There's Only Enough for One Mind

 
Skopelos Town - Sept 2018

Emperors in the Aegean

[Leaving the shelter of Skopelos Town]

[Hilltop towns on Alonnisos]

Much like a Roman Emperor of old, this ruler has spent some enchanting time floating about the Aegean on a imperial pleasure cruise.

The opportunity to sail around the Sporades islands, off the coasts of Skopelos and Alonnisos has revealed to the Emperor this amazing region of the Western Aegean.

Its a stunning place, where richly shaded pine-tree islands float upon a blue and shimmering sea. The trees come right down to caress the waters edge and it presents a timeless land and sea-scape of elemental simplicity and great natural beauty.

Its more than a tonic and a true antidote to the inevitable stresses that accumulate from running an empire - albeit a modest one.

[Tracing the coast of Alonnisos]

One is reminded that I am not the first of the imperial progeny to have enjoyed the charms of Greece and her islands. Even a casual view of Imperial Trip Advisor yields some impressive 5* reviews.

[Up at the prow]

The surly Tiberius - before he adorned the purple - was no stranger to Hellas and chose to spend much of his time as a retired-citizen on the isle of Rhodes.

While, great, great ...[+] uncle Nero, was positively smitten by Greece and its ancient culture.

Nero also spent a major holiday in the region back in 66/67AD.  By all accounts it was one hell of a tour, taking in city visits, building works, sporting games and even musical and theatrical recitals.  Of course, Nero was the star performer at such recitals and you can guarantee that the audience loved it. "It would be dangerous not to, darling!"

I digress ... but it remains the truth that my tour of these ancient lands has been a revelation and greatly enjoyed by this Emperor.

"Oh Italia, you never mentioned you had such a beautiful sister, Hellas! You kept that quiet"

[Dreamy views from below deck: "Row you dogs!'

Classical Fragments

Its amazing to see how many classical fragments from ancient Greek and Roman antiquity have been gathered and put to good use within the old orthodox churches on the island of Skopelos, Greece. Even a cursory view round the islands many churches can reveal many gems. 

[Roman Figure Embedded in Greek Church, Skopelos 2018]


It seems nothing has bee left to waste and fragments of great history (from all periods) are hidden within the walls. Those Byzantine churchmen were real magpies and who indeed can blame them?   
    

  

Hellenic Roof Tiles

[Ornamental Roof Tiles on the Isle of Skopelos - Sept 2018]

''Small wonder that Trojans and bronze-greaved Greeks have suffered for such a woman, she is so like an immortal goddess.''

[Homer, Iliad]

Shelf Life: The Winged Victory of Samothrace

[The Winged Victory of Samothrace]

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The Emperor was recently gifted an object of great esteem that now occupies a position of honour on the Imperial bookshelves.

This classical gift was brought back by a member of the Imperial house who recently undertook a cultural pilgrimage to the great Gallic city of Lutetia - modern day Paris.

The emperor's brother; seeking to emulate the wisdom of the esteemed Marcus Aurelius. Louvre Museum, Paris.  

For the Winged Victory of Samothrace see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_Victory_of_Samothrace 

The Draconian Laws & A Very 'Greek' Tragedy

If you read the headlines, it seems the Greeks have been compelled to adopt 'Draconian' fiscal laws.

That's the severe economic measures being imposed upon the birthplace of Western civilization by a Eurozone that will only be satisfied with the harshest of economic cut-backs.

Its the ongoing tragedy [Greek of course] that is the Euro financial crisis . That much everyone knows ... .

However, its not for the first time that the Greek people have been the subject of such harsh legislative imposition .... that's for sure!

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The Draconian Laws

Indeed, the emperor is reminded - from a hazy back-bedroom of his classical memory - that it was of course Greece - classical Athens to be precise - that first saw the imposition of the original Draconian Laws. And they were no 'walk in the park', let me tell you ...

[Draco of Athens - the 7th Century B.C. Athenian law giver]

Instituted by the man himself, Draco was a protogenic law giver of the 620's BC, who's name became synonymous with a code of harsh and unbending law. Indeed so severe was the imposition of Draco's law code, that most of it was later repealed by his more enlightened, civic successor:

"He [Solon] repealed the laws because of their harshness and the excessively heavy penalties that they carried; the only exceptions were the laws relating to homicide. Under the Draconian code almost any type of offence was liable to the death penalty, so that even those convicted of idleness were executed, and those who stole fruit and vegetables suffered the same punishment as those who committed sacrilege or murder. This is the reason why, in later times Demades became famous for his remark that Draco's code was written not in ink but in blood. Draco himself, when he was once asked why he decreed the death penalty for the great majority of offences, replied that he considered the minor ones deserved it, and so for the major ones no heavier punishment was left."

[Plutarch, Life of Solon,  I.17]

Well, its a kind of logic you have to admit.

Anybody reasonable can only hope that the current fiscal impositions being imposed upon Greece are sustainable and that it will not be too long before a modern day Solon, once more emerges  ....