Showing posts with label epic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic. Show all posts

Friday, April 30, 2010

Erotokritos and Aretousa: the Happy Ending

Erotokritos is a Greek romance epic, written in verse and in the popular dialect of the time, in early 17th century Crete by Vikentios Kornaros (1553-1613), an exact contemporary of Shakespeare. You can read more about it here.

Apart from the poet's version, Erotokritos also survives in the form of songs, which are very popular in contemporary Greece too, especially after some very important Greek singers interpreted them. I was listening to one such performance, when I was inspired to put together the following collection, trying to visualize the happy ending to Erokritos and Aretousa's romance.

I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!





































Για τούτο, οπού'ναι φρόνιμος, μηδέ χαθεί στα Πάθη,
το ρόδον κι όμορφος αθός γεννάται μες στ' αγκάθι.
Ετούτ' η Αγάπη η μπιστική με τη χαρά ετελειώθη,
και πλερωμή στα βάσανα μεγάλη τώς εδόθη.
Και κάθε είς που εδιάβασεν, εδά κι ας το κατέχει, 1515
μη χάνεται στα κίντυνα, μα πάντα ολπίδα ας έχει.

Which means,

'So, those who are wise don't lose themselves in Passions,
for the rose and the pretty bloom are born among thorns.
This secret Love was happily consummated,
as the lovers were compensated for all their suffering.
Thus, everyone, who read, bear this one thing in mind,
do not in dangers lose yourself, but always save your hope.'

(My translation)

Don't you just love poetry?