Showing posts with label literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literature. Show all posts

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Be glad as children


"My friends, ask gladness from God. Be glad as children, as birds in the sky. And let man's sin not disturb you in your efforts, do not fear that it will dampen your endeavor and keep it from being fulfilled, do not say, 'Sin is strong, impiety is strong, the bad environment is strong, and we are lonely and powerless, the bad environment will dampen us and keep our good endeavor from being fulfilled.' Flee from such despondency, my children! There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for all the sins of men. For indeed it is so, my friend, and the moment you make yourself sincerely responsible for everything and everyone, you will see at once that it is really so, that it is you who are guilty on behalf of all and for all. Whereas by shifting your own laziness and powerlessness onto others, you will end by sharing in Satan's pride and murmuring against God." (Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Book VI, Chapter 3)

For this necklace I was inspired by father Zosima the elder's teachings, from the Brothers Karamazov. And today it's also a very happy, glorious, sunny day... Perfect! Have a nice weekend everyone :)

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?