Congratulations to CALA instructor, Susan Matthias PhD, along with her late husband Miltiades, for their English translation of Condemned by Konstantinos Theotokis (1919), which is now published as the newest offering of The Modern Greek Literature Library. Translating Modern Greek has been an expertise of hers for many years. In a recent interview, she told us more about her background and career in translating.
Q: How did you get started on your translation career?
A: I met my late husband, Miltiades, in 1975. He was Greek, and a gifted pianist who specialized in Greek classical music. He was not only fluent in Greek, but could read ancient Greek as if it were modern Greek or English. Miltiades was a great influence on my Greek language journey. Learning a new language is like getting a second set of eyes, and I studied several years with a private teacher, as well as with my husband, which gave me an understanding and solid foundation of the Greek language. At the time, I was working at Burson-Marsteller in public relations, and had been considering leaving. To my surprise, I was presented with a voluntary downsizing program which gave me the opportunity to resign and receive a healthy termination package. I filed for resignation the next day, and the rest is history! I decided to pursue learning Greek language and in 1993, I participated in an undergraduate class in Modern Greek at NYU. I also made additional connections with professors at NYU and then registered for credit in several Greek language courses. Soon after, I was accepted into the NYU PhD program in the Comparative Literature department. Throughout my time at NYU, I translated numerous short stories and essays. As I progressed with my Greek language skills, it seemed like translating Greek was a natural thing for my husband and I to do, and it turned into a true partnership of the mind.
Q: Can you tell us more about the novel Condemned and what inspired you and your late husband to choose this piece to translate?
A: I read Condemned in a class I was taking in Modern Greek Literature at NYU and really took a liking to the story. The novel was written in 1919 and is a very passionate story in the Greek Folkloric Realism genre. It is a universal tale of social injustice played out in a Greek village and I found myself dedicated to it due to this. Not only is the story about love, passion, adultery and murder, it’s a story that can happen anytime – a person of marginal status being condemned for a murder he didn’t commit. The ending is a great surprise, and shows the greater meaning of the plot of the book. My husband liked it even better than I did! We took on this translating project together, and although he was physically ill until the day he passed, his mind was still sharp. This piece is a true testament to his intelligence and artistry.
Q: How long did it take you to translate and what was the process like?
A: We took on this translation as a completely joint process. Miltiades would sit and read the book out loud translated into English, and I would sit at the computer and type out what he was saying. At times, he would feel more free when translating the passages and add his own take on the translation which he called “transvibration,” so it was my job to make sure the translation was accurate and totally adhered to the original text! Together, we made sure the whole thing sounded good and made sense in English. After many read throughs, and overall work on the translation, it took about 2 years to fully complete the translation. It is now a tribute to my husband and our work together.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add about this project or the novel itself?
A: The story is intriguing. The central character is able, after long suffering and soul searching, to appreciate the benefits of his calling – to bring peace and salvation to other condemned men. Again, the book shows examples of human justice and social injustice and is a real testament to how throughout history and culture this remains relevant. It has a bittersweet ending and a largely universal message and appeal.
Matthias’ translation is currently available for purchase at a discount on the Publisher’s site. Link to purchase can be found here: https://bit.ly/3qwuYmR. It will soon be available on Amazon.
Matthias will be teaching Love, War, Peaceful Ending: Reading Homer’s Iliad this Spring. The online course starts February 22, 2022. Sign up today! Learn more at https://bit.ly/LITR1-CE9631.
Bravo Susan! A great accomplishment@@yahoo
Bravo Susan! A great accomplishment