Difference between revisions of "Adamantios Korais"
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| − | '''Adamantios Korais''' ('''Coraïs''') ([[April 27]], [[1748]] - [[April 6]], [[1833]]) was a Greek intellectual. He was born in [[Smyrna]], in 1748. | + | '''Adamantios Korais''' ('''Coraïs''') ([[April 27]], [[1748]] - [[April 6]], [[1833]]) was a Greek intellectual. He was born in [[Smyrna]], in 1748, the son of Ioannis Korais, a merchant from the island of [[Chios]] and Thomais Rysiou, a Smyrna woman. |
| − | Korais was exceptionally passionate about Philosophy, Literacy and Linguistics and | + | After being educated in Smyrna, Korais was sent by his father to Amsterdam, on business, in 1771. However, Korais was exceptionally passionate about Medicine, Philosophy, Literacy and Linguistics and preferred the intellectual life. In 1778, Korais traveled to Paris, France where he continued his learning and search for knowledge. He translated ancient Greek authors and produced 30 volumes of those translations. Korais graduated from the University of Montpellier in [[1788]] with a degree in Medicine and was to spend most of his life as an expatriate in Paris. A classical scholar, Korais was repelled by the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] influence in [[Greece|Greek]] society and was a fierce critic of the ignorance of the clergy and their subservience to the Ottoman Empire, although Korais admitted that it was the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church]] that preserved the national identity of Greeks. His main preoccupation was with education and he encouraged wealthy Greeks to open new libraries and schools throughout Greece, Korais believed that education would ensure not only the achievement of independence but also the establishment of a proper constitution for the new liberated Greek state. Adamantios Korais also assisted in creating a purified form of the Greek language, [[Katharevousa]], largely based on ancient Greek and devoid of foreign influence. |
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| + | Korais died in Paris in 1833. His remains were taken to Athens in 1877 and reinterred in the A' Athens Cemetery. His private library of 3,500 volumes was donated to the Greek state. | ||
{{Credit wikipedia}} | {{Credit wikipedia}} | ||
Revision as of 12:07, February 2, 2006
Adamantios Korais (Coraïs) (April 27, 1748 - April 6, 1833) was a Greek intellectual. He was born in Smyrna, in 1748, the son of Ioannis Korais, a merchant from the island of Chios and Thomais Rysiou, a Smyrna woman.
After being educated in Smyrna, Korais was sent by his father to Amsterdam, on business, in 1771. However, Korais was exceptionally passionate about Medicine, Philosophy, Literacy and Linguistics and preferred the intellectual life. In 1778, Korais traveled to Paris, France where he continued his learning and search for knowledge. He translated ancient Greek authors and produced 30 volumes of those translations. Korais graduated from the University of Montpellier in 1788 with a degree in Medicine and was to spend most of his life as an expatriate in Paris. A classical scholar, Korais was repelled by the Byzantine influence in Greek society and was a fierce critic of the ignorance of the clergy and their subservience to the Ottoman Empire, although Korais admitted that it was the Orthodox Church that preserved the national identity of Greeks. His main preoccupation was with education and he encouraged wealthy Greeks to open new libraries and schools throughout Greece, Korais believed that education would ensure not only the achievement of independence but also the establishment of a proper constitution for the new liberated Greek state. Adamantios Korais also assisted in creating a purified form of the Greek language, Katharevousa, largely based on ancient Greek and devoid of foreign influence.
Korais died in Paris in 1833. His remains were taken to Athens in 1877 and reinterred in the A' Athens Cemetery. His private library of 3,500 volumes was donated to the Greek state.
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