Psalidas Athanasios

Athanasios Psalidas was born in 1767 in the city of Ioannina Epirus , in the family of businessman Petros Psalidas, who was active mainly in Wallachia and Russia ^[1] . Mother, Elizabeth, was from a nearby mountainous area of ​​Zagori. He graduated from school in his hometown. At the age of 18 years (1785) he left for Nizhny Novgorod , where his brother Mikhail settled and opened a trading house several years earlier. The brother, having incurred all the expenses, sent him to study at the Poltava Slavic Seminary (1785-1787), founded in 1776 by the Greek enlightener and bishop Evgeny (Bulgaris) of Slavic and Kherson. On the recommendation of one of the seminary teachers, he became a tutor of the young Theoharis Kefalas, the son of a wealthy and noble landowner from Thessaly . Together with young Kefalas he was sent to Vienna, where he attended classes in medicine, philosophy, Greek and Latin philology, physics, mathematics and physical experiments, as well as foreign languages: French, German and Italian. From 1887, he studied at the University of Vienna at the Faculty of Medicine, which however he left and studied in the Natural Sciences and Philosophy until 1795.

During his stay in the Austrian capital (1787-1795), he developed a vibrant writing and publishing activity.

In 1791, he published his philosophical work “Real Bliss” (ΑληθΕ Ευδαιμονία), written in archaic Greek, and enclosed his translation in Latin. With this work, he again explored and took a position on fundamental issues of the time, such as the existence of God, Immortality , the posthumous antidosis ^[2] (ἀντίδοσις - here, following Isocratic's speech, autobiography and defense), human freedom, meaning and limits of freedom. Simultaneously with his studies, Psalidas offered his services to the Greek publishers and printing houses of his countrymen in Vienna. At that time, he began writing a significant number of books. Since 1791, when the Greek newspaper Efimeris (Εφημερίς) began to be published in Vienna, Psalidas was among the staff of its publishers. In 1791, he translated into Greek and published the “Arithmetic” of the Austrian mathematician Metzburg.

In 1792, together with Cypriot Ioannis Karadzas (who was executed by the Turks in 1798 with Rigas ), he published the book “The Results of Love” Έρωτος αποτελέσματα. This is the first (preserved) printed work of the new Greek literary prose. The main theme of the book was love (έρωτας - carnal love). The manner in which the topic was developed expressed new philosophical ideas formed in the framework of the Enlightenment regarding the physical (natural) origin of passions. The work included 3 romantic stories and many poems by fanariots . The book was a remarkable success and was reprinted five times from 1792 to 1836.

In 1793, Psalidas was interrogated by Austrian police, suspected of liberal and Francophilean views. He himself rejected all the accusations, but staying in Vienna became increasingly dangerous and, ultimately, in 1976 he decided to return to Greece controlled by the Ottomans, rejecting the department of the University of Pest offered to him.

In Ioannina and for 25 years he headed one of the most significant schools of the city, founded according to the wills of local merchants, brothers Lambros and Simon Marutsos ^[3] .

However, the Marutsosov School soon faced insurmountable financial problems. After that, Psalidas secured financial support from the Nizhny Novgorod Greek merchant and philanthropist Zois Kaplanis . The school received the name of Kaplanis and passed under the patronage of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Given the studies of Psalidas in Russia and Vienna and his fame, he was appointed its first director.

During this period, Psalidas enriched the school curriculum with the lessons of natural sciences, history, geography, commercial knowledge, foreign languages. He brought special instruments from the Western European capitals with which he taught astronomy and cosmography , and performed experiments in physics and chemistry, attracting interest from extracurricular audiences. At the same time, he created a significant library accessible to the general public, hired qualified teachers and provided scholarships to his best students. His innovations were sharply criticized by conservative circles. He was accused by the Greeks and non-Greeks of introducing the atheistic views of Voltaire ^[3] and the generally liberal views of the French Revolution . For this reason, he published The Good Actions (Καλοκινήματα), rejecting the views of his opponents. His ideological confrontation with K. Balanos , who headed one of the other famous schools of the city, grew into a confrontation between two schools and their students. At the same time, it caused close attention to the activities of Psalidas of the Ioannis ruler Ali Pasha . Ali Pasha and his sons visited school when Psalidas experimented with static electricity, and was convinced that nothing diabolical was happening ^[4] . Moreover. Ali appreciated his multilateral knowledge and entrusted him with diplomatic missions. It was Psalidas who received foreign consuls, ambassadors and travelers to Ioannina. Psalidas met in Ioannina and impressed Byron , Puquille and other travelers and diplomats. The English traveler Henry Holland (1st Baronet, 1788-1893) wrote: “The Psalidas is not only a multifaceted scientist, but also an excellent and eloquent speaker. With unimaginable ease, he speaks both the ancient and today's form of the Greek language, Italian, French, German and Russian. He speaks vividly and with great force on any subject of art, science, philology, and especially about his glorious homeland, Greece. He owns the natural sciences, which he studied in Germany, but by nature is more inclined to philosophical research. His zeal for modern Greek literature and poetry is great. ”

During his teaching career in Ioannina, he became one of the most famous city figures. He took part in the councils of elders, in court hearings. In addition, Ali sent him several times on his behalf to Western Europe on a diplomatic mission.

If in his first works Psalidas used the archaic form of the Greek language, then becoming "the main teacher of Yanin," he used colloquial Dimotika . Moreover, he did not even accept the middle path of Adamantium Corais with his “pure language” Kafarevus .

In 1806, Italy published ( ^[5] , Ελληνική Νομαρχία ), signed "Anonymous Greek" ^[6] . The book was dedicated to Rigas Fereos (1757-1798), is a monument to national awakening and the anthem of "sacred freedom". According to Greek historians, after the writings of Rigas, the “Greek Nomarchy” is the most significant spiritual link that led to the creation of the revolutionary organization Filiki Etheria and to the Greek Revolution .

Psalidas, among 6 other Greek intellectuals of that era (among them Rigas Velestinlis, Adamandios Korais, Andonios Martelaos), falls “an honorable suspicion” that he is the author of “Nomarchy”. He is also considered one of the probable authors of the book Russo-English French (Rossoanglogall ^[5] , Ρωσαγγλογάλλος ), published by an unknown author.

Psalidas was an adamant fighter for the freedom of the Greeks. To this end, he was the allies of Russian and those Greek thinkers, such as Vulgaris , who served their interests, but when it was necessary he came across them. In the beginning, he sang Catherine the Great and her activities, confirming the expectation of Russian support. However, when this expectation turned out to be a pipe dream and the Greeks ’doubts became a final disappointment, Psalidas“ made evidence of the death of this policy ”and“ wrote the epitaph of the Russian policy of lost hopes and false promises ”. He began to confront Vulgaris, the characteristic apologist for Russian expectations, and proclaimed with courage and courage a reorientation of Greek political thought. Psalidas considered that the attachment of this old man of the Enlightener to Russian politics and his life at the royal court were tantamount to a renunciation of the Greek rebirth. Psalidas wrote: "Vulgaris, despising his Fatherland and his entire family, turned to stranger barbarian tribes, making patriotism second after pleasure and womb ... Woe to the tribesmen, if they expect light and benefit from such a wise husband." Vulgaris's answer was harsh, considering the wrath of Psalidas the rage of a charlatan. Similarly, Vulgaris answered earlier to his other critic, Josip Misiodakos . Psalidas became a member of the revolutionary organization Filiki Eteria , raising suspicion of the Turks. Heterists managed on the eve of the Greek Revolution to support the separatist tendencies of Ali Pasha and his open confrontation with the Sultan. When at the end of 1820 the Sultan forces began military operations against Ali, Psalidas took refuge in the village of his mother. The Greek revolution broke out in the spring of 1821. In 1822, Psalidas moved to the island of Kerkyra, which was under British control.

In 1823, the Ionian Academy, the first modern Greek university where the students of Psalidas taught, was established in Kerkyra. But he himself aroused suspicions of Russophilia among the British, and therefore received the title of professor emeritus, but he still did not receive permission to teach at the Academy. In 1828 he was appointed director of the Lyceum on the island of Lefkada, where he died on July 20, 1829 ^[7] .

Being in Kerkyra, Psalidas, to the best of its ability, tried to provide all possible assistance to the fighting Greek nation. He maintained correspondence with the political leaders of rebellious Greece and the phylloe committees of Western Europe, especially London . He took several diplomatic steps to prepare a conference of ambassadors of Great Britain, Russia and France, to resolve the Greek question after the signing of the London Agreements (1827). He initiated a preliminary conference on Kerkyra (August 1828) and a conference of ambassadors on the island of Poros (September - December 1828). At the same time, with his reports and Kapdistrias about north-western Greece, he assisted the latter to prepare an answer to 28 questions posed to him by the "Great Powers" ^[8] .

Psalidas married for the first time in 1793, while still in Vienna. His wife, Joseph, was the daughter of Joseph Schicktanz, a hosiery manufacturer. The wife died suddenly at the age of 22 years. Returning to Ioannina, Psalidas married in 1800 with Zahrula, daughter of A. Kutovaslis. Two daughters were born to the couple, and then the twins Petros and Anastasios, the latter died immediately after childbirth. Zaharula died a year after the birth of the twins. In 1806, Psalidas married a third time, to Vasiliki Spahu. Psalidas had two children with her.

• 1. “Good actions” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Καλοκινήματα. Ἦτοι ἐγχειρίδιον κατὰ φθόνου καὶ κατὰ τῆς Λογικῆς τοῦ Εὐγενί
• 2. “Logic” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, “Λογική κατά νωτέρους μέν συντεθείσα, μεθόδω δε μαθηματική, εξυφανθείσλ ηάλωλωλ
• 3. "Geography of Albania and Epirus" (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Θεσπρωτός, Κοσμᾶς, Γεωγραφία Αλβανίας και Ηπείρου. Ἐξ ἀνεκδότου χειρογράφου τοῦ Κοσμᾶ Θεσπρωτοῦ μὲ τοπογραφικὰ σχεδιογραφήματα καὶ γεωγραφικοὺς χάρτας τοῦ ἰδίου, Ἰωάννινα, Ἑταιρεία Ἠπειρωτικῶν Μελετῶν, 1964)
• 4. “Outposts of Hellenism” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Πρόμαχοι του Ελληνικού ”)
• 5. “Reflections and parting words of the Nation” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Στοχασμοί και προτροπές προς το Γένος)
• 6. “Brief geography” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Γεωγραφία σύνομος καθ΄ απλήν φράσιν, 1809)
• 7. “Logic and Metaphysics” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Λογική και Μεταφυσική, Ἰωάννινα, 1804)
• 8. “Lessons of Philosophy” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Μαθήματα Φιλόσοφίας. Μεταφυσική - Κοσμολογία, 1793)
• 9. "Real Bliss or the foundation of any religion" (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Αληθής ευδαιμονία ήτοι βάσις πάσης θρησκείας, Τόμος Α, Ἑν Βιέννῃ τῆς Αοὐστρίας, Ἐν τῇ Τυπογραφίᾳ Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ Βαουμαϋστέρου, 1791)
• 10. “A Practical Introduction to Philosophy” (Ψαλίδας, Ἀθανάσιος, Πρακτικής φιλοσοφίας εισαγωγή το δίκαιον της φύσως, ηθικήν και πολιτιαέή)

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• Greeks in Russian military service in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries . Nicholas Charles Pappas. Institute for Balkan Studies, 1991.

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