Once Upon a Classic in Greece

The ancient Greek gods are well-known to most of us.  In "New Greece, the Centenarian, Forges Ahead," National Geographic Magazine, December, 1930, Maynard Owen Williams begs us to "Let the Greece of Homer or Plato inspire us.  The Greece of to-day will not betray our interest.  Mere mortals now live into the haunts of the immortal gods, but they make it a friendly land" (p. 649).

The country of Greece lies in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, west of Turkey, south of Albania, Jugoslavia, and Bulgaria, and east of Italy.  The land area is approximately that of the United States' New York State, and in 1930, the 100th year of its independence, there were more than six million citizens. FYI: prior to 1830, Greece belonged to Turkey.

Thanks to American aid in helping to build a dam creating a lake near Marathon, in 1930 the city of Athens had "sufficient water for the first time since Hadrian built his aqueduct, 1,800 years ago" (p. 656).

Ancient Greece originated the Olympic sports games.  Mr. Williams visited Elis, the home of the Olympics.  "Where is there such a place to sit and dream as here, where picked men from the whole Hellenic world met in a month of friendly training before competing for the victor's prize - a simple olive branch?" (p. 664).  The games continued for 1,170 years until ended by the Byzantine Emperor  Theodosius, around the year 375 A.D.  The modern Olympics were resurrected in 1906.  There are summer games, winter games, and even special olympics now.

Mr. Williams criss-crossed the country in planes, cars, and trains in search of authentic native costumes to photograph before they were lost.  A favorite city was Salonika.  "This city where St. Paul preached to the Thessalonians, presents a fine facade on the gulf, and the new seaside promenade is crowded at the twilight hour."  In Macedonia, he "rented a flivver (old jalopy) and toured to the Turkish and Albanian frontiers.  The roads were execrable, but an ambitious good-roads movement is now well underway" (p. 675).

Ancient and Middle Age ruins are scattered about the country.  Many battle sites are forever remembered.  "As in other parts of Greece, the sea is not neglected, and at Porto Lagos men were spearing octopuses with the aid of glass-bottomed buckets" (p. 683).  Products for export included currants, olives, and tobacco.

The Greek Orthodox church was praised for leading the insurgency that resulted in Greece's independence 100 years ago. There are large monasteries throughout the country.  One is built on a high stone pillar accessible only by a narrow stairway (formerly a visitor was pulled up in a net).

Part of this article is a 24-page color photograph section.  Shown are beautiful and varied native costumes and one icon.  Greece had many refugees from Asia Minor and gypsies in this time.

"Vlach women are so industrious that after they have broken camp and loaded the horses, and hoisted the chickens into place, and tied the wolf-dog so he won't get himself shot, and put the twins on the lead horse, and begun their trek to a new camping site, they inevitably take out a sock and do their knitting as they stride along (photo caption, p. 706).

Mr. Williams enjoyed his visit to the city of Athens.  "In a brief walk in Athens, one stubs his toes against the centuries.  The window-shoppers of Hermes Street are as modern as dull leather and lack-luster silk. Turn a corner and there is a Byzantine chapel in which Theodora would be at home.  Roman megalomaniacs worshiped at the Olympicion. And there, on its austere rock, stands the Parthenon" (p. 693).

Our Greek friends, Dimitrie (center) with his son, Vasili (right) with son #2, John, on occasion of my grandson, Matthew's high school graduation, June, 2010, in Poquoson, Virginia, U.S.A.

 

 

 

Matthew, the graduate, on the right, with his mom, Anna, daughter #1, and dad, Stan, at the graduation party, June, 2010.

The Greek theater has been alive for thousands of years  "Properly to appreciate the home of Apollo and the Oracle, one must get into the spirit of the place.  The Delphic Festival of 1930 made this possible.  While dining with the hundreds of amateur actors, I noted with what intellectual freshness these joyous folk greeted one another in parody verses. . .Native handicrafts were exhibited.  Athletic contests were held.  Peasants whirled in native dances. . .I lived in a peasant home. . .It is this friendliness which remains as my most vivid impression of Greece. . .The glory of Greece has not departed" (p 717).  Modern Greece is most definitely on my 'bucket list' of places to visit!