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Erotokritos
In order to enhance your experience of the forthcoming performance of Erotokritos, we are publishing this brief synopsis of the story.
SYNOPSIS
Athens, Greece, 17th century. Erotokritos, the son of the Adviser to the King, confides to his best friend Polydoros that he is in love with Aretousa, King Heracles’ daughter. The king organises a singing festival with the hope of catching the mysterious singer who is rumoured to be singing under his daughter’s balcony every night. Erotokritos kills two of the king’s guards when they are sent on the prowl to arrest him. Aretousa confides to her nurse Frosyni that she likes the singer but Frosyni urges her to come to her senses. Polydoros proposes a holiday to Erotokritos and they leave for Egripos so he can forget Aretousa. The king notices that lately Aretousa is sad and announces that he will organize a jousting tournament to please her. Erotokritos’ father, Pezostratos, gets very ill and all the royal family visit him. Aretousa realizes that Erotokritos is the mysterious singer after she discovers a manuscript with the lyrics she was hearing under her balcony and a painting, a portrait of her, in Erotokritos’ room. Erotokritos returns from holiday to check on his father and discovers the manuscript and painting are missing. He sends Polydoros to the palace to find out if the king knows anything and decides to pretend to be ill but Aretousa sends him a remedy gift so he understands she is also interested in him. Erotokritos takes part in the jousting tournament and wins. He secretly climbs to Aretousa’s balcony and they speak about their love for each other. Erotokritos tells his father that he wants to marry Aretousa and convinces him to deliver the message to the King. The king gets furious with the news, sending Erotokritos into exile and throwing his father out of the palace forever. Erotokritos secretly visits Aretousa and announces the bad news. They exchange vows of faith in the presence of Frosyni. Erotokritos leaves for exile, followed by his faithful slave, Pistentis. The King announces his plan to marry Aretousa to the Prince of Byzantium. She refuses and the King throws her and her nanny both into prison. Erotokritos in exile, receives the news of Aretousa’s imprisonment and also the threats of an imminent attack by the Vlachs on Athens. His slave takes him to an old witch and she produces a potion. Erotokritos washes his face with the potion and transforms into a black, Saracen man. Erotokritos sets the slave free and decides to go to Athens and fight for its freedom. Erotokritos returns to Athens and joins the battle on the side of the Athenians. He fights so bravely that he forces many Vlach soldiers to flee and he has both Athenians and Vlachs wondering who is this Saracen warrior that appeared out of nowhere. Vladistratos, the Vlach king, proposes to King Heracles a one-to-one fight in order to stop the pointless bloodshed, the Vlachs’ best fighter against the Athenians’ best. King Heracles holds a war council and they realize they don’t have any man that can match the Vlach champion, Aristos. Erotokritos enters the council and volunteers to fight. Erotokritos kills Aristos in an epic fight and the Vlachs vow eternal allegiance to the Athenians. King Heracles visits the wounded Erotokritos and tells him that all his kingdoms now belong to him as well. Erotokritos refuses the wealth and asks to marry Aretousa. The king is afraid of his daughter’s decision and urges him to ask her himself. Erotokritos visits Aretousa in prison and asks to marry her. She refuses and then Erotokritos washes his face with the potion, returning to his real appearance. Aretousa is happy and relieved but proposes that he should change back to Saracen and proceed with the marriage. At the wedding, Erotokritos reveals his real identity to the King and the King forgives him, giving his blessing for the wedding and announcing him as the new King.
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Considered to be one of the masterpieces of Greek literature, EROTOKRITOS belongs to the category of epic poems. It was written by Vitsentzo Kornaros and is made up of 10.000 verses, divided into five parts. Its name has been taken from Erotokritos, the main character of this poem, which implies the one that has been tortured by love. Initially, the story of the poem appears to take place in Ancient Athens, on the days of King Iraklis (fictitious person) but then the poet adds characters, facts and places that are reported in the Middle Ages and this period of time. The plot is twisting around the love of Erotokritos and Aretousa, the daughter of the King, a love that is being used by the poet as a keystone in order to praise friendship, bravery and the love for the homeland.
SYNOPSIS
Athens, Greece, 17th century. Erotokritos, the son of the Adviser to the King, confides to his best friend Polydoros that he is in love with Aretousa, King Heracles’ daughter. The king organises a singing festival with the hope of catching the mysterious singer who is rumoured to be singing under his daughter’s balcony every night. Erotokritos kills two of the king’s guards when they are sent on the prowl to arrest him. Aretousa confides to her nurse Frosyni that she likes the singer but Frosyni urges her to come to her senses. Polydoros proposes a holiday to Erotokritos and they leave for Egripos so he can forget Aretousa. The king notices that lately Aretousa is sad and announces that he will organize a jousting tournament to please her. Erotokritos’ father, Pezostratos, gets very ill and all the royal family visit him. Aretousa realizes that Erotokritos is the mysterious singer after she discovers a manuscript with the lyrics she was hearing under her balcony and a painting, a portrait of her, in Erotokritos’ room. Erotokritos returns from holiday to check on his father and discovers the manuscript and painting are missing. He sends Polydoros to the palace to find out if the king knows anything and decides to pretend to be ill but Aretousa sends him a remedy gift so he understands she is also interested in him. Erotokritos takes part in the jousting tournament and wins. He secretly climbs to Aretousa’s balcony and they speak about their love for each other. Erotokritos tells his father that he wants to marry Aretousa and convinces him to deliver the message to the King. The king gets furious with the news, sending Erotokritos into exile and throwing his father out of the palace forever. Erotokritos secretly visits Aretousa and announces the bad news. They exchange vows of faith in the presence of Frosyni. Erotokritos leaves for exile, followed by his faithful slave, Pistentis. The King announces his plan to marry Aretousa to the Prince of Byzantium. She refuses and the King throws her and her nanny both into prison. Erotokritos in exile, receives the news of Aretousa’s imprisonment and also the threats of an imminent attack by the Vlachs on Athens. His slave takes him to an old witch and she produces a potion. Erotokritos washes his face with the potion and transforms into a black, Saracen man. Erotokritos sets the slave free and decides to go to Athens and fight for its freedom. Erotokritos returns to Athens and joins the battle on the side of the Athenians. He fights so bravely that he forces many Vlach soldiers to flee and he has both Athenians and Vlachs wondering who is this Saracen warrior that appeared out of nowhere. Vladistratos, the Vlach king, proposes to King Heracles a one-to-one fight in order to stop the pointless bloodshed, the Vlachs’ best fighter against the Athenians’ best. King Heracles holds a war council and they realize they don’t have any man that can match the Vlach champion, Aristos. Erotokritos enters the council and volunteers to fight. Erotokritos kills Aristos in an epic fight and the Vlachs vow eternal allegiance to the Athenians. King Heracles visits the wounded Erotokritos and tells him that all his kingdoms now belong to him as well. Erotokritos refuses the wealth and asks to marry Aretousa. The king is afraid of his daughter’s decision and urges him to ask her himself. Erotokritos visits Aretousa in prison and asks to marry her. She refuses and then Erotokritos washes his face with the potion, returning to his real appearance. Aretousa is happy and relieved but proposes that he should change back to Saracen and proceed with the marriage. At the wedding, Erotokritos reveals his real identity to the King and the King forgives him, giving his blessing for the wedding and announcing him as the new King.
************************
Considered to be one of the masterpieces of Greek literature, EROTOKRITOS belongs to the category of epic poems. It was written by Vitsentzo Kornaros and is made up of 10.000 verses, divided into five parts. Its name has been taken from Erotokritos, the main character of this poem, which implies the one that has been tortured by love. Initially, the story of the poem appears to take place in Ancient Athens, on the days of King Iraklis (fictitious person) but then the poet adds characters, facts and places that are reported in the Middle Ages and this period of time. The plot is twisting around the love of Erotokritos and Aretousa, the daughter of the King, a love that is being used by the poet as a keystone in order to praise friendship, bravery and the love for the homeland.