The spate of memorials about Mike emphasize his myriad of accomplishments: that he was an eminent translator of Greek poetry, with particular focus on the works of C.P. Cavafy; that he wrote eight novels, most of them set in Greece; that he taught in Princeton’s comparative literature department and was the driving force behind the formation of Princeton’s creative writing program; and that he was devoted to free expression, which he supported with vigor as president of PEN America from 1992 to 1994.
Mike graduated from Princeton in 1949 with a degree in English literature. He roomed with John C. McMurray, Roger Saleeby, and Vox Wilcox and served as vice president of Campus Club. In 1952, Mike earned a doctorate in comparative literature from Oxford, where he met Mary Stathato-Kyris, an accomplished translator of poetry herself. They were married from 1951 until Mary died in 2012. Mike began teaching at Princeton in 1954 — and stayed for 40 years. His final Princeton course, in 1994, was offered through Hellenic Studies and titled “Myth, History, and the Contemporary Experience in Modern Greek, English, and American Poetry.” It examined the translations not only of Cavafy but also of more modern poets, such as George Seferis and Yannis Ritsos.
Mike was at Princeton with his brothers, Hugh ’46 and Robert ’51. Mike was a frequent attendee at Reunions, most recently with his partner, Anita Miller, who survives him. He is also survived by a niece, Michal M. Keeley ’75. The Class of ’48 sends its sympathies for the loss of our delightful classmate.