Vassilis Rotas (1889–1977) was a Greek politician, author and translator of

Shakespeare's William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

dramas from

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

into

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Biography

He was born in Chiliomodi on the Peloponnese in 1889 and studied literature at the

University of Athens The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA; el, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, ''Ethnikó ke Kapodistriakó Panepistímio Athinón''), usually referred to simply as the Univers ...

and drama at the Athens Conservatoire. Following he established the Popular Theatre of Athens in 1932 and during the 1930s, he translated some theater plays of William Shakespeare into Greek. After the NAZI Germany occupied Greece in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, he joined the National Liberation Front (EAM) and established the Theater of the Mountains Following he toured the country with theater plays together with members of

United Panhellenic Organization of Youth The United Panhellenic Organization of Youth, abbreviated EPON ( el, Ενιαία Πανελλαδική Οργάνωση Νέων (ΕΠΟΝ)), was a Greek resistance organization that was active during the Axis Occupation of Greece in World ...

(EPON), the youth wing of the EAM. He was the author of the hymn of the EAM to a melody of the russian Katyusha. He was the Director of Culture in the

Political Committee of National Liberation The Political Committee of National Liberation ( el, Πολιτική Επιτροπή Εθνικής Απελευθέρωσης, ''Politiki Epitropi Ethnikis Apeleftherosis'', PEEA), commonly known as the "Mountain Government" ( el, Κυβέρ ...

(PEEA), the political resistance movement against NAZI Germany. Following the end of World War II, he was again involved in the translations of the works of Shakespeare. Rotas and Voula Damianakou published the magazine ''Laikos Logos'' between 1966 and 1967. He died in 1977.

Legacy

He was an important figure for the development of the greek language, preferring the

Demotic Demotic may refer to: * Demotic Greek, the modern vernacular form of the Greek language * Demotic (Egyptian), an ancient Egyptian script and version of the language * Chữ Nôm, the demotic script for writing Vietnamese See also * * Demos (disa ...

over the

Katharevousa Katharevousa ( el, Καθαρεύουσα, , literally "purifying anguage) is a conservative form of the Modern Greek language conceived in the late 18th century as both a literary language and a compromise between Ancient Greek and the contempor ...

.Holland, Peter (2005), p.213 Demotic became the official greek language in 1976. He is also the translator of the complete works of Shakespeare from English into Greek, often using words and terms seldom used in casual greek, both Kathaverousa and Demotic language.

Personal life

He was the partner of Velou Damianakou, who also was a member of the greek resistance against NAZI Germany. Damianakou assisted him in several of the Shakespeares translations.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rotas, Vassilis 1889 births 1977 deaths Greek translators Greek writers Greek theatre people Greek politicians People from Corinth People from Tenea