PAPPACENA, Enrico. Naples 5.12.1882 — Bari 5.9.1980. Italian Indologist and Scholar of Religion. Professor in Bari. Son of Roberto P. and Clelia Casalini. Studies of Russian and Indology at Naples (Kerbaker), graduated 1914. In 1918-20 at Nancy in France teaching Italian. Then teaching at liceo in Lanciano, also concentrating on writing, and 1936-43 in Naples at Liceo Umberto I. In 1946-60 Professor incaricato at University of Bari, where he taught History of Religions as well as Indian and Far Eastern religions and philosophy. An Anthroposophist. “Intellettuale di non eccelsa levatura, ma significativa personalità del suo tempo” (Treccani). Married 1922 Ersilia Sigismondi.

Publications: Storia, Religione e Letteratura dell’ India antica. 140 p. Naples 1912.

– Racconti e drammi classici dell’India antica. 62 p. Naples 1912, rev. 2nd ed. as Il Mahâbhârata: e le principali questioni mahâbhâratiane. 48 p. Lanciano 1929.

– translated: Il Re Dusianta. Dramma in sei atti. 80 p. Lanciano 1929 (Śakuntalā).

– Arte antica e Scienza moderna. 592 p. Carpi 1935 (about Indian classical literature, also on Italian Indology).

– Introduzione allo studio della Storia relig. e letterare dell’ India. 158 p. Bari 1947.

–  Michele Kerbaker. 193 p. Bari 1958.

– Le maggiori opere poetiche dell’India. 135 p. Bari 1961.

– Teatro indiano. 279 p. Bari 1962; Sacùntala: (nel Mahâbhârata e nel dramma di Kâlidâsa). 160 p. Bari 1966; articles and reviews.

– Works on literary history (Gogol, Dante, Iliad, etc.), own poetry and prose, e.g. La fine dei Bàrata: romanzo epico. 483 p. Florence 1941.

Sources: Chi è 1948; briefly in E&W 3, 1952, 104; C.G. DeMichelis, D.B.I. 81, 2014 (treccani.it) with further references.