Τετάρτη 6 Νοεμβρίου 2013

But why in Lamia?

The following image is courtesy of fellow archaeologist Heinrich Hall, to whom many thanks are due for taking the photograph and sending it over for publication on the blog.
I can't really describe my enthusiasm when I saw it in my mail. 

This is a modern monument, a large marble stele, erected outside the Lamia castle in central Greece. 
It shows the legendary actress and once Minister of Culture Melina Merkouri standing in front of the Parthenon signing for victory. On the base lies an inscription in Greek, a Line from a poem written by the famous Greek poet Giannis Ritsos "Σε τούτα δω τα μάρμαρα κακιά σκουριά δεν πιάνει", which (translated rather freely) means "these marbles here can't be destroyed bad rust". 

This is an intriguing piece of modern art depicting a curious scene which seems/is out of place outside the Lamia castle. I couldn't find any more information regarding the artist or the reason why this monument was erected there. 




P.S. For Greek readers: Ο στίχος είναι από το "Εδώ το φως" από τα "Δεκαοκτώ λιανοτράγουδα της πικρής πατρίδας"

Σε τούτα δω τα μάρμαρα κακιά σκουριά δεν πιάνει
μηδέ αλυσίδα στου ρωμιού και στου αγεριού το πόδι. 

Εδώ το φως, εδώ ο γιαλός, - χρυσές, γαλάζιες γλώσσες,
στα βράχια ελάφια πελεκάν, τα σίδερα μασάνε




1 σχόλιο:

Stylishimoarts είπε...

I have been to Lamia castle and seen that myself, I was with a Greek who lived in the area, he took me to it and told me that she was the lady that was fighting to get the relics back to Greece, and that she was considered a heroine.