Πάρεργα (πρόλογος)
Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης, 1893
Why one writer would rather read Spencer than write a page: a comic, sharp argument against Greece's language split.
Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης
1836–1904
Roïdis is polished mischief: learned, sceptical, funny about church, language and city. Start with «Η Πάπισσα Ιωάννα» for the narrator’s sly wit, or «Η Μηλιά» for a gentler fairy tale.
Feels like wonder, melancholy and memory.
Start with Πάρεργα (πρόλογος).
Roïdis wrote in a learned katharevousa while attacking the purists, and his satirical novel 'I Papissa Iouanna' scandalised Athens.
The one triumph of language purists: making our living speech feel like a sea monster.
Μόνον κατόρθωμα τῶν δῆθεν διορθωτῶν τῆς γλώσσης ὑπῆρξε ν᾿ ἀτιμάσωσι καὶ νὰ καταστήσωσιν ἄχρηστον ἐν τῷ γραπτῷ λόγω τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς λαλουμένης, χωρὶς νὰ μεταδώσωσιν εἰς τοὺς ἐκταφέντας ἀττικισμοὺς ζωὴν πραγματικήν, ἥτις διὰ μόνου τοῦ στόματος, οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦ καλάμου, δύναται νὰ ἐμφυσηθῇ. Τὴν αὐτὴν δυσάρεστον αἴσθησιν κατήντησεν οὕτω νὰ προξενῇ εἰς ἡμᾶς καὶ ἡ προσθήκη καὶ ἡ παράλειψις τοῦ ἀναδιπλασιασμοῦ, καὶ ἡ χρῆσις καὶ ἡ ἀποφυγὴ τῆς δοτικῆς πλείστων ὀνομάτων, καὶ τὸ «σεῖς» καὶ «ὑμεῖς», καὶ ἡ «μύτη» καὶ ἡ «ρίς», καὶ τὸ «ἐπρόσφερα» καὶ τὸ «προσήνεγκον», καὶ τὸ «ἐδάγκασα» καὶ τὸ «ἔδηξα» καὶ ἀναρίθμητα ἄλλα, μεταξὺ τῶν ὁποίων ταλαντεύεται ὁ γράφων ὡς ναυτιῶν θαλασσοπόρος μεταξὺ Χαρύβδεως καὶ Σκύλλης. Books by Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης
Αι εξοχαί των Αθηνών
Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης, 1896
A sharp-eyed walker tours Athens' forgotten outskirts in the 1890s, mourning the streams and trees that progress has buried under dust.
Τα εφήμερα
Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης, 1888
A katharevousa essayist falls asleep by the Kifissos and overhears mayflies, who live four hours, philosophise about sex, death and reputation. Satire disguised as natural history.
Η Πάπισσα Ιωάννα
Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης, 1866
An irreverent, learned satire in which a clever girl from Mainz climbs to St Peter's chair — and every institution along the way is mocked in polished, delicious prose. 30 words max.
Η Μηλιά
Εμμανουήλ Ροΐδης, 1894
A poor girl who shares her bread with birds goes to a palace where a king has stopped laughing — a fairy tale written by Greece's wittiest satirist.
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