I have some UTF-8-encoded text files which display strange escape codes in Emacs. For instance, this text:

> In ista quaestione primo exponam quid intelligendum est per hoc nomen
> ‘Deus’; secundo, respondebo ad quaestionem.

Shows like this in Emacs:

![enter image description here][1]

This only happens in Emacs. Other editors show the text correctly. How can I fix this problem?

 [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/RPbsA.png

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**Update 1**

If I call `revert-buffer-with-coding-system` and select `utf-8` the file get read correctly. So, as Gilles has correctly guessed, Emacs isn't detecting the file encoding. If I add the code `; -*- coding: utf-8 -*-` to the file, Emacs opens and displays it correctly.

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**Update 2**

I reencoded the file in "UTF-8 with BOM encoding," and now it displays alright in Emacs. I don't know what's the difference between the two types, but Emacs seems to be aware of the BOMed one only.