Jean Moréas

Jean Moréas Poems

Jean Moréas Biography

Jean Moréas (French: [mɔreas]; born Ioannis A. Papadiamantopoulos, Ιωάννης Α. Παπαδιαμαντόπουλος; 15 April 1856 – 30 March 1910 ), was a Greek[ poet, essayist, and art critic, who wrote mostly in the French language but also in Greek during his youth. Moréas was born into a distinguished Athenian family. His ancestors included two well-known men of the Greek War of Independence, namely his paternal grandfather and namesake Ioannis Papadiamantopoulos (1766–1826), born in Corinth but of ultimately Epirote ancestry (he was executed after the fall of Missolonghi), and his maternal granduncle Iakovos Tombazis (c. 1782–1829), a renowned Arvanite from Hydra, who became one of the first admirals of the Greek navy. Moreas's father was Adamantios Papadiamantopoulos, a judge, scholar, and poet.[8] Moreas received a French education, and went to Paris in 1875 to study law at the University of Paris. While in France, he began associating with literary circles, and became acquainted with Les Hydropathes, a group of French writers that included Alphonse Allais, Charles Cros, Guy de Maupassant, and Léon Bloy. He was also an acquaintance of the Greek artist Demetrios Galanis and the Romanian poet Ion Minulescu.)

The Best Poem Of Jean Moréas

Ah Who Should Make My Heart Despond?

AH who should make my heart despond,
My heart untroubled pant and bleed?
Queen Cleopatra it would need,
And Melusina, and the blonde
Aglaura whom the Soldan stark
Sailed away with in his bark.

Since Susan comes a-wooing,
Let us go where the wood-doves are cooing.

My warlike heart no pity has;
Ah who should make my heart surrender?
Princess Aurelia the tender,
And Queen Ismene whose cheeks surpass
Upon the snows the tints of rose
The morning on the mountain throws.

Since Alice comes a-wooing,
Let us go where the wood-doves are cooing.

translated by Jethro Bithell

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