Emmanuel Rhoides and Poe

Emmanuel Rhoides, the first translator of Poe in Greece

Emmanuel Rhoides, the first Greek translator who introduced Poe to the Greeks, has been widely praised for his work. Indeed, his translations inspired many, and several translators of Poe emerged soon after his 1872 translation of Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar". 

Rhoides was severely influenced by Baudelaire upon his task of translating Poe's stories, just like the majority of the European countries. Yet, over the past few years, relevant research has wondered why his translations were not similar to the French author's. In answer to this question, I may note that Rhoides has intentionally tried to avoid being influenced by Baudelaire. In fact, I argue that he had read the original works in English, and there are several clues that point to that conclusion. 

A page before his first translation in 1877 in the first ever issue of "Parnassus", readers encounter the first Greek critical text on Poe, a foreword written by Rhoides. Its title is "Εδγαρδος Ποου", Poe's name exactly as it is pronounced in English. Why didn't Rhoides adopt one of the foreign versions of pronunciations of Poe's name? Most likely, he was a fluent English speaker. Also, Rhoides makes no mention of Baudelaire in his work, and he never advertises Poe's lie of having travelled to Greece--Baudelaire frequently fell into Poe's trap. 

More on Rhoides, his passion for Poe's work, and his impact on other Greek authors and poets in future posts.