σύδεντρο : Ιουνίου 2013

Κυριακή, 30 Ιουνίου 2013

Καισάριος Δαπόντες, Περιγραφή του Ηραίου της Σάμου

Σάμος, Ηραίο

’Σ ἕνα νησὶ κατάμεσα, μικράκι μ’ ἐκκλησίαν
τ’ ἁγίου Νικολάου δέ, ἄκουσα λειτουργίαν.
Ἐδῶ κοντὰ ἕνα καιρὸν σοῦ εἶχεν ἕνα κάστρο,
ὁποῦ ’ς τὸν κόσμον ἔλαμπε ποτὲ ’ςὰν ἕνα ἄστρο
ἑλληνικό, παμπάλαιο, πολὺ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ
διὰ τὸ μεγαλεῖόν του, καὶ πύργους καὶ τοιχία,
μὲ πέτρες μεγαλώτατες αὐτὰ ὅλα κτισμένα,
ἀνδρείας τῆς ἑλληνικῆς καθρέφτης τὸ καθένα.
Τἄβλεπα καὶ ἐθαύμαζα καὶ ἐλεεινολογοῦσα
τὸ γένος μας τὸ τωρινό, καὶ ἐδακρυρροοῦσα·
καὶ ὄντως ἀνθρωπάρια, πίθηκας, μασκαράδες
ὠνόμαζα τοῦ λόγου μας, κνώδαλα καὶ μαυράδες.
Θέλ’ εἶνε βεβαιότατα ὡς τρεῖς χιλιάδες χρόνοι
καὶ στέκεται τὸ κτίριο, καὶ φαίνεται δὲν λυόνει.
Καὶ τὰ ’δικά μας δὲν περνᾷ χρόνος καὶ ἀρχινίζουν
νὰ σπάζουν, νὰ ραγίζωνται καὶ νὰ κοντοκρημνίζουν.
Κ’ ἔχομεν μίαν ἔπαρσιν ἡμεῖς μὲν οἱ σπουδαῖοι
πῶς καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν Πλάτωνα περνοῦμεν οἱ χυδαῖοι·
οἱ ρήτορες Κικέρωνα ὁμοῦ καὶ Ἰσοκράτην,
οἱ ἰατροί μας Γαληνὸν ἴσως καὶ Ἱπποκράτην,
οἱ φρόνιμοί μας Νέστορα ἢ καὶ τὸν Παλαμήδη,
αὐτοὶ δὲ οἱ κτιστάδες μας αὐτὸν τὸν Ἀρχιμήδη.
Θεέ μου παντοδύναμε, ἢ γνῶσιν νὰ μᾶς δώσῃς,
ἢ κἂν νὰ στείλῃς ἀπ’ τὴν γῆν ὅλους νὰ μᾶς σηκώσῃς·
γιατὶ καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν γῆν νὰ τὴν καταπατοῦμεν
ἀνάξιοι γῆς εἴμεσθεν, ἀνάξιοι νὰ ζοῦμεν.
Ἐδῶ καὶ μίαν, τέκνον μου, κολώνα σου σηκόνει,
ὁποῦ θαρρεῖς ’ς τὰ σύγνεφα μέσα ἐκεῖ τὴν χώνει
καὶ ὑψηλὴν καὶ θαυμαστὴν διὰ τὰ μεγαλεῖα,
τῶν λίθων ὄντων δώδεκα, τέρας τῇ ἀληθείᾳ·
τεράστιον ἀληθινὰ εἶνε αὐτὴ ἡ στήλη,
σωστὰ νὰ τὴν διηγηθῇ δὲν δύναται κοντύλι·
ἀπ’ τὰ ἑπτὰ θεάματα τῆς γῆς νὰ εἶνε ἕνα
ἡ στήλη ἔπρεπεν αὐτὴ ὄντας βεβαιωμένα,
ἢ καὶ ὄγδοον θέαμα νὰ τὴν ὀνοματίσουν
τὴν στήλην τὴν σαμιώτικην καὶ νά τηνε ψηφίσουν.
Ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ὧρες δυὸ τὴν βλέπεις καὶ σὲ κράζει
νὰ πᾶς διὰ νὰ τὴν ἰδῇς· θαρρεῖς καὶ σὲ φωνάζει.
Ὁ κάθε ἕνας λίθος της (ἄκουε καὶ νὰ φρίττῃς,
καὶ νὰ χαρῇς τὰ ’μάτια σου παντοῦ νὰ τὴν κηρύττῃς)
ὀκτὼ ἐννέα πιθαμὲς τὸ πλάτος του μετρᾶται,
εἶνε δὲ ’ςὰν μυλόπετρα πᾶς λίθος καὶ ὁρᾶται·
πέντε δὲ πάλιν πιθαμὲς τὸ χόνδρος ὁ καθένας·
τοὺς κύτταζα καὶ ἔχασα καὶ τὴν φωνὴν καὶ φρένας·
ὡσὰν κ’ ἔμενα ἄνθρωποι πέντ’ ἓξ νὰ ’ξαπλωθοῦσι
ἀπάνω του ὅλοι ἐκεῖ χωρὶς ἄλλο χωροῦσι.
Καὶ ὡς τριάντα πιθαμὲς τὸ γύρω κάθε λίθος·
μὲ τὤλεγαν καὶ ἔλεγα, ὅτι πῶς εἶνε μῦθος,
ὅτι διήγημα ἐκεῖ εἶνε αὐτὴ ἡ στήλη,
καὶ τὴν ἀκοῦς καὶ τὴν θωρεῖς ’ςτοῦ καθενὸς τὰ χείλη.
Ἀτός μου τοὺς ἐμέτρησα μὲ ἔπαινον μεγάλον
ἐκείνων τῶν κτιτόρων της τῶν θείων, ὄχι ἄλλων,
ἐκείνων τῶν ἡρώων της, τῶν ἀληθῶν ἀνθρώπων,
τῶν ἀσεβῶν, ἀλλ’ εὐλαβῶν κατὰ ψυχὴν καὶ τρόπον·
ὅθεν ὁ κτίστης μας θεὸς αὐτοὺς ἐβοηθοῦσε,
τέτοιες πέτρες σήκονε καὶ τὲς οἰκοδομοῦσε·
καὶ συνεργεῖ κ’ εὐφραίνεται θεὸς ἐπ’ ἀληθείας
εἰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν καλῶν τὰς τέχνας καὶ σοφίας·
τὰ ἔργ’ αὐτῶν τὰ εὐλογεῖ καὶ τοὺς τὰ στερεόνει
καὶ τοὺς σοφίζει καὶ αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐνδυναμόνει·
καὶ εἶν’ ἐπάνω πανωτὲς πέτρες θηριακωμένες
ὡσὰν νὰ εἶνε κόσκινα ἕνα ἐπάνω τἄλλο,
ὡσὰν κεφαλοτύρια, πρᾶγμα πολλὰ μεγάλο.
Δὲν εἶνε δὲ καὶ μοναχή, ὑπὲρ τὰς δέκα εἶνε·
αὐτὸ κάνει τοὺς θεατὰς φρῖξαι καὶ ἐκπλαγῆναι·
αὐτὴ ὅμως δυνήθηκεν ἕως τοῦ νῦν σταθῆναι,
θέαμα νἆνε θαυμαστό, σάλπιγξ καὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας
τῶν πάλαι προπατόρων μας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς σοφίας.

...............

Μὲ τὸ νὰ εἶνε δὲ πολλὲς καὶ πιάνουν ἕνα τόπον
διὰ παλάτι ἀρκετὸν βασιλικὸν προσώπων
τοῦ Ξάνθου τὰ παλάτια τώρα τὸν ὀνομάζουν,
τὸν σπέρνουν ὅμως σήμερον, τὸν σπέρνουν καὶ θαυμάζουν.
Εἶνε κοντὰ ’ςτὴν θάλασσαν ἐτούτη μου ἡ στήλη,
ὁποῦ ὡς τώρα ἐπαινεῖ ἐτοῦτο τὸ κοντύλι,
ἀπὸ τὸ κάστρον τὸ ρηθὲν μακρὰν ὡς δύο ὥρας,
ὀλίγα δὲ σιμότερα τῆς πρωτευούσης χώρας·
ἐδῶ θωρεῖς, ἀγαπητέ, θαρρεῖς καὶ τὴν κυττάζω
καὶ τὸ πολύ της ἴσωμα στέκομαι καὶ θαυμάζω,
κάστρον καὶ στήλης μεταξύ, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τῆς χώρας
τὸ πλάτος της καὶ μάκρος της εἶνε ὡς δύο ὥρας.
... Γράψε μὲ τὸν νοῦν τώρα ἐσὺ καὶ πιάσε
ἐπάνω ’ςτὲς κολῶνες μου ὅλες αὐτές, καὶ φτειάσε
ἕνα παλάτι ἄξιον τοιούτων θεμελίων,
ὁποῦ καθ’ ἄλλο νὰ περνᾷ ’ςτοῦ κάλλους τὸ πρωτεῖον·
τὸν βασιλέα ὕστερα πλάσε καὶ κάθισέ τον,
’ςτὸν θρόνον τὸν βασιλικὸν κι’ ὡς πρέπει δόξασέ τον,
καὶ δός τον για βασίλειον ὄχι τὴν Ἰγγλετέραν,
τὴν Σικελίαν, τὴν Σαρδώ, τὴν Κρήτην ἢ ἑτέραν,
ἀμμὴ τὴν Σάμον· διὰ τί; διὰ τὴν εὐμορφιά της,
διὰ τὴν εὐτυχίαν της καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ καλά της.

Σπυρίδων Λάμπρος, Τρία άρθρα περί του Ηραίου της Σάμου διά των αιώνων Β΄: Η περιγραφή του Καισαρίου Δαπόντε

πηγή

μνήμη Κυριάκου Κρόκου

αρχαιολογικός χώρος του Ηραίου, Πυθαγόρειο
πηγή

Σάββατο, 22 Ιουνίου 2013

Οδυσσέας Ελύτης, Δώδεκα Νήσων Άγγελος

Τήλος

Έρμης και χελιδονοδρόμος ποιος

Το πρωί με φοινικιάς Ροδίτισσας

Κλωνάρι τον αιθέρα καίοντας χύνεται

Πάνω από της Ανατολής την ορασιά

Στέγες κατάρτια δώματα καμπαναριά

Μ' ιριδόστιχτο πέδιλο μόλις

Αγγίζοντας

Ποιος - όταν μέσ' από του πόντου τις

Αμπελοβραγιές πηδώντας τα δελφινοκόριτσα

Βγάζουν κρυγιές φωνές αγριοπερίστερων

Πίσω απ' το ψάρι τ' αέρος το ακαμάκιστο

Και με την πελαγίδα ή τ' αρσινάκι στο-

Λίζουνε τα γαλάζια γένια του αϊ-Νικόλα

Του θαλασσάχραντου

Ραδινά τότε - ποιος της Χάλκης γιος

Το κολασμένο του «καμένου σπήλιου» λύνοντας

Κράτος ψηλά πηγαίνει τα τιμιότατα

Δώρα Θεού που οι χρόνοι δεν κατάλυσαν

Πάει πετάει - κι ο νους του αγάλλει σαν

Ήλιου αχτιδωσιά στης μνήμης των αρχαίων

Το χάλκωμα

Πάει πετάει - μα στις ψυχές χτυπά

Καμπάνα σηκωμού και αρνάδας λύτρωση

Βράχια που του νερού τα ξαναλέει ο αντίλαλος

Κοπάδια σπίτια που τα πάει Δάφνις γυμνός

Μαϊστραλίζουν οι μανταρινιές της Κάλυμνος

Κι ακούν μισάνοιχτα της Κάσος

Τα όστρακα

Θύρσου Σταυρού ή Σπαθιού

Της Καλοσύνης λάμπος και ύμνισμα!

Για να 'ναι το γλυκό χείλι του μέλλοντος

Πάντα στης νέας γερής κοπέλας το βυζί

Γάλα νυμφαίο μυθικό στάχυ μαζί

Πάτμος της πράξης και του ονείρου

Νίσυρος

Κως Λέρος Σύμη Αστροπαλιά

Κάρπαθος Τήλος Καστελόριζο...

Ποιος τώρα βουτηχτής αργοσιμώνοντας

Τον ουρανό βυθού που ανάβει τα σφουγγάρια του

Άξαφνα νιώθεται άγγελος και Πανορμίτης του

Μυστικού που ξεχύνεται «χρυσέαις

Νιφάδεσσι»

Πάει ψηλά μ' ένα κηρύκειο φως

Πάνω από ρημοκλήσια και ανεμόμυλους

Μαντάτο ελευθεριάς ν' αντιχτυπήσει

Κατά των Αθηναίων το κάστρο που ριγά –

Ποιος με σπιλιάδας τάχος πάει γοργά

Και ξεδιπλώνει τη σημαία της αφρισμένης

Θάλασσας.

1946

Οδυσσέας Ελύτης, Τα ετεροθαλή (1974)

Σύμη

Μεγίστη (Καστελλόριζο)

Πάτμος, Λάμπη

πηγή

Πέμπτη, 20 Ιουνίου 2013

Crime & the City Solution - The Last Dictator I - IV (Paradise Discotheque, 1990)

The Last Dictator I

The Last Dictator to the station crept
In tattered clothes he lay down and wept
Shook his fists at all the world and hissed
'Is this it, is this it?
My farewell delegation
These few trees
This station that is no station
That is left, that is mine
I could have saved you all
You gave me so little time'
Well the Angels who'd hung around
And dreamed their dreams
For eternity they'd schemed their schemes
Awoke and said 'Dick, we understand you to the letter
But you could have it like it was before, only better'
'Yes, I'd like that - I'd try again
But will you make them bow and honor my name?'
'Oh yes, by comparison the last time will seem rather tame
We'll set you up in the desert
In a discotheque called Parody, that's French for paradise
Like an immovable spot, rest now you've had a rough trot'
The Last Dictator woke from where he'd been
In a mood that was mean, he related the dream
'I'm in a very bad mood; I had a very bad dream
What do you think these things mean?'

'I dreamed of an Ice Machine
In the dream I dragged the machine
To the remotest ends of the world
From one hot spot to the next
The spots being populated entirely by brown skinned babies
Who while seemingly very young were in fact very old
These beautiful and innocent children
With their knowing eyes and their wild and neurotic dances
DID NOT WANT MY ICE MACHINE'

'Yes, yes' said the Angels
'And were you displeased?'
'I was - they'd best beware, they'd best take care'
Well the Angels who'd hung around and dreamed their dreams
For eternity they'd schemed their schemes
Clapped and said, 'Dick
You are the one - you are'
'Yes I am'
'Yes you are'

The Last Dictator II

Well he set out for his desert throne

With a manic grin
And a hand carved set of games that no one could win
The angels also provided a wife
To whom he could dictate for life

Well this Eve was like no other
Her last husband, she said, was her son and her lover
And possibly even also her brother

You could tell that this Eve had been around
From the canyons on her face
Which converged to form an enomous frown
She said she'd rather not hang around
And would just as soon head across
To the quiet side of town
Lay low, close to the ground
Till this thing about the apple calmed down

In the end a few undisclosed promises brought her around
And together they moved to his desert town
Where he set about building a seven year clock
And redesigning blinds, boxes and blocks

Next day
He called a meeting of those near and dear
And those who would come out of fear
His wife was there
But again she'd been drinking
And appeared at the same time
To be standing and sinking
While those in fear, who numbered somewhat more
Kept moving about the floor, holding their breath
Close to the door
There were some notable absentees
Einstein was gone
His enormous organ
Would never again say 'Guten Morgen'

But at least the remaining crew
Were easy to dictate to
My friends I have assembled you all here today
To pave the way - yes pave the way
Toward everlasting peace and equal pay
The man who excuses himself
Accuses himself
I am not that man
I make no excuses
I'm back, I'm better
I have fresh funding and a brand new deal
With universal appeal
We're going all the way to the top this time
Only this time we stop on top!

Power corrupts!
A voice spoke up
On this first day
I suspect this god has feet of clay
Kill that stranger and be quick - I tire of such people, they make me sick

Why power is to truth what history is to song
It all depends on what you're looking for and where you're looking from
And which side you happen to land upon

The explosion was in the suitcase
But the suitcase missed the plane
I find it more comfortable to travel by train
You know what I say is true
And I blame it all upon the color Blue
From now on it will be called Not Green
I think you know how I feel and just what I mean.

The Last Dictator III

Back among the flashing lights of Paradise, his lair
The Last Dictator sat in a chair
And of all the world he was unaware
Till his wife sidled up and said 'Sir'
(As he liked to be known to his family and friends)
'You're very quiet'
When he broke forth in a Southern drawl
The gems he'd gleaned from out-house walls:
'Make no mistake - Hate
Don't delay, don't wait to defend your realm and State - Hate'
'That's good, dear' said Eve with a prideful tear
'I'm glad to hear that it's no longer Fear'
Well he reached out and grabbed her firmly about the rear
And said 'Oh please, just one more beer
I'll do it - but just one more beer'
'Do you think you'd better, dear?'
She said in a voice so menacingly severe
The whole neighbourhood eagerly cocked an ear
Well Dick laughed, and with a placating whine
Said 'Oh Evie, it'll be different this time
Now eat your humility soup
And get out my accoutrements and sacred wine
We're going to the top this time'
Much moved by his own words and several beers
The Last Dictator wiped his tears
As the Angels did appear
And said 'we'd like very much to hear
What exactly it is that you fear
That we may have this devil hooved
And we trust removed
Trust us'
'I trusted someone once
They said stand on this wall
I was but three foot tall
The wall was somewhat more
They said jump and I'll catch you
I jumped but I landed on a stone, with a groan
My leg was broken and that word in my name
Has never since been spoken
From this habit should I now be woken?
I trusted someone once
I trusted someone once
I trusted someone once'
'That you've been badly used is clear
Dick, that's a terrible fear
It certainly sounds like one rough night
Many would have given up your noble fight
Turned their backs and taken flight'
'Yeah, but just knowing that I was right
Has helped me through plight after plight'
'Tell us please how can we make amends
What can we give you, borrow or bend?'
'For myself I ask not a thing
I neither want nor need the comforts of a king
But the innocent need a strong wise hand
To help them navigate nature's plan
They need a teacher and one who's quick
Someone generous, kind, and strict
I'll need a big stick'
'Oh, we'll give you a very big stick
Not like any that you've seen yet
We've raised the money and laid the bet
The cat's in the bag, the bag's in the river
Here's an arrow for your quiver
So trust us, trust us
You can trust us
You can trust us.

The Last Dictator IV

That night he foretold his enemies' doom
His words loomed large across the room
They boomed
His pupils were quiet and well groomed
With swelling heart
He began his favourite part
When Eve, who since she wed
Had gained a lot of weight
From the apples on which she fed
It was compensation she said
For the marginal life that she'd led
Zig-zagged through the door
And said, 'Adam what's this button for'
No more door.