#kostis palamas

[ma-pi-ma]

Quest'anno l'inverno feroce e rigido mi ha colpito

sorprendendomi senza fiamma e senza giovinezza,

e giorno dopo giorno mi aspettavo davvero di svenire

per le strade innevate.

Ma ieri, quando il sorriso di marzo mi ha incoraggiato

e ho cominciato a ritrovare i vecchi sentieri,

al primo profumo di una rosa lontana

i miei occhi si sono inumiditi.

Kostis Palamas, da Città e solitudine, 1912

[gemsofgreece]

Farya: *arranges song with the lyrics of Kostis Palamas' poem about Digenis Akritas*

Me, a delicate softe (kinda) being:

Ο ΑΚΡΙΤΑΣ ΕΙΜΑΙ, ΧΑΡΟΝΤΑ, ΔΕΝ ΠΕΡΝΩ ΜΕ ΤΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ Μ' ΑΓΓΙΞΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΔΕ Μ' ΕΝΙΩΣΕΣ ΣΤΑ ΜΑΡΜΑΡΕΝΙΑ ΑΛΩΝΙΑ

[silveroliveleaf]

The idea of putting these three together isn't mine, but comes from the book I'm currently reading, Γεύση Μίας Προϊστορικής Ελιάς (translated in something like Taste Of A Prehistoric Olive Tree) by archaeologist Yannis Sakellarakis. Surprisingly, all the statues depict the act of thinking.

The Thinker from Karditsa, Greece: Karditsa's Thinker is a Neolithic statue of 47.7 cm, the higher of its kind. It is an ithyfallic idol with the gender characteristics intesively expressed, considering that human fertility was as important for Neolithic people as the earth's. It's really exciting that somebody had decided to capture the act of thinking thousands years ago, when philosophy didn't even existed. People back then had stuff to think of, too: their familly, their survival through hunting and cultivating the land, their need to create tools, weapons and jewerlly. They even had their own inventions, for example this man might be thinking of a new vehicle which would float on the water and would be useful to transfer people and goods, i.e. the ship. Thinking is closely linked with creating, considering that only humans -the only beings blessed with logic- consciously create things that aren't only useful, but also artistically beautiful.

The Thinker by Rodin (1880-1904): Perhaps, Rodin's most famous statue. Initially, Rodin wished to put it at the Gates Of Hell, but he presented it as a independent work, too. That's the reason why many scholars believe that The Thinker is actually Dante, the tormented poet who contemplates all that he witnesses in Hell. However, the figure is a lot more mascular, resembling the figures of Michellangelo. By using Michellangelo's tradition, who valued physical beauty as well as intellect and poetry, Rodin's statue embodies "both dream and action".

Kostis Palamas by Phalireas (1975): Kostis Palamas is considered one of Greece's national poets. The statue is at the garden of a neoclassical building in the center of Athens. It's interesting to observe that the artist chooses the position of thinking to depict a modern day intellectual. The old age signifies wisdom, while the way the fabric is placed makes up for the missing robustness.

Three statues created in different time periods, under different circumstances celebrate the same thing; humanity's distinctive characteristic, logical thinking.

[Sources: Γεύση Μίας Προϊστορικής Ελιάς, Γ. Σακελλαράκης, εκδ. Ίκαρος, wikipedia, museerodin.fr, metmuseum.com, athenssculptures.com, ime.gr]

[jbgravereaux]

Angélique Ionatos : “En apprenant votre langue, j'ai redécouvert la mienne”                                                                                                                                  Anne Berthod , Télérama : La Grèce actuelle, les poètes hellènes, le thrène venu de l'Antiquité... La chanteuse jadis exilée tire ses lamentations de sa terre et de sa langue.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ...Angélique Ionatos : Je peux dénoncer, encourager, en chantant nos poètes. Les mots ont encore du pouvoir, surtout en Grèce, où la poésie est très présente. Les artistes devraient être plus politisés, comme Léo Ferré, qui dénonçait « le capital qui joue aux dés notre royaume ». La ploutocratie est aussi un mal grec : le gouvernement vend ses îles et ses aéroports mais exempte fiscalement les armateurs et l'Eglise... Et les intellectuels, on ne les entend pas beaucoup. Alors que les musiciens, les comédiens et les poètes n'ont jamais été aussi féconds depuis la crise. Un artiste doit être engagé, sinon ce métier n'a pas de sens.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ...« La poésie a inventé le monde, mais le monde l'a oublié », disait Yannis Ritsos. C'est parce qu'on n'écoute plus ses poètes que leur vocation est dans l'exil. Mes parents ont quitté la Grèce à cause de la dictature et, à 19 ans, j'ai choisi de chanter en français pour la même raison. Mais en apprenant votre langue, j'ai redécouvert la mienne. Et, avec elle, ses merveilleux poètes.                                                                                                                                              “Je peux dénoncer, encourager, en chantant nos poètes”                                                                                                                                                             Qu'aimez-vous tant dans la poésie grecque ?                                                                                                                                                                               Les poètes grecs ont la chance de disposer d'une langue dont les trois formes (archaïsante, puriste, démotique) offrent une palette de mots invraisemblable et leur permet même d'en inventer d'autres, ce qui les rend affreusement difficile à traduire ! Mais surtout, tous ces grands auteurs contemporains que sont Odysséas Elytis, Yannis Ritsos ou Kostis Palamas, parlent toujours de l'homme. Leur anthropocentrisme est propre à la culture des Grecs. A la différence des Egyptiens, ils se sont même inventé des dieux à leur image. Les oliviers, les maisons, même le Parthénon : tout est à dimension humaine, ce qui explique la douceur émanant de nos paysages et de nos monuments.                                                                                                                                                                  Pourquoi êtes-vous si tragique ?                                                                                                                                                                                                      La culture du thrène, cette lamentation funèbre héritée des femmes de l'Antiquité, m'a nourrie. Mais c'est surtout une question de tempérament : je suis profondément « poignante » et dès que je prends la guitare, c'est toujours en mode mineur !

[epestrefe]

Κωστής Παλαμάς.Γεννήθηκε σαν σήμερα 13 Ιανουαρίου του 1859 στη Πάτρα.

[gemsofgreece]

Greek poet, author and historian Kostis Palamas (1859 - 1943) absorbed by the book display in Kauffman Foreign Languages Bookshop, Stadium St., Athens, 1930.

*Fun facts: Palamas is one of the most influential poets in Greece's history. He was a Nobel nominee 14 times. He wrote the lyrics of the Olympic Hymn, the anthem of the Modern Olympic Games. He dominated literary life for 30 or more years and greatly influenced the entire political-intellectual climate of his time. He died during the German occupation of Greece during World War II. His funeral was a major event of the Greek resistance: the funerary poem composed and recited by fellow poet Angelos Sikelianos roused the mourners and culminated in an angry demonstration of a 100,000 people against Nazi occupation. Such a large group of people let alone a demonstration was of course unthinkable under a Nazi occupation and yet, German soldiers were too numb by the momentum of the poet’s mourners to interfere. They probably felt even more weirded out when, even though Palamas had co-signed a written protest to the intellectuals of the world against fascism and called for a "rebellion of conscience", Adolf Hitler sent a funeral wreath all the way from Berlin via an airplane...! Which, unsurprisingly and unintentionally, ignited the angry demonstration of the Greek mourners even more.

[silveroliveleaf]

Grave Stele Of Hegeso, Kerameikos (now in National Archaeological Museum in Athens)

This is the burial monument of a young girl of the 5th century BC, called Hegeso. She appears in a domestic scene choosing the jewerly she's going to wear. Her maidservant brings her a pyxis, which is a jewel case.

The contradiction between Hegeso and her maidservant is evident, sinse the former has a complicated hairstyle with her hair tied in a sakkos and wears flimshy hiton and himation, while the latter has a much simpler hairstyle and wears a sleeved-hiton which signifies she's a non-Greek (so, socially inferior). In this way, the stele promotes the wealth of Hegeso's familly and ensures her social status and legacy, considering that the social position of Athenian girls was elevated in Pericles' times because only citizens who had both parents Athenians were legally Athenian citizens and consequently had the full package of political rights in Athens.

Following the style of the Parthenonian sculptures, Hegeso is beautiful and aloof. She has a reserved sadness, like she says goodbye to her jewels knowing she won't need them in the Underworld anymore.

Poet Kostis Palamas has written a very moving poem about Hegeso. He imagines that Hegeso was a young Athenian taking part in Panathinaia, a huge celebration to honor the protector of the city, goddess Athena. In Panathinaia, maidens were sewing a very big peplos to dress up the colossal statue of Athena in Acropolis through a religious ceremony. Hegeso payed much care to her appearance and tried to look as much beautiful as she could at the day of the celebration. Her excitement's source was her love for a young Athenian boy whom she hoped she met during the celebration. However, death caught her up, instead. Despite her misfortune, Hegeso believes she's the most fortunate; art captured her beauty forever in nonperishable marble and now she's ressurected in the Elysian Fields Of Art.

*Elysian Fields: the location in the Underworld where heroes ended up and were happy and honored for eternity

[Sources: wikipedia, mixanitouxronou.gr]

[ukdamo]

Olympic Hymn

Kostis Palamas

Olympian flame immortal Whose beacon lights our way Emblaze our hearts with the fires of hope On this momentous day

As now we come across the world To share these Games of old Let all the flags of every land In brotherhood unfold

Sing out each nation, voices strong Rise up in harmony All hail our brave Olympians With strains of victory

Olympic light burn on and on O'er seas and mountains and plains Unite, inspire, bring honour To these ascending games May valour reign victorious Along the path of golden way

As tomorrow's new champions now come forth Rising to the fervent spirit of the game Let splendour pervade each noble deed Crowned with glory and fame

And let fraternity and fellowship Surround the soul of every nation

Oh flame, eternal in your firmament so bright Illuminate us with your everlasting light That grace and beauty and magnificence

Shine like the sun Blazing above Bestow on us your honour, truth and love.

this hymn was not used in Berlin, 1936.