I am not Athenian

 Με διάφορες αφορμές, βρέθηκε ξανά εμπρός μου ένα εντυπωσιακό κείμενο, το οποίο πρωτάκουσα σε παράσταση έργου. Μια ανάγνωση μπορεί κανείς να ακούσει στο "Δεν είμαι Αθηναίος" από το δίσκο "το αμάρτημα της μητρός μου" του Νίκου Ξυδάκη.

Ερχόμενος ξανά εμπρός στο κείμενο τούτο, θέλησα να το μεταφράσω, για όσους δεν έχουν ευχέρεια με τα ελληνικά. Αποτελεί το προοίμιο και την αρχή της απολογίας του Γεωργίου Τερτσέτη την εικοστή τετάρτη (κδ΄) Σεπτεμβρίου ,αωλδ΄ (1834), σχεδόν εκατόν ενενήντα χρόνια πριν, όπως μπορεί κανείς να την διαβάσει, είτε εδώ, είτε εδώ. Δικαστής, όπως και ο Πολυζωΐδης, αρνήθηκαν να υπογράψουν την κατά πλειοψηφία καταδικαστική απόφαση για τον Κωλοκοτρώνη και τον Πλαπούτα, η οποία θα τους οδηγούσε στο θάνατο.

Due to different circumstances, I revisited an impressive text, which I first encountered as a play. The first paragraph is recorded in a disc/CD by the title "my mother's sin" ("το αμάρτημα της μητρός μου") by Nikos Xydakis (Νίκος Ξυδάκης) and goes by the title "I am not Athenian" ("Δεν είμαι Αθηναίος").

It's the preamble and a small first part of Georges Tertsetis' (Γεωργίος Τερτσέτης) apology, defense in court, as given almost one hundred and ninety years before, the 24th of September 1834. They were charged as not obeying to the laws when, as judges, he and Anastasios Polyzoides (Αναστάσιος Πολυζωΐδης), who was the Chair of the Court, refused to sign the condemn in decapitation of two high ranking officers in the war for the independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire. The court ruled in favor of the two judges.

I am not from Sparta, I am not Athenian, my fatherland is entire the Hellas. In that way expresses himself the gentle Plutarch, it is almost two thousand years since, in one of his documents. Us, being born in a most happy era, that is when religion and philosophy enlightened, heralded, sealed the doctrine of love and equality, we are able to express ourselves with an even stronger conviction than the one of the ancient man. We are able to say that we are neither from Hellas, nor from Italy, nor from Germany, nor from England. Our fatherland is the entire human kind. As much earth is engulfed in the beautiful ether, that much of it is called our beloved fatherland.

If the Commissioner does not care for those reflections a little, it's enough for me that are favored by those Judges here, this Hellenic Audience. This preamble, though, remarkably fits our apology, because, if we are called by the Commissioner to account, if he threatens us with incarceration, the reason is our vehement worship to justice, in times in which you are best aware, even justice is a privilege, is property of the human kind and it is fitting that we name today, as our supporter the human kind, for in favor of it we struggled.

κβ΄ Ιουλίου ,βκδ΄

Νύχτες ανάστερες, με ουρανό ημισκότεινο.

22nd of July 2024

Nights without stars, with a semi-dark sky.