Just because we have broken their statues,
just because we have driven them out of their temples,
the gods did not die because of this at all.
O Ionian land, it is you they still love,
it is you their souls still remember.
When an August morning dawns upon you
a vigor from their life moves through your air;
and at times an ethereal youthful figure, indistinct, in rapid stride,
crosses over your hills.

Constantine P. Cavafy

What is
    
Ellas is:

Not a relic, not a ruin, but alive and still vibrant after 2.500 years. The hub of our life, the symbol of our being, the pulsing heart of our nation, what we are now, what our children will be tomorrow. It keeps us tied to our ancestors, to our descendants, to each other, no matter where we live or where we are born.This is our source of strenght and inspiration.

The mountains.

Tall and proud. Where the Gods chose to live, and look down on mortals as an extension of themselves.The well-known Olympos, Elikon, the Muses' realm, Pilion, where Centaurs roamed, Pindos where the modern Epic of WWII was written, Taygettos still dominating Sparta. Awsome sentinels, standing eternally to remind us of our own mortality.

The source of all life It surrounds us and loves us. It pushes us to feats of daring and bravery and foolishness. But it demands respect.
It can be fierce and cruel. It has its rules; we breach them at our peril.

Gulf of Corinth.

Over 2000 of them, all sizes, from the Great Islands of Crete and Evoia, to the small, 1000sq. feet of Gados and Imia. All beloved parts of our heart.

An un-translatable word. It's a composite word from "love" and "honour". But its meaning encompasses self respect, honour, loyalty, stubborn courage against all odds. Heracles and Jason had it. Odysseus amply demonstrated it, Alexander would not have become Great without it, the 1821 Rebellion would never have happened but for it. The Pindos Epic wouldn't have been written without it. Our modern olympic gold medallist have it, my neighbour has it. I have it. Ellas has it.

Our Boys have it!! :))




A Very Long Memory

Individual and collective. Ellas remembers.The Hellenes can forgive almost everything in their enemies. But they will never forgive or forget betrayal by friends or even worse, by one of their own. The word "prodotis", meaning traitor, is the worst possible insult in the Greek language.

Individuality.

Ellas is 10.000.000 individuals. Each and every Hellene is unique in the sense that he/she likes to make up his/ her own mind ALONE. We don't like to be pushed into decisions that others make for us, be it our own leaders, or foreign powers. Pushing and proding a Hellene has the exact contrary result from the one expected. He/she digs in his/her heels and probably does the opposite of what is asked, even if it hurts in the end.

Our great open wound is our sister Island of Cyprus. A bleeding wound for 31 years.
On April 16, 2003, Cyprus was welcomed in the European Union.
But it is still a divided Island! The Northern part is still under Occupation.There are still questions unanswered. When will it END?

No one can imagine the heartbreak of a divided nation, unless one lived through it. Please visit Amaryllis and see what it is to live within sight of your ancestral home and not being able to go there. Not being able to lay some flowers on your family's burial ground.

1619 missing POW's in Cyprus since 1974
( including women and children). 250.000 refugees who cannot go back to their homes. Do you want to know more? Click on the logo above or visit these pages:

Lobby for Cyprus
Kypros

    

   


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The background, graphics and photographs here are my own.
The flag and coat of arms belong to the Hellenic Republic
which also makes them my own.:-))
The Cyprus POW button was designed especially by Amaryllis.
The swag flag graphic I made following a tutorial by
Wintermoon' Kreative Expressions.

The Euro 2004 team and trophy photo, courtesy of Info.gr and To Vima.

All graphics, photos and text are © P. Proeschold.
Please do not take any without written permission.
Page last updated: September 18, 2008.