to people that he had visited Greece, which he did not. Furthermore, one of his literary idols was Lord Byron, who had gone to Greece to fight for Greek Independence against the Turks, and it was in Greece that he died. In 1827 Poe made an attempt to follow in Byron's footsteps, but it did not come to pass. Nonetheless, Greece can be read throughout his works.

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Cell Where Alexandros Papadiamantis Lived for Ten Years


In a small poor cell big enough to fit not much more than a bunk bed in the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries in Psyri, a neighborhood of Athens, the celebrated writer Alexandros Papadiamantis spent about ten years of his life.

While living in Athens he was unable to afford his rent anymore and was of poor health, so a monk from Mount Athos and a childhood friend from Skiathos named Nephon invited him to stay in the same cell he lived in at the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries in Psyri, where Nephon served as sexton. It was during his stay here that he wrote portions of his most celebrated novel, The Murderess. Also, it was in this church that he sometimes chanted while Saint Nicholas Planas was the celebrant priest.