It supposedly started with a bird
An embalmed cutie, at a good friend's place. I wish it had fulfilled its life in nature instead of providing pictorial inspiration for humans.
But, in fact, the bird was about a lot more:
It's the holy bird of my native city, Athens, a place named after goddess Athena. The owl symbolizes wisdom, the goddess, and the city itself- "a diamond stone on the Earth's ring" in a poet's words.
A nice Greek expression about someone saying commonplace things is "introducing the owl to Athens" - something like introducing bourbon to Kentucky
The holy bird was pictured on 4-drachma silver coins (tetradrachms) , as well as on the shields of the Athenian Infantry - the latter having been actually Democracy's breeding ground.
I won't get into entertainment (poker and chips) before paying tribute to what was achieved in this city 25 centuries ago, which changed the world forever.
I 'll just quote the city-state leader's words, on the occasion of the state funeral for the first war dead of the City, against the militaristic holigarchy of Sparta.
He basically says that the City's grandeur wasn't just the reason those men gave their lives, but it was what made them be what they were anyway.
The most hair-raising part is that the guy (Pericles) says in full confidence and serenity that what was written, built and generally achieved in his city those last few decades would stay with mankind forever!
"We pursue beauty through frugality; we pursue wisdom without ever staying idle.."
"Mighty indeed are the marks and monuments of our empire which we have left. Future ages will wonder at us, as the present age wonders at us now."
" if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbour for doing what he likes."
" We throw open our city to the world, and never, by alien acts, exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit from our liberality."
"The man who can most truly be accounted brave is he who best knows the meaning of what is sweet in life and of what is terrible, and then goes out undeterred to meet what is to come."
"...Therefore, having judged that to be happy means to be free, and to be free means to be brave, do not shy away from the risks of war".
An embalmed cutie, at a good friend's place. I wish it had fulfilled its life in nature instead of providing pictorial inspiration for humans.
But, in fact, the bird was about a lot more:
It's the holy bird of my native city, Athens, a place named after goddess Athena. The owl symbolizes wisdom, the goddess, and the city itself- "a diamond stone on the Earth's ring" in a poet's words.
A nice Greek expression about someone saying commonplace things is "introducing the owl to Athens" - something like introducing bourbon to Kentucky
The holy bird was pictured on 4-drachma silver coins (tetradrachms) , as well as on the shields of the Athenian Infantry - the latter having been actually Democracy's breeding ground.
I won't get into entertainment (poker and chips) before paying tribute to what was achieved in this city 25 centuries ago, which changed the world forever.
I 'll just quote the city-state leader's words, on the occasion of the state funeral for the first war dead of the City, against the militaristic holigarchy of Sparta.
He basically says that the City's grandeur wasn't just the reason those men gave their lives, but it was what made them be what they were anyway.
The most hair-raising part is that the guy (Pericles) says in full confidence and serenity that what was written, built and generally achieved in his city those last few decades would stay with mankind forever!
"We pursue beauty through frugality; we pursue wisdom without ever staying idle.."
"Mighty indeed are the marks and monuments of our empire which we have left. Future ages will wonder at us, as the present age wonders at us now."
" if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbour for doing what he likes."
" We throw open our city to the world, and never, by alien acts, exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit from our liberality."
"The man who can most truly be accounted brave is he who best knows the meaning of what is sweet in life and of what is terrible, and then goes out undeterred to meet what is to come."
"...Therefore, having judged that to be happy means to be free, and to be free means to be brave, do not shy away from the risks of war".
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