tiny little foul-mouthed greek grandma from a godforsaken village gets bitten by a stray vampire and turns into a vampire tiny little foul-mouthed greek grandma. arthritis for eternity. endless supply of the best food in the world. ridiculous strength and speed. a thirst for blood and absolutely no morals to stop her.
Aside from greek mythology what other things interest you?
Well, if we're focusing on the folklore and mythos part, I answered something similar here. But if you mean interests in general, I don't do much outside of it !
What I would consider my other two main hobbies are reading and videogames. The first one has been left out for a long while due to university though, since I already do read more than enough there, and therefore end up spending my free time in videogames exclusive. I've worked on 3D renders too at certain points (none of them related to the classics, except a Virgil one).
I used to write a lot back when I was a teen. Only in Spanish though.
i love that odysseus is named odysseus [the angry one] because his grandfather literally looked at this tiny baby on his lap and said, with his whole chest, 'so many people have pissed me off in life that you will be a reminder of how much i have been pissed off. go forth.'
You know he would absolutely use that phrase "Freedom or Death" in his life regardless of context! Honestly I do! Not to mention that he would make a fantastic "Μπουρλοτιέρης"! Essentially those were some people that did damage to large ships or forts of the enemy, usually at the cover of the night. One of the most famous ones was a man by the name Κωνσταντίνος Κανάρης (Konstantinos Kanaris)
so because not every Greek village had a strong navy or as many ships as the Ottoman Empire they had to make damage to enemy ships somehow so these guys came in. They would essentially row a boat and dragging with them another boat, loaded with gunpowder and get as close to the enemy vessels as possible under the cover of the night. Once they were close enough they would thug the loaded boat by the side of the warship and then row like hell was after them (and it was), away from the location. The gunpowder would explode, casing massive damage to the larger ships
You all just can't convince me that this is not the most Odysseus shit thing to do! Like a risky as hell mission but also sneaky in the cover of the night and all!
As always I love that smirk on his face hahaha That sneaky bastard! And the details at the flag as well as the shine to his necklaces!!!! I just love it!
25th March Greek Independence Day Remembrance! 🇬🇷 🕊️🌿
(A movie scene that reminds me of Iliad so much!)
And I want to share with you a beautiful clip from a movie called Σουλιώτες (Souli People), a movie shot in 1972 speaking about the fights and torments people of the city of Souli have been through
The movie is really beautiful by the way and if someone can watch it I would definitely recommend! However there are one or two battle scenes that I really loved in it.
The main protagonist Γκόγκας Δράκος (Gongas Drakos) and his main rival from the opposite side of Ali Pasha, Captain Γκιολέκας (Giolekas) would often start their fight with an almost friendly interactions by calling to each other and even claiming that they could meet after the war is done.
Here's something I loved and gave me Iliad vibes:
In one moment Giolekas stops the battle and suggests to stop for the day and bury their dead. Gongas agrees. Then Gongas asks Giolekas how many men they lost. Giolekas replies "Around 15 more or less. You?"
"Just one" Gongas replies, "A young man barely 17 years of age"
The scene then breaks to the image of a young man who died by the bullet of the enemy! And the scene that unravels truly gave me Iliad vibes
Gongas: And now, brothers! Come and join hands! Let us dance and sing for him as it is suitable for his courage and his youth!
And all begin to dance around the young man as if it is a celebration instead of someone dying, to see him off as he left; proud and strong. That scene gave me so many vibes of the ancient texts where the dead would be seen off with funerary games and all!
So this scene spoke to me as a great example how modern Greek creators did get inspired by the ancient traditions and how so many people actually held on similar traditions in the past!
Oh my gosh I just can't have enough of this guy!!! His performance is simply PERFECT in the movie!!!!! I mean...look at this sneaky bastard energy he managed to convey (in combination to "religious and pious af" energy of course)!!!!
Christos Tsagas my beloved!!!! ♥️ You truly were the one!!!!
We were criminally denied your glory at a full Odyssey adaptation by an amazing director such as this!!!!
Gosh I can't have enough of this man! Seriously he is just THE Odysseus in my mind! By the way here's a video where he is speaking on a poem by the poet Constantinos Kavaphis titled "Ithaca"
The poem goes like:
If you start on your way for Ithaca
wish that the road will be long
full of adventure, full of knowledge
Do not be afraid
of Laestrygonians and Cyclopes or of angry Poseidon
These things you shall never find on your way
if your thoughts are high and special
emotion touches your body and soirit
You shall not meet
The Laestrygonians and the Cyclopes or angry Poseidon
Unless you carry them inside your soul
If your soul doesn't place them before you
Wish the road shall be long
For summer mornings to be plenty
with how much pleasure, how much joy
you shall enter inside ports you never saw before
Stop at Phoenician commercial ports
obtain good cargo
Jweels and corals, ambers and ebony
and hedonistic spices of all kinds
as many more as you can hedonistic spices
Go to many Egyptian cities
to learn and to learn from the knowledgable ones
Always keep Ithaca in mind
The destination is there, your goal
But do not hurry your trip at all
Better let it last many years
and an old man now to rest to the island
rich with everything you gained along the way
Do not expect Ithaca to give you wealth
Ithaca gave you the beautiful trip
Without her you would never have been on your way
She has nothing more to give you
And if you find her poor, Ithaca hasn't fooled you
So wise you became and with so much experience
you must already have realized what all Ithacas mean
Gosh 😭 😭 😭 this is grandpa Odysseus speaking to his grandchild like baby Perseptolis!
Oh gosh Christos Tsagas we were robbed the chance to see you at a movie playing Odysseus fully!
Oh my gosh I just can't have enough of this guy!!! His performance is simply PERFECT in the movie!!!!! I mean...look at this sneaky bastard energy he managed to convey (in combination to "religious and pious af" energy of course)!!!!
Christos Tsagas my beloved!!!! ♥️ You truly were the one!!!!
We were criminally denied your glory at a full Odyssey adaptation by an amazing director such as this!!!!
Still the one and only casting for Odysseus! I mean look at that scoundrel enjoying the crowds' attention!
Hiding in the shade to hear everything
Walking alone in the shadows, constantly thinking:
Being among the soldiers, watching:
Staying close to the events and to the central priest:
Being in deep thought or having second thoughts:
And man that stance man! That stance!
you gotta tell when a dude KNOWS how to bring Odysseus to life! Even that "I support one leg on a higher rock because looks cool" hahaha the dude KNEW Odysseus you cannot tell me otherwise!
I love you Christos! I miss you man! ♥️
Given the odyssey is one of your blog's main things, I thought I would be seeing more of the telegony from you, but I didn't find anything. So any opinions on it?
Question to all fellow Neurodivergent Classicists!
Hello everyone! I'm running a session on 'Neurodivergence in Ancient Literature and Classical Reception' in Classics Society today and I was hoping to gain some opinions from the general populace. For those of you who are neurodivergent and interested in Classics, do y'all think there is a specific reason for this and are y'all of the opinion that the two are somewhat linked experiences in your lives?
Just tagging some people for reach:
@france-the-third, @officially-dorset, @nysus-temple, @france-unofficial and @genuinely-germany!