"poor versification"; reportedly, it was also a commercial failure. In tandem, Demetriade began writing for Constantin Ionescu-Caion's Românul daily, and penned his most significant critical essays for its successor, Românul Literar. Caion also hosted Demetriade's translations from Jean Moréas. In tandem, Demetriade began collaborating with Macedonski at his right-wing reviews Forța Morală and Liga Conservatoare, using such pen names as Ali-Baba, Demir, Dimir, and D. Mir. At the time, Literatorul called him "one of the greats of Romanian neo-Latin literature", noting that he still professed socialist principles, "but not those of the exploiting socialists". In 1906, as Mircea des Métriades, he prefaced the Parisian edition of Macedonski's novel, Thalassa, Le Calvaire de feu. Also that year, Carol I, King of Romania, awarded him the Bene-Merenti medal for his various contributions. In April 1910, Demetriade became a founding member of the Society of Theatrical Authors, and, in 1911, was employed by the National Theater as a dramaturge, correcting and updating Rhea Sylvia, by Nicolae Scurtescu. Around that time, as concerned members of the Romanian Orthodox Church who opposed secularism, Demetriade and Sterian also joined the movement supporting Gherasim Safirin, the Bishop of Roman, in his conflict with the Romanian Synod. Both writers also shared similar ideas on heredity: Demetriade's claim that syphilis could act as a "civilizing hero", by favoring intellectual traits in syphilitic descendants, prompted Sterian to construct an elaborate evolutionary theory. Demetriade's very final years brought a major chill in his relationship with Macedonski. According to one account, they were "daggers down" (la cuțite). He died on September 11, 1914, shortly after the start of World War I. His lifelong output included over fifteen hundred poems, plays, translations and articles of literary criticism (the most significant of which appeared in Românul Literar), mainly uncollected in book form. He had fathered a son, Mircea Jr, who was reportedly a "guiding light of his life". Notes References Constantin Bacalbașa, Bucureștii de altădată. Vol. II: 1885 — 1901. Bucharest: Editura Ziarului Universul, 1928. Bucureștii de altă dată. Vol. IV: 1910 — 1914, Editura Ziarului Universul, 1936. George Călinescu, Istoria literaturii române de la origini pînă în prezent. Bucharest: Editura Minerva, 1986. George Costescu, Bucureștii Vechiului Regat. Cu numeroase reproduceri fotografice documentare și două planșe cu peste 200 de portrete caricaturale ale oamenilor timpului. Bucharest: Editura Universul, 1944. Mihail Cruceanu, De vorbă cu trecutul.... Bucharest: Editura Minerva, 1973. N. Davidescu, Din poezia noastră