E. V. Rieu facts for kids

Emile Victor Rieu (born February 10, 1887 – died May 11, 1972) was a British expert in ancient Greek and Roman studies. He was also a publisher, a poet, and a translator. He is most famous for starting the Penguin Classics book series in 1946 and leading it for twenty years.

About Emile Victor Rieu

Emile Victor Rieu was born in London. He was the youngest child of Charles Pierre Henri Rieu, who was a Swiss scholar of Eastern languages.

Rieu went to St Paul's School (London) and then to Balliol College, Oxford. He studied ancient languages and history, doing very well in his exams in 1908. In 1914, he married Nelly Lewis. They had two sons, one of whom was D. C. H. Rieu, and two daughters. Emile Victor Rieu passed away in London in 1972.

His Work in Publishing and Translating

Rieu first worked for Oxford University Press in Mumbai, India. Later, in 1923, he joined the publisher Methuen in London. He became a managing director there and then an important adviser for books.

Rieu became very well known for his clear translations of ancient Greek texts, especially those by Homer. He also translated the four Gospels from the Bible. Even though he had not been religious for most of his life, translating the Gospels led him to become a member of the Church of England.

His translation of the Odyssey came out in 1946. This book was the very first in the Penguin Classics series. Rieu started this series with Sir Allen Lane and was its editor from 1944 to 1964. His son said that Rieu wanted to make the great books from every language available to everyday readers in good, modern English.

The idea for Penguin Classics came to Rieu during World War II. Bombs were falling in London, and each night after dinner, Rieu would read and translate parts of the Odyssey to his family. At first, the Penguin editors weren't sure if the book would sell well. However, Rieu's Odyssey became a classic itself. It was praised for its smooth and original writing. It also led to Penguin's very successful series of translated classic books.

Rieu often made Homer's ancient verses sound more modern. He used a method called "dynamic equivalence." This means he focused on translating the meaning or thought rather than just the exact words. For example, a literal translation might say, "As soon as Dawn appeared, fresh and rosy-fingered." Rieu's version would be, "No sooner had the tender Dawn shown her roses in the East."

Sometimes, his translations sounded a bit too modern for ancient times. For instance, he might write "the meeting adjourned" or "It's the kind of thing that gives a girl a good name in town." He also sometimes changed "A god put this into my mind" to "It occurred to me." Rieu also made characters sound more polite by adding "Kindly..." or "Be good enough to..." before orders. His son, D. C. H. Rieu, later updated some of these parts. His son also translated The Acts of the Apostles for the Penguin series.

When Rieu retired as the main editor of Penguin Classics, he had overseen about 160 books. He carefully found the best scholars and translators for each book. This made the series both scholarly and easy to read. The books also had helpful introductions and notes.

Rieu himself translated other important works. These included the Iliad (1950), the Voyage of Argo (1959) by Apollonius of Rhodes, and Virgil's Pastoral Poems (1949). After becoming an Anglican in 1947, Rieu helped with the creation of the New English Bible (1961–70). Rieu was known for being friendly and witty. He was also a friend and mentor to the science fiction writer Olaf Stapledon.

Poetry and Stories for Kids

Rieu also wrote poems for children. His book Cuckoo Calling: a book of verse for youthful people came out in 1933. He later made it bigger and called it The Flattered Flying Fish and Other Poems (1962). Some of his poems were also in A Puffin Quartet of Poets (1958). For Rieu, writing poetry was a side hobby, mostly for young people.

He also wrote a short story called "Pudding Law: A Nightmare." This story was included in The Great Book for Girls.

Awards and Honours

In 1949, the University of Leeds gave him an honorary degree. He also received the CBE award in 1953. In 1951, he was chosen as president of the Virgil Society. Seven years later, he became vice-president of the Royal Society of Literature.

See also

In Spanish: Emile Victor Rieu para niños