Famous greeks

Famous Greeks A paper with some of the many Greek personalities, written by the teachers of the

2nd Primary School of Eleftherio Kordelio and edited by Tachmatzidou Foteini.

March 2014

Winged Victory of Samotrace.

Located in Louvre, France. Made

by the student Eleni Amanatidou.

“The race that inspires the

dreams

The race that sings in the arms of

the sun”

A poem by Odysseus Elytis

2nd Primary School of Eleftherio Kordelio Famous Greeks

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Contents

Homer by Amanatidou Viky and Boussoulega Alexandra ............................................................................ 2

Students of A1 class and Homer ............................................................................................................... 3

Aesop by Tachmatzidou Foteini .................................................................................................................... 4

Aristotle by Bitsori Despoina .......................................................................................................................... 5

Alexander the Great by Lapsanas George.................................................................................................... 6

The empire of Alexander the Great .......................................................................................................... 6

Ioannis Kapodistrias by Bitsori Despoina ........................................................................................................ 8

Ioánnis Kapodístrias by Votsis Thanasis ....................................................................................................... 9

Adamantios Korais by Lia Kofina ................................................................................................................ 11

Dionysios Solomos by Tsarouchas Christos ................................................................................................ 12

The national anthem of Greece .............................................................................................................. 14

Literal translate ....................................................................................................................................... 14

Constantin Caratheodory by Dionysiou Petroula ....................................................................................... 15

George Papanikolaou by Marouda Chrysoula ........................................................................................... 16

Kostis Palamas by Mikropoulos Panagiotis ................................................................................................ 17

Collections of Poems ............................................................................................................................... 17

The Olympic Anthem .............................................................................................................................. 18

Nikos Gatsos by Iliadou Vasiliki .................................................................................................................... 19

Odysseus Elytis by Spinthiropoulos Charalampos ...................................................................................... 21

Manos Hatzidakis by Karanasiou Ntina...................................................................................................... 23

Melina Mercouri by Karanasiou Ntina ....................................................................................................... 24

Mikis Theodorakis by Koliousi Eirini ........................................................................................................... 26

Nikos Galis by Fotiadou Helen .................................................................................................................... 27


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Picture 1. Idealized portrayal of Homer dating to the Hellenistic period

Picture 4. Odyssey, by Robert Wilson, National Theatre of Greece, Athens 2012

Picture 3. Statue of Homer outside the Bavarian State Library, Munich

Picture 2. Aristotle with a Bust of Homer by Rembrandt

Homer by Amanatidou Viky and Boussoulega Alexandra1

Author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Through his epic poems, Homer has played a hugely influential role in

Western Literature. His classics of the Iliad and the Odyssey, stand at the

forefront of the Western Canon of literature.

Details about the life of Homer are scarce and different sources quote

different variations about his life. The historian Herodotus places Homer as

living around 850BC. However, other sources suggest Homer was born

around the time of the Trojan war in the early 12 Century BC.

The name Homer has been interpreted as meaning ‘he who accompanies,

he who is forced to follow.’ or in some dialects ‘blind’. This has led to the

opinion that Homer may have been blind.

Homer is said to have been born on the Greek island of Chios or perhaps

Ionia. Homer was likely to have been a fairly aristocratic member of court -

perhaps working as a court minstrel or story teller.

Despite the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey, it is likely that at least part

of these epics were initially memorized orally. In antiquity, there was a strong

tradition of poems being memorized by professional story tellers. The two epics

are amongst the earliest works to be written down and saved for posterity.

There is debate about whether the person ‘Homer’ wrote both epics. Some argue

that the works may have been produced by various people with the name ‘Homer’

added for convenience. However, other academics do maintain that both epics

were written by the one person - Homer.

The Iliad depicts the siege of Ilion or Troy during the last year of the Trojan

War. The Odyssey concerns the travels the Greek character Odysseus and his

family on his journey back from the Trojan war. The Iliad and

the Odyssey have received prolonged acclaim for their unique and

powerfully written style. In particular, Homer is praised for his simplicity,

directness and nobleness.

1 1st Grade, Class 1


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Students of A1 class and Homer

“Homer was very old, older than Christ, and he wrote Odyssey and Iliad!”

Drawing Homer

Drawing scenes of Odyssey and Iliad

Elisavet Thanasis Giorgos

Penelope and Odysseus, Elisavet The Cyclops Polyphemus in his cave,

Orpheas

Odysseus and his companions, Fotini Achilles and Hector, Giannis


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Picture 5. Aesop’s Hellenistic statue, Villa Albani, Rome

Picture 6. Aesop as depicted by Francis Barlow in the 1687 Edition of Aesop's Fables with his Life

Aesop by Tachmatzidou Foteini2 Aesop was an ancient Greek fabulist. He was born in the 7th

century BC. Many places claim that they are his birthplace: Samos,

Thrace, Sardis or Egypt claim that Aesop was born there.

According to tradition he was a slave. He was sent as a gift by King

Croesus at Delphi. Here, seeing priests’ greed he accused them in a

sarcastic way. They accused him as a thief and they convicted him to

death.

According to Herodotus, Aesop was very famous. Apart from the

myths he narrated many jokes.

Many of his myths are still well known up to day such as:

The ant and the cricket

hare and tortoise

wolf, fox and donkey

the fox and the grapes

the flies

The Aesopian fables are short narratives. The stories are allegorical and

usually involve animals.

2 2nd Grade, Classes 1 and 3


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Aristotle by Bitsori Despoina3

“Those who provide good education to children, should be valued more than those who gave them birth,

because their parents only gave them their life, but their educators the ability to live well.”

Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who sealed of the course of ethical, social and economic

sciences to this day with his thought. His work is one of the key worldview components of Western

culture. He was the first who formulated the laws of human thought and ways of reasoning that led the

way for the foundation of political democracy.

He was born in 384 BC in Stagira in Macedonia. At the age of 17 he moved to Athens and became a

Plato’s student for twenty consecutive years. Then he taught in cities Ace Troas, Lesbos and Pella where

he was the tutor of Alexander the Great. In 335 BC he returned to Athens and founded the famous

¨Peripatetic School¨. Overall, he wrote 400 books of which only 47 have survived. He died in Chalcis the

year 232 BC.

3 6th Grade


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Alexander the Great by Lapsanas George4

Alexander, King of Macedon, Hegemon ( General Emperor ) of the Hellenic League against the Persian Empire, successor of the pharaoh of Egypt, Lord of Asia and northwestern India.

Born in Pella in Macedonia in July of the year 356 BC. His parents were King Philip II of Macedon and Princess Olympias of Epirus.

Alexander loved medicine and helped his friends when they were ill. He loved books. He considered Homer's Iliad the book of the good fighter and had it always under his pillow with his sword. He admired and loved his teacher, Aristotle, as his father. In fact he said that thanks to his father he lives, but thanks to his teacher he lives decently.

He learned riding very early his favourite horse Bucephalus and he was the only one who could ride it.

The empire of Alexander the Great

Alexander completed the integration of autonomous Greek city-states of the time, and conquered almost all the then known world (Asia Minor, Persia, Egypt, etc.), reaching the outskirts of India and Yfasis, a tributary of the Indus River.

The great campaign had changed the form of the world. The military, as well progressed, was followed by historians, geographers, engineers, artists. From this great campaign people learned a lot about the new countries, the

climate, plants, animals. Alexander the Great, at various places conquered, founded many cities. Sixteen of them were named Alexandria. Cities were decorated with bright buildings, temples, theatres, gyms. Many Greeks left Greece and went to settle there. The Greek language began to spread everywhere.

4 4th Grade, Class 1

Picture 7. The cavalry of Alexander the Great


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The Greek-language inscription 'ALEXANDRIA' in toll highway Cairo-Alexandria in Egypt, and indeed equivalent to the indication of the same name in Arabic, is the practical recognition of the long history of the legendary city of northern Egypt which was founded by the Great Alexander.

Alexander threw the fence separating Europe from Asia, and made Greece identical to the universe and then conveyed the Greek civilization in the East. Immediately after his death he became a mythical figure from India to the Atlantic, following different standards in every country. The stories which were created were for the exploits of the great king. Many people considered him their hero. The Persians imagined that he was the son of king Darius, and in Egypt it was Nektanevo son of the last king of Egypt. In Persian tradition Alexander was called Sikander and in Arabic Iskandar. There are several races in the lands he conquered who boast that they are descendants of soldiers of Alexander.

He died in Babylon in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II on June 10, 323 BC, at the age of just 32 years and 11 months after he had been seriously ill. The death caused great grief of the entire army.

Picture 8. The statue of Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki Bay.


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Ioannis Kapodistrias by Bitsori Despoina5 Ioannis Kapodistrias was born in Corfu in 1776 which is an island in the Ionian Sea. He studied medicine

in Italy and practiced his profession for a few years in Corfu. Then he dealt with diplomacy and stood all

over the scale of Russia's diplomatic hierarchy. Moreover, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia

from 1815 to 1822. Since then he had been strengthening the Greek struggle for liberation from the

Ottoman Empire, overseas using the high prestige and vast diplomatic experience.

He became the first Prime Minister of the newly established Greek state in 1828. He tried for three years

to lay the groundwork to make Greece a modern European state. Unfortunately, in 1831, he was

assassinated by his political opponents.

5 6th Grade


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Ioánnis Kapodístrias by Votsis Thanasis6 Italian Conte Giovanni Antonio Capo D’istria (born Feb.

11, 1776, Corfu [Greece]—died Oct. 9, 1831, Návplion,

Greece), Greek statesman who was prominent in the

Russian foreign service during the reign of Alexander I

(reigned 1801–25) and in the Greek struggle for

independence.

The son of Count Antonio Capo d’Istria, he was born in

Corfu (at that time under Venetian rule), studied at Padua,

and then entered government service. In 1799 Russia and

Turkey drove the French from the Ionian Islands and

organized them into the Septinsular Republic. Kapodístrias

participated in writing the new state’s second constitution

(adopted 1803) and became its secretary of state (1803).

France regained control of the islands (1807), however, and

Kapodístrias entered the Russian foreign service (1809). He

became an expert on Balkan affairs, which earned him a

post with the commander of Russia’s armed forces on the

lower Danube River (1812). After the army marched north

to oppose Napoleon’s invasion of Russia

(1812), Kapodístrias was assigned as a

diplomat to the army staff (1813) and later

was sent by Alexander I on a special mission

to Switzerland (1814).

After attending the postwar Congress of

Vienna as one of Russia’s representatives

(1814–15), Kapodístrias became a highly

influential adviser of the emperor; and, after

January 1816, he was given equal responsibility with Karl Robert

Nesselrode, the director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the

conduct of Russia’s foreign policy.

Kapodístrias, however, expressed doubts about Alexander’s Holy Alliance

with Austria and Prussia and objected to Russia’s approval of Austria’s

suppression of the revolts in Naples and Piedmont (1820–21).

Consequently, he earned the political enmity of Austria’s chancellor

Metternich, who used his increasing influence over Alexander to

undermine Kapodístrias’ position. When Alexander refused to support

6 5th Grade, Classes 1 and 2


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the Greek revolt against Turkey (begun March 1821), Kapodístrias, who had a deep sympathy for the

cause of Greek independence, although he had earlier refused to lead the major Greek revolutionary

organization, found himself in an intolerable position. In 1822, therefore, he took an extended leave of

absence from the Russian service and settled in Geneva, where he devoted himself to supplying material

and moral relief to the Greek rebels until April 1827, when he was elected provisional president of

Greece.

Resigning from the Russian service, he then toured Europe seeking financial and diplomatic support for

the War of Greek Independence and arrived at Návplion (Nauplia), Greece’s capital, in January 1828. He

subsequently directed his energies toward negotiating with Great Britain, France, and Russia (which had

all joined the war against the Turks) over

the settlement of Greece’s frontiers and

the selection of its new monarch. He

became leader of a party with pro-Russian

sympathies. He also worked to organize an

effective government apparatus and to

subordinate powerful, semiautonomous

local leaders to the authority of the new

state. In the process, however, he acquired

many enemies, two of whom, Konstantinos

and Georgios Mavromikhalis of Maina,

assassinated Kapodístrias as he entered a

church.


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Picture 9. Statue of Korais in Athens (work of Ioannis Kossos)

Adamantios Korais by Lia Kofina7

Korais was born in Smyrna, in 1748. He was exceptionally passionate about philosophy, literacy and linguistics and studied greatly throughout his youth. He initially studied in his home place, where he graduated from the Evangelical Greek School. As an adult Korais traveled to Paris where he would continue his enthusiasm for knowledge. He translated ancient Greek authors and produced thirty volumes of those translations.

Korais graduated from the famous school of medicine of the University of Montpellier in 1788 and was to spend most of his life as an expatriate in Paris. A classical scholar, Korais was repelled by the Byzantine influence in Greek society and was a fierce critic of the ignorance of the clergy and their subservience to the Ottoman Empire, although he conceded it was the Orthodox Church that preserved the national identity of Greeks.

While in Paris, he was witness to the French Revolution. He was influenced by the revolutionary and liberal sentiments of his age. He admired Thomas Jefferson; and exchanged political and philosophical thoughts with the American statesman. A typical man of the Enlightenment, Korais encouraged wealthy Greeks to open new libraries and schools throughout Greece. Korais believed that education would ensure not only the achievement of independence but also the establishment of a proper constitution for the new liberated Greek state. He envisioned a democratic Greece, recapturing the glory of the Golden Age of Pericles.

Korais died in Paris aged 84 soon after publishing the first volume of his autobiography. In 1877, his remains were sent to Greece, to be buried there.

7 2nd Grade, Class 2


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Dionysios Solomos by Tsarouchas Christos8 He was a Greek poet with a big poetic power and

originality. His inspiration was rich and graphic, his

expression simple and hisverses were melodious.

Solomos contributed to the preservation of earlier

poetic tradition and highlighted its usefulness in

modern literature. Above all he cultivated and

developed the Greek language of common people

(demotic dialect). For all these reasons he is

recognized as the father of Modern Greek poetry and

as our real national poet.

He was born in Zakynthos in 1798 and he died in

Corfu in 1857. He took his first lessons at in Zakynthos

and then he went to Italy, were he enrolled in Pavia's

University Faculty of Law, from which he graduated in

1817. Solomos had already been a perfect speaker of

Italian and he started writing poems in Italian. One of

the most important first poems written in Italian was

the «Ode per la prima messa» (Ode to the first mass)

and «La distruzione di Gerusalemme» (The

destruction of Jerusalem). In the meantime, he

acquainted himself with famous Italian poets and novelists (possibly Manzoni, Vincenzo Monti etc.) and

as a result, he was easily accepted in the Italian literary circles.

After 10 years of studies Solomos returned to Zakynthos in 1818,

which was under the mastery of Englishmen. On Zakynthos,

which at that time was well known for its flourishing literary

culture, the poet acquainted himself with people interested in

literature. Antonios Matesis, Georgios Tertsetis, Dionysios

Tagiapieras and Nikolaos Lountzis were some of Solomos' most

well-known friends. From this time made his first attempts to

write in the Greek language, the language of common people of

his native island. He started studying methodically folk songs,

the works of pre-solomian poets and popular and Cretan

literature.

The first of his Greek proems were satirical and lyrical. Poems

dating back to that period of time are I Xanthoula (The little

blond girl), I Agnoristi (The Unrecognizable), Ta dyo aderfia (The

8 6th Grade


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two brothers) and I trelli mana (The mad mother). The first important turning point in the Greek works

of Solomos was the Hymn to Liberty that was completed in May 1823, a poem inspired by the Greek

revolution in 1821. The poem was at first published in 1824 in occupied Mesolongi and afterwards in

Paris in 1825 translated into French and later on in other languages too. The Hymn to Liberty consists of

158 stanzas and was set to music by the Corfiot operatic composer Nikolaos Mantzaros who was one of

the best friend of Solomos. In 1865, the first three stanzas and later the first two officially became the

national anthem of Greece and later also that of the Republic of Cyprus.

This period resulted in the «Odi eis to thanato tou Lordou Byron» (Ode to the death of Lord Byron), a

poem having many things in common with the Hymn but also many weaknesses, « I Katastrofi ton

Psaron» (Psara's Destruction), «O Dialogos (The Dialogue) and «I Gynaika tis Zakynthos» (The Woman

from Zakynthos). It is alleged that Solomos could hear the cannon firing from Zakynthos during the

Greek War of Independence, which inspired him to write his most famous works.

After frictions and economic disputes with his brother Dimitrios concerning legacy matters, Solomos

moved to Corfu, the most important intellectual center of the Ionian Islands in those years. Τhe first

years he spent on Corfu were his happiest years. It was during this period of time that he took up

studying German romantic philosophy and poetry (Hegel, Schlegel, Schiller, and Goethe). On Corfu,

Solomos soon found himself at the admirers' and poets' center of attention, a group of well-educated

intellectuals with liberal and progressive ideas and a deep knowledge of art.

In the meantime, he continued to work on «The Woman of Zakynthos» and «Lambros» that he had

started in 1826. 1833 signifies the mature period of his

poetical work, that resulted in the unfinished poems of «O

Kritikos» (The Cretan), «Eleftheroi Poliorkimenoi» (The Free

Besieged) and «O Porfyras» that are considered to be the best

of his works. In the meantime, he was planning other works

that either remained at the preparation stage or remained as

fragments, such as «Nikoforos Vryennios», «Eis to thanato

Aimilias Rodostamo» (To the death of Emilia Rodostamo), «To

Francisca Fraser» and «Carmen Seculare».

After 1847, Solomos started writing in Italian once more.

Serious health problems made their appearance in 1851 and

Solomos' character became even more temperamental. He

alienated himself from friends such as Polylas (they came on

terms with each other in 1854) and after his third stroke the

poet did not leave his house. Solomos died in February 1857

from apoplexy. When the news about his death became

known, everyone mourned. Corfu's theater closed down, the

Ionian Parliament's sessions were suspended and mourning was declared. His remains were transferred

to Zakynthos in 1865.

Picture 10. Dionysios Solomos statue


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The national anthem of Greece

Σε γνωρίηω από τθν κόψθ

του ςπακιοφ τθν τρομερι,

ςε γνωρίηω από τθν όψθ

που με βια μετράει τθ γθ.

Απ' τα κόκκαλα βγαλμζνθ

των Ελλινων τα ιερά,

και ςαν πρϊτα ανδρειωμζνθ,

χαίρε, ω χαίρε, Ελευκεριά!

Literal translate

I recognize you by the fearsome sharpness,

of your sword,

I recognize you by the gleam (in your eyes)

with which you rapidly survey the earth.

From the sacred bones,

of the Hellenes arisen,

and valiant again as you once were,

hail, o hail, Liberty!


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Picture 11. C.Caratheodory’s grave in Waldfriedhof in Munich

Picture 12. Stamp of the Hellenic Republic with C.Caratheodory’s figure.

Constantin Caratheodory by Dionysiou Petroula9 Constantin Caratheodory was a Greek mathematician, who was distinguished

internationally.

He was born in 1873 in Berlin and died in 1950 in Munich. At first, he wanted to

study to be an engineer, yet he was a math-enthusiast

He met great contemporary scientists, such as Max Planck and Albert Einstein.

He had a special relationship with Albert Einstein not only in a friendly, but also

in an occupational level.

He had been member of the Academies of Berlin, Munich,

Goettingen, Cologne, Athens and Rome.

Although he was invited to teach at USA universities, he preferred

remaining in Germany. Yet he visited the States for a year, giving

lectures at several universities, such as Harvard.

His mathematical work was published in the German language in

1957 by his son, while his daughter attended the edition of his

biography.

9 6th Grade


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Picture 13. Greek 10,000- drahma banktone of 1995-2001

George Papanikolaou by Marouda Chrysoula10

Georgios Papanikolaou (May 13, 1883 – February 19, 1962) was a Greek pioneer in cytopathology and early cancer detection, and inventor of the "Pap smear".

Papanikolaou was born in Kymi, Euboea, Greece and he first

studied at the University of Athens, where he received his

medical degree in 1904. Six years later he received his Ph.D.

from the University of Munich, Germany, after he had also

spent time at the universities of Jena and Freiburg. In 1910,

Papanikolaou returned to Athens and got married to Andromahi

Mavrogeni and then departed for Monaco where he worked for

the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco, participating in the Oceanographic Exploration Team of the

Prince of Monaco (1911).

In 1913 he emigrated to the U.S. in order to work in the department of Pathology of New York

Hospital and the Department of Anatomy at the Cornell Medical College Cornell University.

He first reported that uterine cancer could be diagnosed by means of a vaginal smear in 1928, but the

importance of his work was not recognized until the publication, together with Herbert Frederick Traut,

of Diagnosis of Uterine Cancer by the Vaginal Smear in 1943. The book discusses the preparation of

vaginal and cervical smears, physiologic cytologic changes during the menstrual cycle, the effects of

various pathological conditions, and the changes seen in the presence of cancer of the cervix and of

the endometrium of the uterus. He thus became known for his invention of the Papanicolaou test,

commonly known as the Pap smear or Pap test, which is used worldwide for the detection and

prevention of cervical cancer and other cytologic diseases of the female reproductive system.

In 1954 he published another memorable work, the Atlas of Exfoliative Cytology, thus creating the

foundation of the modern medical specialty of cytopathology.

In 1961 he moved to Miami, Florida, to develop

the Papanicolaou Cancer Research Institute at

the University of Miami, but died in 1962 prior to

its opening.

Papanicolaou was the recipient of the Albert

Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in

1950.

Papanikolaou's portrait appeared on

the obverse of the Greek 10,000-

drachma banknote of 1995-2001, prior to its replacement by the Euro.

In 1978 his work was honored by the U.S. Postal Service with a 13-cent stamp for early cancer detection.

10

3rd Grade, Class 1


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Kostis Palamas by Mikropoulos Panagiotis11

A Greek poet who wrote the words to the Olympic Hymn. He was a

central figure of the Greek literary generation of the 1880s and one

of the cofounders of the so-called New Athenian School (or Palamian

School, or Second Athenian School) along with Georgios Drosinis,

Nikos Kampas, Ioanis Polemis.

Born in Patras, he received his primary and secondary education in

Mesolonghi. In 1880s, he worked as a journalist. He published his

first collection of verses, the "Songs of My Fatherland", in 1886. He

held an administrative post at the University of Athens between

1897 and 1926, and died during the German occupation of Greece

during World War II. His funeral was a major event of the Greek

resistance: the funerary poem composed and recited by fellow poet

Angelos Sikelianos roused the mourners and culminated in an angry demonstration of a 100,000 people

against Nazi occupation.

Palamas wrote the lyrics to the Olympic Hymn, composed by Spyridon Samaras. It was first performed at

the 1896 Summer Olympics, the first modern Olympic Games. The Hymn was then shelved as each host

city from then until the 1960 Winter Olympics commissioned an original piece for its edition of the

Games, but the version by Samaras and Palamas was declared the official Olympic Anthem in 1958 and

has been performed at each edition of the Games since the 1960 Winter Olympics.

The old administration building of the University of Athens, in downtown Athens, where his work office

was located, is now dedicated to him as the "KostiPalamas Building" and houses the "Greek Theater

Museum", as well as many temporary exhibitions.

He has been informally called the "national" poet of Greece and was closely associated with the struggle

to rid Modern Greece of the "purist" language and with political liberalism.

Kostis Palamas's Works:

Collections of Poems Songs of my Fatherland (1886)

Hymn to Athena (1889)

Eyes of my Soul (1892)

Iambs and Anapaests (1897)

The Grave (1898)

The Greetings of the Sun-born (1900)

Life Immobile(1904)

Twelve Lays of the Gypsy (1907)

The King's flute (1910)

Yearnings of the Lagoon (1912)

Satirical Exercises (1912)

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5th Grade, Class 1


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The City and Solitude (1912)

The 5 verses - The passionate secret whispers - The Wolves - Two flowers from afar (1925)

Cowardly and Harsh verses (1928)

The 3 Verse Cycle (1929)

Passages and Greetings (1931)

The Nights of Phemius (1935)

Evening Fire (1944, posthumous edition by his son, Leander Palamas)

Prose Death of a Youth (novel, 1901)

Novels (1920)

Theater The Thrice-noble (drama, 1903)

Critique-Essays

Palamas was one of the most respected literary critics of his day, and instrumental in the reappraisal of

the works of Andreas Kalvos, Dionysios Solomos and the "Ionian School" of poetry, Kostas Krystallis.

The Olympic Anthem

Olympian flame immortal

Whose beacon lights our way

Emblaze our hearts with the fires of hope

On this momentous day

As now we come across the world

To share these Games of old

Let all the flags of every land

In brotherhood unfold

Sing out each nation, voices strong

Rise up in harmony

All hail our brave Olympians

With strains of victory

Olympic light burn on and on

O'er seas and mountains and plains

Unite, inspire, bring honor

To these ascending games


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Picture 14. High poetry meets music.

From left to right and from up to down: 1st row: N. Mamagakis, M Loizos, S.Xarhakos,P.Savvopoulos. 2nd row: J.Markopoulos, M.Plessas, Nikos Gatsos With Manos Hatzidakis. 3nd row: M.Theodorakis, Th.Mikroutsikos, Jim Papadimitriou

Nikos Gatsos by Iliadou Vasiliki12 Nikos Gatsos was born in 1911 in Asea in Arcadia,

a district of the Peloponnese, where he finished

primary school (dimotiko). He attended high

school (gymnasio) in Tripoli, where he became

acquainted with literature and foreign languages.

Afterwards, he moved to Athens, where he

studied literature, philosophy, and history at the

University of Athens for two years only. His

knowledge of English and French was quite good

and he was already familiar with Kostis Palamas,

Dionysios Solomos, Greek folk songs, and recent

trends in European poetry. In Athens, he came in

contact with the literary circles of the day

becoming one of the lifelong friends of fellow

poet Odysseus Elytis and published his poems, small in extent

and in a classic style, in the magazines Nea Estia (1931-32) and

Rythmos (1933). During that period he also published criticism

in Makedonikes Imeres (Μακεδονικζσ Ημζρεσ), Rythmos

(Ρυκμόσ), and Nea Grammata (Νζα Γράμματα) (for Kostis

Bastias, Myrtiotissa, and Thrasos Kastanakis, respectively).

In 1935 he lived in France, in Paris and the South of France.

In 1936 he met Odysseus Elytis, his "brother" in poetry.

In 1943, Aetos published his long poem Amorgos, a major

contribution to contemporary Greek poetry notable especially

for its combination of surrealism with traditional Greek folk

poetry motifs. He subsequently published three more poems:

"Elegeio" (1946) in Filologika Chronika, "The Knight and Death"

(Ο ιππότθσ κι ο κάνατοσ) (1947), and "Song of Old Times"

(Τραγοφδι του παλιοφ καιροφ) (1963), dedicated to Yorgos

Seferis, in Tachydromos magazine.

After World War II, he worked with the Greek-British Review as

a translator and with Ellinikí Radiofonía as a radio director.

During that period he also began writing lyrics for the music of Manos Hadjidakis, opening a brilliant

career in Modern Greek songwriting. In due course he also collaborated with Mikis Theodorakis and

other notable composers.

His work as a whole combines universal poetic themes such as the problems of evil, injustice, sacrifice,

and the pains of love, with more specifically Greek concerns such as the sorrows of exile.

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His capability to handle language with accuracy led the "Art Theatre", the "National Theatre" and the

"Popular Theatre" of Greece to entrust him with translations of various plays -translations that became

"legendary"- first and foremost being "Blood Wedding" by Federico Garcia Lorca.

He had a special relationship with Manos

Hadjidakis and Nana Mouskouri. His British

friends were Philip Sherrard, Peter Levi and

Peter Jay, and his Irish friend, Desmond

O'Grady.

In 1987 he was honoured with the Award of the

Municipality of Athens for his whole work while

in 1991 he was given the title of the

Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of Literature in Barcelona for his contribution in spread of

Spanish Literature in Greece.

He died in Athens on 12 May 1992.


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Odysseus Elytis by Spinthiropoulos Charalampos13

Odysseus Elytis was born in Heraklion, Crete on 2 November 1911

and died in Athens on 18 March 1996. His real surname was

Alepoudellis (old industrial family from Lesvos).

His family later moved to Athens, where the poet graduated from

high school and later attended courses as an auditor at the Law

School at University of Athens.

He is one of the most important Greek poets, a member of the

literary generation of the 30s.

He began to care about poetry, when he met the Cavafy’s and Kalvo’s poetic work.

The sea, the sky, the love, the joy of life, the beauty of nature, the homeland and the freedom are the

central elements of his poems.

In 1948 he travelled to Paris, where he attended courses

in philosophy at Sorbonne. There, he had the opportunity

to meet André Breton, Paul Elyar, Albert Camus, Tristan

Tzara, Juan Miro and others. Also, he met the great

painters: Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti,

Giorgio de Chirico and Picasso.

His best-known poetic works are: "Orientations" («Προςανατολιςμοί», 1939), "The Axion Esti" («Το

Άξιον Εςτί», 1959), "The Sovereign Sun" («Ο ήλιοσ ο ηλιάτορασ», 1971), “The Monogram” («Το

Μονόγραμμα», 1972), “The Trills Of Love” («Τα Ρω του Έρωτα», 1973), “Maria Nephele” («Μαρία

Νεφζλη», 1978), “The little mariner” («Ο μικρόσ

Ναυτίλοσ», 1988), “The Oxopetra elegies” («Τα ελεγεία

τησ Οξώπετρασ», 1991) etc.

In 1960 he won the State Prize for Poetry and in 1979 the

Nobel Prize in Literature.

A lot of his poems were made into songs by great

composers such as Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis, Yannis Markopoulos etc.

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Below, you can listen to two poems of Elytis, by Mikis Theodorakis:

“The Imaginary sun of justice”, “The Axion Esti” - «Τησ δικαιοςφνησ ήλιε νοητζ», «Το Άξιον Εςτί»

at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=niqrjP1VDeY

“One the swallow”, “The Axion Esti” - «Ένα το χελιδόνι», «Το Άξιον Εςτί»

at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VTReB0eakWQ

His works have been translated into French, English, Italian, German, Spanish, Turkish and other

languages.

During his life he was involved in the art of collage. Some of his works you can see below:

The year 2011 was proclaimed by the Ministry of Culture "Year Odysseus Elytis”, since there had been

completed 100 years since his birth (1911 – 2011). At our school we implemented a project for the poet

Odysseus Elytis. In that year, we read, sang and painted his poems. The result of our work can be seen

at:

http://2dim-elefth.thess.sch.gr/autosch/joomla15/index.php/activities/14-2011-12-21-08-06-32/96-

2011-


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Manos Hatzidakis by Karanasiou Ntina14 Manos Hatzidakis was a Greek composer and a theorist of

Greek music. He was born in Xanthi in 1925 and his music

education started at the age of four and included piano and

violin lessons. Hatzidakis settled permanently in Athens with

his mother in 1932 and after his father’s death in 1938 he did

various jobs to earn his living.

His very first work was the tune for the song “Paper moon”,

which was a part of the Greek production of Tennessee

Williams’ play “A street car named Desire” in 1949. The song

was performed by the famous Greek actress Melina Merkouri. In 1960 he received an Academy

Award for Best Original song for his song “Never on Sunday”, sung by Melina Merkouri in the

film with the same title, and which became famous all over the world.

He was also one of the main prime movers of the “Entekhno” song

(along with Mikis Theodorakis). His first piano piece “For a small

seashell” came out in 1947 and in 1948 he shook the musical

establishment by delivering his legendary lecture on rempetika –

the urban folk songs descending from Minor Asia’s refugees.

In 1966 he visited USA where he lived for six years. He returned

back to Greece in 1972. His contribution to the Greek music is great.

He wrote music for a lot of films, for lyrics written by famous Greek

poets and he also wrote classical pieces like “Giaconda’s smile”

which influenced greatly the younger composers of Greek music.

He died on June 15 1994 in Athens, aged 68 from heart desease,

a few months after the death of his beloved actress Melina

Merkouri.

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Melina Mercouri by Karanasiou Ntina15

Melina Mercouri was born in Athens as Maria Amalia

Mercouri on 18 October 1920. She came from a politician

family and she was an actress, singer and politician.

Her first movie was the Greek language film Stella (1955),

directed by “Zorba the Greek” director, Michael Cacoyannis.

The film received special praise at the 1956 Cannes Film

Festival, where she met the American film director Jules

Dassin, with whom she would share not only her career but also her life. She became well-

known to international audiences when she starred in “Never on Sunday” (1960), in which

Dassin was the director and co-star. For this film Mercouri received the Best Actress Award at

the 1960 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and

the BAFTA Award for the Best Actress in a Leading Role.

The music for this film was written by Manos Hatzidakis, a

famous Greek composer, and the song “Piraeus’ Kids” became

famous all over the world. One of her first songs was by Manos

Hatzidakis and Nikos Gatsos. It was titled “Paper moon” and was

part of the Greek production “A street car named Desire” in

1949, in which she starred as Blanche DuBois.

At the time of the coup d’état in Greece by a group of colonels

of the Greek military on 21 April 1967, she was in the United States, playing in Illya Darling. She

immediately joined the struggle against the Greek Military Junta and started an international

campaign, travelling all over the world to inform the public and

contribute to the isolation and fall of the colonels. As a result, the

dictatorial regime revoked her Greek citizenship and confiscated her

property. There were terrorist attempts against her, including an

assassination attempt in Genoa, Italy. However, she did not stop her

fight against the dictatorship with interviews, concerts marches and

speeches given all around the world.

After the fall of the Junta and during the metapolitefsi in 1974,

Mercouri settled in Greece and was one of the founding members of

the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), a center-left political party. When PASOK won the

elections of 1981, Melina Mercouri was appointed Minister for Culture of Greece, being the

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first female in that post. As Minister of culture, she strongly advocated the return to Athens of

the Parthenon Marbles that were removed from Parthenon and other buildings on the

Acropolis of Athens by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, and are now part of the British Museum

collection in London.

Melina Mercouri died on 6 March 1994 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York

City, from lung cancer, aged 73. She received a state funeral with Prime Minister’s honors at the

First Cemetery of Athens four days later. Thousands attended her funeral.

“I hope to see the Marbles back to Athens before I die. But if they come later, I will be

born again.”


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Mikis Theodorakis by Koliousi Eirini16

He was born on the island of Chios in 1925. He is one of the most famous Greek composers in Greece and abroad. He started studying music in the Conservatory of Athens with Filoktiti Oikonomidi.

In 1954 he went to Paris to continue his studies in music with Olivier Messian and Eugene Bigot. In Paris he composed music for ballets, for cinema and he composed some Symphonies. In 1960 he returned to Greece, where he started to compose music for contemporary poetry. He wrote music for “Epitaphio” of Giannis Ritsos, and different poems of Odisseas Elitis, George Seferis, etc. In 1964 he wrote music for the cinema movie “Zorbas”. He also wrote music for Pablo Neruda‘s poems.

During his life he developed and continued developing political activity. Many times he was persecuted by the greek government for his political ideas and he was exiled. His music became symbol of protest and reaction to Greek Dictatorship and for many other countries who had the same problems like Spain, Portugal, Chile, Turkey, etc.

In 1976 he created the political movement “Culture of Peace” and started giving concerts in Greece. He collaborated with Aziz Nesin, Yasar Kemal, ect. for greek and turkish friendship.

He composed music for operas, Simphonies, Oratorium, music for church, songs, music for cinemas, for theater, etc. Many of his compositions have been performed by the Beatles, Shirley Bassey and Edith Piaf.

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http://el.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shirley_Bassey&action=edit&redlink=1

http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Piaf


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Nikos Galis by Fotiadou Helen17

Nikolaos Georgalis (Greek: Νικόλαοσ

Γεωργαλισ), commonly known as either

Nikos Galis (Greek: Νίκοσ Γκάλθσ), is a retired

Greek-American professional basketball

player.

Born on July 23rd 1957, just 2 months after

The Celtics' first NBA Title, Nikos Galis was

born in New Jersey. The son of two Greek

immigrants Galis took to basketball after

being forced away from boxing by his

mother, who was horrified by the injuries her

son had sustained. Nick attended Union Hill

High School in Union City, New Jersey.

After high school, Galis enrolled at Seton Hall

University as a college basketball player. Galis' coach at Seton Hall, Billy Raftery, would later

state that Galis was the best player he ever coached.Finishing his collegiate career in 1979, Galis

signed with agent Bill Manon, who also managed Diana Ross. Manon did not have Galis work

out with any NBA team. Galis was eventually selected by the Boston Celtics in the 4th round of

the1979 NBA Draft, 68th overall. An injury would keep him out for the foreseeable future.

It was then that Galis

decided to pursue a

professional career in

Greece's Basket League.

Galis made the move across

the Atlantic and signed to

play with Aris of

Thessaloniki, Greece in

1979. Panathinaikos and

Olympiacos had also shown some interest in signing the newcomer, but it was Aris' interest that

was the most persuasive. His move to the country helped Greek basketball reach heights never

before imagined. Galis next led the Greek national basketball team to the EuroBasket 1987 gold

medal.

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His greatest moment was during the 1987 European Championship in Greece. He was the

instigator in bringing the gold medal to his home country, and he earned the crown of MVP for

the tournament. He was the leading scorer, and shot for 40 points in the final victory against

the USSR. The Soviet star Belov heaped praise on Galis after the game. “There is no way to stop

him, I never thought that it would be possible that one player could beat the entire Soviet

Union”. The Soviet coach called Galis the “greatest player of the 21st century.”

Galis also led Greece to the second place at the EuroBasket 1989, averaging 35.6 points per

game. Galis is remembered for a stunning effort against the Soviet team led by Marčiulionis and

its other star player, Arvydas Sabonis, in the semi-final game. He scored 45 out of his team's 81

total points in a dramatic, last-gasp 81-80 victory.

Nick Galis was a legend. He made European basketball incredibly exciting for more than a

decade, and helped Greek athletes break out onto the international arena at the highest level.

When he had the ball in his hands, it seemed like the ball was destined for the basket, and if it

did not make it, it felt like a fluke. Galis was just 6 feet tall, yet he was a great jumper and had

fantastic balance whilst hanging in the air. If he wanted to score, he seemed to be able to do it

know matter who he was playing against. Opposition coaches did everything they could to stop

him, but no one could find a foolproof strategy. The former Nashua Den Bosh coach suggested

the only way to do this was to lock him in the changing room before the game. The trainer of

Lech Poznan said that they would work out how to stop the other four players on the team, but

for Galis they would just pray and hope for God’s help. One of the biggest basketball stars

outside the US, he surely remains the greatest European ever.

Some people think that he was a cross between Bird and Magic. He retired in 1995, but he

inspired a whole new generation of Greeks to develop their game to the highest level.

Famous greeks

Education

Transcript of Famous greeks