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The peregrinations of Vassilios Vatatzis

• Μηνάογλου, Χαράλαμπος Α.

Vassilios Vatatzis, a Greek tradesman from Istanbul, who was also a very cultivated person, composed a poem, entitled Periegetikon, in which he describes his impressions from 18th century Russia, Persia and Western Europe, where he used to travel for commercial reasons. Inspired, in what regards the form of his poem, by the literary works of the famous Greek traveler Dionysius Periegetes (2nd century AD), Vatatzis expresses his opinions about foreign lands, which reflect his ideological background. His view of the world is permeated by his Orthodox Christian culture; therefore he visibly favors Russia and almost completely ignores the Ottoman Empire. He respects Western European nations for their scientific and economical achievements, yet he feels that he belongs to a different world. Islamic and Buddhist east is as foreign to him as it was for the westerners of his time. Nevertheless, he singles out Persia, showing profound respect for its culture (regardless of the ancient rivalry between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire) and for the qualities of its leader, the shah Nadir, to whom he dedicated his other major poem, the Persika.

• Languages and Literature

• Λογοτεχνία
• Voyages and travels