"Five cleanest seas, hundreds ancient monuments, a thousand colorful islands, millions of golden beaches, cozy hotels and luxury resort complexes, taverns and boutiques...", - only a small part of what the director of the ITService travel company Dmitry Ignatiev told us, his ward tourists, about Greece. Neither the generously poured welcome glasses of Metaxa, nor the eloquence of the guides, nor living for two weeks “in Greek” helped to quickly absorb the abundance of information. You truly realize the unique versatility of Hellas after the fact. When you spend half an hour looking at each freshly printed photograph, you involuntarily and inopportunely insert your own into any conversation. catchphrase "But in Greece...“and for the tenth time you excitedly describe your impressions to your friends... Impressions from mountain serpentines with a ride reminiscent of Formula 1 racing, from the lulling velvet greenery of the Kastorian valleys, the hypnotic surface of the lakes hidden in them, which after half an hour are replaced by an irrepressible breeze sea waves on the coast Cassandra. From the grottoes drowning in water and the road pink with blooming oleanders to Heraklion. From the enchanting sunset over the Acropolis, smoothly turning into the illumination of the Athenian night clubs... The kaleidoscope of landscapes of this small country will captivate the most pretentious aesthete. Even we, a group of basically morally stable journalists, could hardly restrain ourselves from asking for citizenship in some paradise. Well, at least in a small province with villas under tiled roofs buried in hibiscus bushes and a flock of geese imposingly walking along the main street. Or in a village surrounded by olive plantations with white sheep grazing peacefully on the hills. Not to mention the resort centers, where you understand that you were born to celebrate life, gourmet food and other bourgeois pleasures.
I admit, in the end we staged a “sabotage”, at the cost of superhuman efforts, forcing the driver to turn to a picturesque place on the way to the airport. Half an hour of bliss with a glass of aromatic wine in a cafe mountain lake- “poly orea!”, “omorphos!”. In our opinion - “beauty”! We are still surprised how we allowed ourselves to be “packed” back into the bus and transported to our homeland...
Athens
Long narrow streets, a minimum of greenery, buildings with dilapidated gray plaster, drizzling rain - this is the first, not the best impression of the capital of Greece. But when the sun's rays breaking through the clouds suddenly sparkle on the carved shutters of ancient mansions, the strict facades of government institutions, the forged fences of private houses - the city simply enchants. In any street tavern there is always a free seat, every waiter has a smile for the visitor, the guide has the patience to repeat the centuries-old history of the Mycenaean civilization to the stupid tourist, and passers-by have the time to lead the guest to the Acropolis. Which, by the way, is located in the very center of the metropolis and is the main attraction of the country. Although in Ancient Hellas there were such “upper cities” in every locality: they were built on the highest hill with palaces for royal family and temples for worship. Only Athenian survived. And let all the sculptures, caryatids and interior decorations be replaced with copies, and part of the Pentelic marble from which it was built - with modern slabs, striking white against the background of the yellowish tint of thousand-year-old masonry. Let be! After all, you can see with your own eyes the dilapidated amphitheater of Herodes Atticus, where music festivals are now held, a real olive tree, supposedly planted by the goddess herself, a square polished by the feet of tourists, where once stood a statue of the daughter of Zeus, cast in bronze by Phidias himself and dressed in gold. And the Parthenon, remembered from a picture from a school history textbook... Its ten-meter columns are really located at different distances from each other and seem to be tilted inward! The cunning trick of the architects Callicrates and Iktin does work: because optical illusion The temple looks grandiose from any point of view. And especially from the terrace of the fashionable restaurant "Akropolis" located nearby - with fish baked in cheese and a glass of ouzo, Greek aniseed vodka - you think so well about eternal values...
What to visit. National Archaeological Museum, Acropolis Museum and Benaki Museum, National Park, antique shops in the old part of Athens - Plaka and boutiques on Kolonaki Street.
Athena and Poseidon fought for the right to be the patron of the capital of Greece, who were supposed to present its residents with the most valuable gift. The god of the seas granted water, the goddess of victory granted the olive tree. Since this area did not lack water, Athena received the patronage and the right to give the city its name.
A third of the country's population lives in.
There is no boredom in Greece
“What a hardworking people the Greeks are!” - tourists flying into the country exclaim with emotion. Greece in the morning and on the way to the hotels watching local residents, going somewhere before dawn. Yes, the Greeks are hardworking and believe that whoever works, rests the same way. And they “have a blast” until the first rooster crow, thereby misleading the naive guests. Fortunately, entertainment venues are at every step, be it a tiny town or a tourist complex. "We're better than Ibiza!" - the Greeks say pathetically. Do you want a nightclub with a cocktail show, or a disco with irrepressible DJs. Or restaurants with prim service and well-trained waiters. Or bouzouki - national-style clubs with live music and sirtaki until you drop. With real sirtaki! When only one person dances to the applause of the kneeling “spectators.” He dances with his soul, his facial expressions, and his gestures, conveying the tragedy of some folk song in eternal theme"And this abyss swallowed up Iago." The Greek “round dance” with ornate knees, familiar to foreigners, is also danced here, but only with tourists. For example, we were “taught” choreography by pharmacists who were intelligently relaxing at the next tavern table. It was either the joint viewing of the Eurovision broadcast that brought us so close together, or the heady aroma of eucalyptus trees and fine wines, but the fraternization of peoples under the discordant “We are rich!” - My Number One and unanimous “Yamas!” - “It will be!” It didn't take long to wait. True, the next morning, for some reason, none of our group was able to repeat all the steps... And there was no time - excursions, excursions, excursions! And you definitely won’t get bored with them. Ancient fortresses, ancient burial places, Byzantine churches and Orthodox monasteries are everywhere. In addition, you can simply wander around the “old town” of any village, go to wineries, olive plantations or fur factories, look into a pottery workshop or souvenir market - in Greece Any doors are open for a guest and “yasas!” always sounds. - "Hello!". Greece washed by the Ionian, Aegean, Libyan, Mediterranean, Cretan seas - tourists have plenty to choose from!
The Greeks lovingly call this peninsula the Trident of Poseidon, piercing the Aegean Sea. When from the hotel pool, located right next to a cliff, you look at the golden beaches spread below, emerald pine groves and vineyards, wooden bays, a crystal blue bay, you understand how generously the god of the seas gifted this land. The measured life of cities and fishing villages, the aromas of sequoia, tamarisk and olives in the air, the gentle sun... The coasts of Sithonia and Kassandra - two parts of the peninsula - are simply created for doing nothing. Although no: women will not be able to be lazy for long - after all, nearby, in Kastoria, there are fur factories, a global mecca for fashionistas. True, this town is completely different from the capital of mink coats and chinchilla boas. Hidden between the mountain hills, it resembles a crescent red from the tiled roofs, admiring the mirror waters of the saucer lake. Fabulous panorama! Which, alas, you barely have time to notice, running through hundreds of fur centers in search of “the same one, but with mother-of-pearl buttons,” haggling until you’re hoarse with the seller and trying to finally understand what exactly he said: “yes” (in Greek “ ne") or "no" (in Greek "ohi")? But fur shopping in Greece- that's a completely different story.
What to visit. Tomb of King Philip, father of Alexander the Great, in Virginia; ruin ancient city Olynthos; fur factories in Kastoria.
Beaches of a five-hundred-kilometer coastline Halkidiki included in the register of the cleanest in the European Union.
Athos
Everyone has heard about this mountain. But few people know that it is located in the world’s only monastic republic on the third part of the Chalkidiki peninsula - Agios Oros. The ascetic restraint of the twenty monasteries of this state, the first monasteries of which were founded a thousand years ago at the behest of Emperor Vasily the First, tourists can only see from the deck of a ferry slowly circling the territory isolated from the world. True, with permission from senior dignitaries Athos Ordinary men can also visit. This “blatant injustice” caused righteous anger among the female half of our group, frivolous jokes among the male half, and bewilderment among the Greeks. True Christians, they are very sensitive to religion. The question "Are you Orthodox?" practically means “You are Greek.” In Hellas, a student coming in to light a candle in broad daylight, or a business woman secluded in a temple in the evening, is a normal occurrence. They believe with their hearts, not for show, without fanaticism or moralizing. This is probably why there are so many tiny churches in quiet, remote places and practically no crime. Here you go up the serpentine road, and on the hill, outside the city, there is a miniature chapel: the doors are open, there is no one inside, the icons are intact, candles are free. You’ll go in, feel at peace, admire the city spread out below... Do you really want to do something bad after that?
According to legend, towering two thousand meters above the sea, it is named after the giant who threw this “block” into the sea, thereby trying to defeat the gods.
There is no arrogance in Greece
Only in Hellas can children easily run around the hall of the city hall of their town. A real millionaire has breakfast with journalists, a good-natured prefect dashingly dances sirtaki with guests of his region... No arrogance, pride, or swagger. Although, it would seem, who else but the Greeks, with their rich history and royal blood, should ascend. Of course, they will not fail to remind you of the origins of aristocracy, democracy and aesthetics, but with such delight, so directly! Of course, for them their own dignity is the holy of holies, which often becomes the reason for temperamental dialogues. No one is surprised to hear loud bickering between simpleton drivers or greased businessmen. Well, violent quarrels (and instant reconciliations) between spouses who have just embraced are a common sight. Despite the fact that family for a Hellene is no less valuable than honor. His entire way of life is subordinated to family interests. Apparently that's why Greece takes last place in Europe in terms of divorces and one of the first in the number of family businesses.
By the way, the high-ranking official who saw off our group was sincerely surprised that we were leaving Greece V in full force! Many of our compatriots “stay married”: only puritans, first-graders and pensioners can be indifferent to the ancient profiles and refined manners of the Greeks. Despite patriarchal foundations, international marriages are not uncommon. Actually, for a Greek it doesn’t matter where you’re from. The main thing is that the person is good, who has something to say “eucharisto” - “thank you” for. Like, for example, musicians of the Ukrainian diaspora in Athens, to whom the capital’s authorities, as a token of gratitude for their amazing performances, offered to give a concert at main square cities.
If you mistakenly pronounce the name of the regional capital of Macedonia, not a single Greek out of politeness will openly correct you. But he will delicately emphasize the prefix “fes”, which is lost in Slavic transcription - Thessaloniki.
You will fall in love with this city once and for all. In the neatness of its narrow streets and the echo of the sea surf, in the orderly rows of neat high-rise buildings with colorful flowerpots climbing on each balcony. In the "orange" of orange trees along the sidewalks and in the evening promenade along the spacious embankment. Even in one-way traffic, due to which you wind around the city for a long time, you still find new, discreet beauties. For example, triumphal arch A two-thousand-year-old gallery with bas-reliefs that have survived to this day. The youth who have chosen it as a meeting place would never even think of tearing something off or writing the painfully familiar “I was here...”. And hidden between the new buildings are the colonial villas of the century before last! No one has the right to demolish the remains of their former luxury, even if the owners have not appeared here for half a century - private property!
However, you haven't seen Thessaloniki, if you haven’t watched the sunset sitting on the steep walls of a former fort in the old city. A long time ago, only the nobility lived here, and now you, a mere mortal, are basking on ancient bricks heated by the sun and waiting for Helios to rush by on his chariot, replacing day with night and filling the bluish distance of the horizon with crimson. And it seems that in the melody of the waves of this port city one can hear the size of a hexameter...
City Thessaloniki named by the Macedonian king Cassander in honor of his wife, sister of Alexander the Great.
What to visit. Monuments of Alexander the Great and Philip II of Macedon, Aristotle Square, Byzantine walls of Emperor Justinian I, Rotunda, Temple of Dmitry of Salunsky.
A city of rocks, a fantastic reserve, the eighth wonder of the world, a masterpiece of nature - the tall mountain “towers” reaching into the sky near the small town of Kalambaka have received so many comparisons. Polished by winds over tens of millions of years (!), the gray blocks have an inexplicable magnetism. They force brave climbers to conquer the peaks again and again, and curious tourists to climb to incredible heights on foot to admire the most picturesque landscapes, and some cowards - take photographs on the edge of the abyss and fearlessly look down at the valleys of red poppies. However, mysticism Meteor not only in enchanting rocks - dozens of monasteries were erected on the “spiers” of the mountains. How did man manage to build impressive temples, chapels, and monasteries at such heights? You’re amazed! One of the monasteries seems to have taken one hundred and sixty years to build. And if you consider that then hermits climbed to the peaks in baskets with the help of ingenious devices... Fortunately, today pilgrims and visitors climb to the monasteries along a serpentine path of stone steps. And when it already seems that you have no strength to walk, suddenly you find yourself in the refreshing coolness of one of the main monasteries - the Holy Transfiguration. Here - miraculous icons, ancient frescoes and monastic wineries. The whirlpool of smells of dilapidated wood, church incense and melted wax makes you slightly dizzy, and another luxurious landscape opening from the observation deck makes you feel intoxicated. I want to take a deep breath and jump from this colossal height, feeling like “floating in the clouds,” as translated from ancient Greek “ meteors".
What to visit. Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration, Mount Olympus, ruins of the ancient city of Dion, the source of Aphrodite.
The first hermits began to settle in the gorges of the present Meteor in the 11th century. And in 1380, Saint Athanasius created the first men's monastery.
There is no fuss in Greece
When a seller carefully packages every little thing purchased, it touches. But when he does it so slowly that the driver of your tour bus, tired of waiting, honking furiously, is about to break the horn... For us, accustomed to the sprinting rhythm of life, it is not easy for us to adapt to the measured life of the Greeks. The first two days. On the third day of travel you involuntarily begin to be lazy. You leisurely sip a tonic frappe at the café, risking being late for the excursion, leisurely explore the streets, hopelessly lagging behind the group, have a long and hearty meal, philosophizing about the frailty of all earthly things. And you gradually gain a taste for life, long lost by the Slavs in the hectic routine and carefully preserved by the Greeks. They do not live, but contemplate life. They do not speak, but think in their murmuring common speech - dimotika. They do not eat, but savor each of the dishes and mezedes (snacks) served to the table. They do not pursue wealth, but earn money based on the principle of sufficiency. And they will never give up a three-hour siesta. At first, this tradition drives restless tourists to white heat, but upon returning home they all enthusiastically begin to implement the notorious breaks in their native groups...
One Thousand and One Islands
When you fly over the night Greece, the islands surrounding its mainland look like a dense scattering of multi-colored beads. Located within sight of each other, they often have completely different pasts: the Ionian Islands were once under the rule of Venice, the islands of the Aegean Sea and the Southern Sporades belonged to the Genoese and Crusaders, the islands of the Saronic Gulf were inhabited by Albanians. To visit at least some, you will need at least a week. And then only a small fraction of their splendor will be remembered from the marathon run: the cave sanctuary of the nymphs in Ithaca, the birthplace of Odysseus, the blue caves, the fruit paradise of Skopelos, the healing springs of Lesvos, horse-drawn carriages instead of cars on Poros, volcanic rocks and black sand beaches - “a fragment of the disappeared Atlantis", a marine reserve of the Northern Sporades, the night waters of which luminesce from the glow of the smallest living organisms. And to taste all the delights large islands- Cyclades - it will take two weeks for each! They are also a separate story: cypress forests, picturesque harbors, as if strung on coastline yachts and boats, stormy night life after a day's rest in nice hotels or trips to numerous historical monuments - worthy of a separate article. Just like the richest undersea world, which every swimmer can see. It is possible that, while cruising between the islands on specially designed ferries or rented boats, some non-divers will be lucky enough to see a school of white-sided dolphins or a swallowtail jellyfish fluttering on the waves...
Greece belongs to more than 2 thousand large and small islands, but only a hundred of them are inhabited. The islands make up a fifth of the country's territory
Corfu (or Kerkyra)
Goethe, Oscar Wilde, Alfred Sisley immortalized this tiny island in their works, which you can travel around in just three hours. The sparkling azure of the Ionian Sea and the lush malachite slopes initially tire your eyes, and you begin to get confused in the unusual diversity of cultures mixed over centuries of history. Venetian labyrinths of streets, Italian courtyards with lacy balconies, exquisite vaults of French passages, colonial villas of the British who dominated in the distant past - all this diversity is at every step in, the capital of the island. Where starched laundry is dried right above a cobblestone street full of passers-by, where you can get fed up with the elegant cafes on the Boulevard Liston, built in the image of the Parisian Rivoli, and proudly walk along the shady alleys of the Esplanade - a park-like city square, where once only noblemen were allowed to walk. Only in Kerkyra there is a croquet field laid out by the British on the site of a Venetian shooting range, the old fortress of Palio Frurio, in which grandiose light and sound shows thunder on summer evenings, and the Canal of Love, which guarantees eternal passion for couples sailing along it. And exclusively on Corfu Followers of Ichthyander can dive to their heart's content in the coastal arches of the caves and see hundred-kilogram "carriage-carriage" turtles migrating here from Africa to lay their eggs.
What to visit. Museum paper money, Byzantine Museum, Church of the Patron Kerkyra Saint Spyridon, Cathedral, Byzantine Museum.
Rest on Corfu is rightfully considered elite: everything on the island is of the highest standard - in inexpensive hotels accessible to ordinary tourists, in campsites in mountain villages, and in luxury five-star complexes.
And also in Greece no time. You don’t feel it, you just get lost in it. Maybe because of the omnipresent intertwining of antiquity with modernity, mythology with reality, characteristic of this country. Or maybe from the “point” dimension inherent in the Greeks - life according to the principle of “here and now”...
But the Slavic nature still takes its toll, returning to the “vector” perception of time - with the present and the past. Which I really want to return to. At least when viewing freshly printed photographs.
Helpful information
- Greece 10 million tourists visit annually
- , a city of three civilizations - Ancient, Roman and Byzantine, founded in 315 BC. e. The Apostle Paul called it “the golden gate of Christianity.”
- Fortress walls Thessaloniki saw the invasions of the Celts, Normans, Bulgarians, Mongols, and Arabs. Now only lovers and tourists come to them.
- Believed to be in place Meteor sixty million years ago the ocean was raging, and the mountains themselves were underwater reefs.
- evoke a mystical feeling of being in another dimension.
- Monks Athos They produce everything they need for their modest existence themselves.
- The Acropolis was built in the 5th century BC. e. at the top of a 155-meter hill. In those days, the treasury of the Athenian state was kept in the halls of the Parthenon and sacrifices were made to the gods.
- Carrying pieces of marble from the Acropolis is punishable by six years in prison.
- Africans trading in the center Athens counterfeit bags from well-known brands are a common occurrence.
- The best souvenirs from Greece: olive soap and oil, ceramics and spices - for loved ones, Metaxa, wine and ouzo - for a loved one and a mink coat - for yourself.
- Even dogs in Hellas lie lazily near houses, not wanting to burden themselves with guard duties - after all, everything around is already calm!
Victoria Pasichnyk
Flood, Deucalion, Hellene. People who lived in ancient times passed on a tragic legend from fathers to children. It was as if many thousands of years ago there had been a worldwide flood on Earth: a terrible downpour had been falling continuously for several days, raging streams flooded fields, forests, roads, villages, and cities. Everything disappeared under water. People died. The only person who managed to escape was Deucalion. He had a son, who received a beautiful and sonorous name Hellene. It was he who chose the rocky land for settlement in the area where the country of Greece is now located. After the name of its first inhabitant, it was called Hellas, and its population - Hellenes.
Hellas. It was amazing country. A lot of labor had to be spent on growing bread in its fields, olives in its gardens, and grapes on the mountain slopes. Every piece of land was watered by the sweat of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. A clear sky spread over Hellas blue sky The entire country was crossed from end to end by mountain ranges. The tops of the mountains were lost in the clouds, and how could one not believe that in the heights, hidden from human eyes, eternal spring reigns and immortal gods live!
The beautiful country was surrounded on all sides by the sea, and there was no place in Hellas from which one could not reach its shores in one day's journey. The sea was visible from everywhere - you just had to climb some hill. The sea attracted the Hellenes, and they were even more attracted to unknown overseas countries. From the stories of the brave sailors who visited there, wonderful stories were born. The ancient Hellenes loved to listen to them when they gathered around a hot fire after a day’s work.
Homer, Hesiod and myths. This is how, in ancient times, myths and legends were born, into the fascinating world of which you and I have entered. The Greeks were cheerful, brave, knew how to find good in every day, knew how to cry and laugh, get angry and admire. All this was reflected in their myths, which, fortunately, were not lost over the centuries. Ancient writers beautifully presented ancient legends in their works - some in verse, some in prose. The first to take up the retelling of myths was the wise blind poet Homer, who lived almost three thousand years ago. His famous poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey” tell about Greek heroes, their battles and victories, as well as greek gods, their lives on top of the impregnable Mount Olympus, feasts and adventures, quarrels and reconciliations.
And the poet Hesiod, who lived a little later than Homer, wrote beautifully about where the world itself and all the gods came from. His poem is called “Theogony,” which means “The Origin of the Gods.” The ancient Greeks loved to watch plays about the lives of gods and heroes. They were written by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides. Until now, these plays (the Greeks called them “tragedies”) are performed in many theaters around the world. Of course, they were translated from ancient Greek to modern languages, including into Russian. From them you can also learn a lot of interesting things about the heroes of Greek myths.
The myths of ancient Hellas are as beautiful as the country itself; the gods of Greek myths are in many ways similar to people, but only more powerful. They are beautiful and forever young, for them there is no hard work or illness...
On the land of ancient Hellas, many ancient sculptures depicting gods and heroes are found. Take a closer look at them in the book’s illustrations - they look like they’re alive. True, not all statues are intact, because they lay in the ground for many centuries, and therefore they may have an arm or a leg broken off, sometimes even their heads are knocked off, sometimes only the torso remains, but they are still beautiful, like the immortal gods of Hellenic myths themselves.
Ancient Hellas lives in works of art. And it is connected with mythology in many ways.
Read also other topics Chapter I “Space, World, Gods” of the section “Gods and Heroes of the Ancient Greeks”:
- 1. Hellas and Hellenes
The Sun is the god Helios, the Moon is the goddess Selene, her sister Eos is the goddess of the dawn. Constellations, plunging from time to time into the Ocean, are washed in it and renew their brilliance. The dungeon consists of Erebus, Hades and Tartarus. The entrance to Erebus is located beyond the Ocean. In the Homeric epic, almost everything natural and much of the social has its own supernatural anthropomorphic hypostasis. Supernatural mythological personalities are related to each other by blood. For example, the god of sleep Hypnos is the twin brother of the god of death Thanatos, the god of horror Phobos is the son of the god of war Ares. Earth, water and sky (air and ether) are personified by the brothers Hades, Poseidon and Zeus.
Medicine is represented by the god Paean, madness by Ata, vengeance by the Erinyes, discord by Eris, etc. Gods can take the form of birds, Hera appears to be “hair-eyed,” and in the most ancient layer of the Odyssey images of fantastic creatures combining the features of humans and animals are preserved. The human-likeness of the gods also applies to them moral qualities. The moral level of the gods is low. The gods are corporeal, they can be hurt, they experience pain. However, the gods differ from people in eternal youth and immortality. They have special blood. They feed on nectar and ambrosia and move at the speed of thought. The gods are not the creators of the universe, either as a whole or in its parts. They are only supernatural counterparts of natural processes and phenomena.
The sculptor Phidias was very proud of his creation - the “wonder of the world”, the statue of Olympian Zeus. One day he was asked if Zeus himself came down to him or if the master ascended to heaven to see the idol? Phidias modestly replied that he depicted Zeus according to Homer’s description in the first book of the Iliad.
This official religion ancient Greek city-states. The name comes from Mount Olympus (in Thessaly), on which, according to the ancient Greeks, the gods lived. The snowy peak of Olympus, rising into the clouds, was as inaccessible to the ancient Greeks as the sky. There were twelve main Olympian gods. This is Zeus, his brother Poseidon (Zeus's other brother Hades - the god of the underworld - did not visit Olympus, and therefore was not among the Olympians), Zeus' sisters - the goddess of the hearth Hestia, the goddess of earthly fertility Demeter, the sister-wife of Zeus Hera, children of Zeus: Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, Hephaestus, Hermes, Ares, Hebe.
Troy was plundered and burned - just like many other cities that became the prey of the conquerors. Fate was also unkind to the victors - on the way back, their fleet was caught in a storm, and the few surviving ships were carried away to unknown shores. One of the Achaean leaders, Odysseus, wandered the seas for ten years before reaching his homeland; he visited the island of cannibals, in the dangerous strait between the rocks Scylla and Charybdis, was captured by the one-eyed Cyclops giants and suffered a lot fabulous adventures- Homer talks about all this in the Odyssey.
“The Iliad” and “Odyssey” left for us a picture of the distant world of the 2nd millennium BC - a world in which evil coexisted with good, wealth with poverty and love with hatred, but there was more evil and hatred than love and good. In those days it was customary to gouge out the eyes of slaves who played the lyre to please their masters - and Homer was also blind.
Blind musicians composed songs glorifying noble heroes; Over time, half-forgotten songs turned into legends, and history, covered in the haze of time, took on fantastic shapes: “From the shaft of a spear, Zeus created people - terrible and powerful. The people of the Copper Age loved pride and war, abundant with groans... Zeus gave them enormous growth and indomitable strength. Their hearts were indomitable and courageous and their hands irresistible. Their weapons were forged from copper, their houses were made from copper, and they worked with copper tools. They didn’t know dark iron back in those days. The people of the Copper Age destroyed each other with their own hands.”
Hellas means Lada. Slavic Lada was also called the Heavenly Mother of God. El is just an article, like: -el, -al, i.e. El Lada. Lada - Slavic country, that’s why it’s called that, and not Greece, which arose much later in this place, namely, after the collapse of the Slavic-Aryan Empire, when the Greeks appeared on these lands, with whom the Slavs fought. The Greeks took only part of the Slavic alphabet and made their own alphabet. The culture of Hellas was all Slavic, therefore, after the disappearance of El Lada and the emergence of Greece, a culture without the Slavs began to deplete and disappeared.
29.09.17
Mikhail
Many Greeks do not call themselves Greeks. They preserve long-standing traditions and call their country Hellas, and themselves Hellenes. The very concept of “Greece” comes from a Latin word. A small place in the northeastern part of the country was called Greece several centuries BC. But later this name spread throughout the state. For some reason, they are called Greeks in most countries of the world, and the inhabitants of this country themselves imagined themselves to be Hellenes in Hellas.
Where did the name "Hellas" come from?
In ancient times, not all of Greece was called Hellas. Now cultural scientists associate this name exclusively with Ancient Greece. In journalism, and indeed in scientific literature, the word “Hellenes” is constantly used. Hellas and Greece are identical concepts. Modern Greece did not always have the same boundaries. Territorial boundaries have changed over the centuries. Now some part of Greece belongs to the Turkish state, another to Italy. The lands occupied in ancient times by Italy passed to Greece. Undoubtedly, the civilization that is part of Europe today began a long time ago. Scientists call Ancient times- Antiquity. If we translate this word into Russian from Latin, we get the term “antiquity”. Scientists associate both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Researchers are accustomed to calling the north of the Mediterranean also ancient, along with North Africa, some part of Asia, all of Europe. The places where today scientists find imprints of Greek and Hellenic civilization are usually considered to be the heritage of European and Greek culture.
Greece. Where is this, what country is it?
The southern part of the Balkans is Greece. People in this state are accustomed to valuing their wealth. Among them are not only fossils, but also water resources. The country is washed by the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian Seas. The water element of Greece is beautiful. Picturesque seascapes, a delightful island part. The lands of this state are fertile, but there is very little land. It is always dry and hot here, which at any time favored livestock rather than crop production.
Ancient myths provided the basis cultural traditions of this country. So, Pandora, who gave birth to several children, was married to the Supreme Thunderer Zeus. One of the sons was named Grekos. Two more - Macedon and Magnis. All historians unanimously say that Greece was named after the eldest son of Zeus. Grekos inherited courage, belligerence, and bravery from his father. But at first, only one of the areas in the north-west of Athens was called Greece.
The eldest son of the supreme celestials never sat still. He traveled a lot, not for the sake of conquest, but more for the founding of new cities on empty lands. This is how a number of states appeared in Asia Minor. Grecos formed colonies in Italy. He took control of almost the entire Apennine Peninsula. It is known that the inhabitants of Italy called the townspeople ruled by Grekos Greeks. Other researchers believe that Greece is a Roman term, and the Greeks themselves called themselves Hellenes.
But the word “Greece” was well entrenched in the minds of foreigners, so much so that to this day few foreigners do not think of officially calling the Greeks Hellenes. This concept is typical only for scientific world cultural scientists, historians and Greek scholars. Even Aristotle wrote that the Hellenes did not always call themselves that. There is evidence that in ancient times they were called Greeks. Here, apparently, it makes itself felt Ancient Greek mythology. Later the Greeks had a ruler named Hellenes. Allegedly, after the name of the king, they called themselves Hellenes. But this is just another theory that has the right to life.
Let's take a look at Homer's poem Iliad. In the part where the Greeks’ campaign against Troy is described, there is a mention that among the alien warriors from almost the same region, there were those who called themselves residents of the city of Gray (Greeks) and Hellenes (from a place in Thessaly). All of them, without exception, were strong and courageous. There is another speculation about the origin of the concept of “Hellenes”. There is evidence that there were once several policies and cities in Achilles’s possessions. One of them was called Hellas. And the Hellenes could have come from there. The writer Pausanias mentioned in his works that Greya was a fairly large city. And Thucydides spoke about Farrow as about Gray. That's what they called him before. Aristotle says that even before the inhabitants of present-day Greece began to be called Greeks, they called themselves that in the pre-Hellenic period.
As a result of simple conclusions, we can say that the Greeks and Hellenes are 2 tribes that existed in the neighborhood or practically on the same territory, and arose in approximately the same period of time. Perhaps they fought among themselves, and someone became stronger. As a result, culture and traditions were borrowed. Or perhaps they lived in peace and subsequently united. Scientists say that both the Hellenes and the Greeks existed until the adoption of Christianity. Later, people who did not want to become followers of the new religion were still called Hellenes (they were more “friends” with the gods of Olympus and the thunderer Zeus), and adherents of Christianity were called Greeks. Researchers believe that the term “Hellene” means “idolater.”
Modern painting
Outside of Greece, it is still called differently. The inhabitants themselves now call themselves Greeks, the country - Hellas with the Hellenic language, sometimes Greece. However, all Europeans are accustomed to alternating names. In the Russian understanding, Hellas is Ancient Greece. Residents are Greeks. Language – Greek. In almost all European and Russian languages, Greece and Hellas have similar sounds and pronunciations. The East calls the inhabitants of this country differently. In some cases, the names change dramatically. Among them:
- Jonan.
- Yavana (in Sanskrit).
- Yavanim (Hebrew).
These names come from the concept of “Ionians” - residents and migrants from the coast of the Ionian Sea. According to another theory, Ion was the ruler of the Greek islands. This is what the Persians, Turks, Jordanians, and Iranians called the inhabitants of Hellas and the coastal islands. According to another version, “ionan” are rounded headdresses that Greeks still wear to this day to protect themselves from the sun’s rays. The inhabitants of the East were the first to notice this, and now they call the Greeks Ionans. The practice of Georgians regarding the perception of Greeks is interesting. Georgians call the Hellenes “berdzeni”. In their language, this concept means “wisdom.” There are nationalities that call the Greeks “Romios”, since a large period of the life of this state is associated with the history of the Roman Empire.
The experience of the Russians is noteworthy. The ancient Rosichi people never forgot the phrase “The path from the Varangians to the Greeks...”. The foundations of the Greek culture of that period, when the main trade routes intersected with Russia, will never be forgotten, since they are reflected in folk epic Slavs At that time they were called Hellenes in Europe, but in Russia they are Greeks. However, scientists believe that the Greeks were the traders. The goods arrived in Russia from Byzantium, which was populated by people from Greece. They were Christians and brought the foundations of their faith and culture to the Rosichi people.
And today legends and myths are studied in Russian schools Ancient Greece, history and culture of Greece and Rome. In Russia it is customary to refer to the inhabitants of this country as “Greeks”. This country has always been proud of its talented poets, historians, architects, sculptors, athletes, sailors, and philosophers. All figures left an indelible mark on the minds of researchers and scientists around the world. Greece influenced the development of the culture of Europe and even the countries of Asia and the East.
Modern researchers have found evidence that the Greeks called certain “graiks”. This is the Illyrian people. According to mythology, the progenitor of this nation was named “Greek”. The concept of “Hellenism” began to revive by the beginning of the 19th century among the Greek intelligentsia. Over time, the assertion that the Greeks are not Greeks spread to the broad masses.
As soon as the Greeks did not call themselves and heard different addresses addressed to them. The reason for everything is the origin of nationalities, linguistic dogmas, customs, and traditions. Achaeans, Dorians, Ionians, Hellenes or Greeks? Nowadays, the inhabitants of this country have quite diverse roots and have the right to name themselves, according to the legends and myths that have developed in some areas.
Mini Hotel
Mini-hotel ILIAHTIADA Apartments is a small modern hotel, built in 1991, located in Chalkidiki, on the Kassandra peninsula, in the village of Kriopigi, 90 km from Macedonia Airport in Thessaloniki. The hotel offers spacious rooms and a welcoming atmosphere. This is an excellent place for an economical family vacation. The hotel is located on an area of 4500 sq. m.
Seas of Greece
For many tourists, what is important is not the Greek resorts themselves or the islands to which they plan to go, but the seas that wash the territories of the recreation areas. Greece is almost the only country that is rich different seas, however, almost all of them are included in the Mediterranean, but they have their own characteristics, And distinctive features. There are three main seas. In addition to the Mediterranean, these are the Aegean and Ionian. They are marked on all maps
Thessaloniki in Greece. History, sights (part three).
A unique historical heritage and decoration of the central part of Thessaloniki are the ruins of the Roman Forum. Forum is the heart social life in antiquity - was built at the end of the 2nd century. BC. on the site of the former Macedonian agora. Until the 5th century it was the executive center of Thessaloniki, playing a major economic, political and social role in the life of the city, regularly gathering high-ranking, influential and authoritative personalities who came here to experience the rhythm of social life.
Garden and vegetable garden in Greece
Mediterranean diet