Post-Classical Memories: Modern Greek Attitudes to Antiquity

‘ ‘An obsession with past glories, An obsession with past glories, progonoplexiaprogonoplexia, or ‘ancestoritis’ , or ‘ancestoritis’ has been characteristic of so has been characteristic of so much of the country’s cultural much of the country’s cultural life’. (Richard Clogg, life’. (Richard Clogg, A A Concise History of GreeceConcise History of Greece, p. , p. 2)2)

Hayden White, Hayden White, Metahistory: Metahistory: The Historical Imagination in The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-Century EuropeNineteenth-Century Europe, , 1973.1973.

Symbolic or Archaeological

Revival, Resurrection, Return of the MusesRevival, Resurrection, Return of the Muses The medieval past (Byzantium) is ignoredThe medieval past (Byzantium) is ignored Approach of the past as a monument and Approach of the past as a monument and

the process of purification from later the process of purification from later additions (language, Acropolis)additions (language, Acropolis)

Andreas Kalvos ‘To the Muses’ (1824)

Your long exileYour long exilehas ended now.has ended now.A happier time returnsA happier time returns and the Delphic mountand the Delphic mountbeams in freedom.beams in freedom.The clear, silver waterThe clear, silver waterof the Spring flows.of the Spring flows.Its sounds are heard here.Its sounds are heard here.Today GreeceToday Greececalls her daughters back.calls her daughters back.You came, o Muses,You came, o Muses,I hear you!I hear you!My soul soars in bliss.My soul soars in bliss.I hear what the lyre preludes.I hear what the lyre preludes.I hear the hymns.I hear the hymns.

O Leandros (1834) by Panayiotis Soutsos

Do you share the melancholy I feel as I Do you share the melancholy I feel as I walk through these ancient ruins and the walk through these ancient ruins and the new settlements? Does this comparison new settlements? Does this comparison between the great past of Greece and her between the great past of Greece and her little present make you sad?little present make you sad?

Hellenization

After Independence, many Albanian, After Independence, many Albanian, Turkish or Slavic names of cities, villages Turkish or Slavic names of cities, villages and other place names were hellenized: and other place names were hellenized: Vostitsa, for example, became Aigion, Vostitsa, for example, became Aigion, Leontari was renamed Megalopolis, and Leontari was renamed Megalopolis, and Koulouri Salamis. This process of Koulouri Salamis. This process of hellenization continued even in the hellenization continued even in the twentieth century. twentieth century.

Acropolis From 1836 to 1875 there was a systematic From 1836 to 1875 there was a systematic

stripping of all post-classical additions from stripping of all post-classical additions from the Acropolis. the Acropolis.

The clearance was completed in 1875 when The clearance was completed in 1875 when the Archaeological Society in Athens, with the the Archaeological Society in Athens, with the financial support of Schliemann, demolished financial support of Schliemann, demolished the Frankish Tower. the Frankish Tower.

A historical palimpsest until 1821, after A historical palimpsest until 1821, after Independence the Acropolis rejected its Independence the Acropolis rejected its historicity, demolishing large parts of its past. historicity, demolishing large parts of its past.

Revival of the Symbolic Approach

It could be said that this practice has been revived today by plans to demolish listed buildings which obstruct the view of the Acropolis from the new Museum built nearby. These proposals suggest a desire to link the classical past with the present by obliterating or ignoring vestiges of the periods in

between.

Organic -Romantic

Notion of continuityNotion of continuity Incorporation of ignored periods of the pastIncorporation of ignored periods of the past Material traces of the past in the present Material traces of the past in the present

(Folklore Studies)(Folklore Studies) From the nostalgia for the past glory to the From the nostalgia for the past glory to the

nostalgia for a lost authenticitynostalgia for a lost authenticity

PSYCHARIS To Taxidi mou (My Journey) 1888

The ancient language has not been lost; you The ancient language has not been lost; you will find it in people’s mouths. The ancient will find it in people’s mouths. The ancient tongue will make you understand the tongue will make you understand the modern and with the modern you will grasp modern and with the modern you will grasp the meaning of the ancient. Our demotic the meaning of the ancient. Our demotic ((romeikiromeiki) language is a continuation of the ) language is a continuation of the [ancient] Greek, but in order to represent [ancient] Greek, but in order to represent this continuity it had to change otherwise it this continuity it had to change otherwise it would have been forever the same. would have been forever the same.

Mascots were based on this clay model at National Archaeological Museum.

Minoan swallow motif from the Minoan swallow motif from the ‘Spring Fresco’ discovered on ‘Spring Fresco’ discovered on the island of Santorini (Thera) the island of Santorini (Thera) as the official logo of Greece’s as the official logo of Greece’s Presidency of the European Presidency of the European Union in January to June 2003Union in January to June 2003

Aesthetic or Modernist

The past as an archetypeThe past as an archetype Memory, style and the aestheticization of Memory, style and the aestheticization of

the pastthe past The notion of continuity is not defined in The notion of continuity is not defined in

material, historical or linguistic terms but in material, historical or linguistic terms but in aesthetic and metaphoric terms.aesthetic and metaphoric terms.

George Seferis In the Parthenon (…) we have indeed two completely In the Parthenon (…) we have indeed two completely

different emotional triggers side by side in the same different emotional triggers side by side in the same object. One, the historical, archaeological or what we object. One, the historical, archaeological or what we might call the cyclical, makes me daydream of might call the cyclical, makes me daydream of travelling to the past; reflect on the futility of human travelling to the past; reflect on the futility of human affairs; raise the flag of insurrection against Morosini’s affairs; raise the flag of insurrection against Morosini’s cannonballs; be ecstatic in the face of the beauty of the cannonballs; be ecstatic in the face of the beauty of the life of the ancient Greeks. The other, the aesthetic, is a life of the ancient Greeks. The other, the aesthetic, is a completely different matter; a sudden presence, completely different matter; a sudden presence, something intense and exclusive; a marble cloak something intense and exclusive; a marble cloak covering me from head to toe; a voice which I do not covering me from head to toe; a voice which I do not understand, though I feel an urgent need to speak like understand, though I feel an urgent need to speak like it in order to understand it. it in order to understand it.

Mythistorema (1935)

‘‘Still one more well inside a cave.Still one more well inside a cave.

It used to be easy for us to draw up idols and It used to be easy for us to draw up idols and ornaments’ (2) ornaments’ (2)

‘‘I woke with this marble head in my hands’ (3) I woke with this marble head in my hands’ (3) ‘‘so that the age-old drama could begin again’ (1) so that the age-old drama could begin again’ (1) ‘‘the ancient dead have escaped the circle and risen the ancient dead have escaped the circle and risen

again’ (21)again’ (21)

Ironic or critical

Irony and demythologizationIrony and demythologization Postmodernism and relativityPostmodernism and relativity The past is reinterpreted and revisedThe past is reinterpreted and revised Role of the Hellenistic, Ottoman, Balkan Role of the Hellenistic, Ottoman, Balkan

pastpast

Antiquity and the Greek Left

‘ ‘In the domain of literary production, and of In the domain of literary production, and of intellectual life generally the modern Greek world intellectual life generally the modern Greek world remains completely cut off from its ancient Greek remains completely cut off from its ancient Greek cultural heritage … No trace of survival or cultural heritage … No trace of survival or memory could be found anywhere. Continuity memory could be found anywhere. Continuity here is deeply, radically and completely broken. here is deeply, radically and completely broken. Modern Greek literature is the literature of a Modern Greek literature is the literature of a completely new world’. (Dimitris Chatzis in 1954) completely new world’. (Dimitris Chatzis in 1954)

Photograph by Nelly

Kostas Karyotakis

DELPHIC FESTIVALAt Delphi two spirits from Greece competed.Aéschylus revived the echo of the Phaedriádes.Lorgnons, Kodaks, opérateurs, gave a toneparticularly graphic to Prometheus’ pain.A sob stirred those unlikely crowds. And when, 5without a curtain falling, the audiencedispersed, nothing disturbed the sacred silence.And then an eagle split the sky…

ATTITUDES TO THE PASTWhen we contemplate ruins, we contemplate our future

Symbolic or Symbolic or archaeologicalarchaeological

Organic or romanticOrganic or romantic Aesthetic or modernistAesthetic or modernist Ironic or criticalIronic or critical