So who is buried in Agamemnon's tomb? Maybe the same person who is buried in Grant's tomb. After having studied the Odyssey, the Iliad, Aristotle, and various Greek tragedies (thank you, Reed), to see the land of those larger-than-life stories is quite exciting. At the age of twenty or so, I never thought I would be making THAT statement. Yet here I am, giddy at the thought that that rubble pile might be the bath in which Clytemnestra offed her hubby.
As for Agamemnon's tomb, according to those who know, the tomb we saw predates Agamemnon's time by a hundred years, so it has the PC name of "The Treasures of Atreus'." Nobody's reputation gets hurt that way, I guess. After all, why wouldn't the son be buried with the father? If it is indeed ATREUS' tomb, hmmm?
It was generally a lazy day on board ship in the morning. We had been getting up at 7 am the previous days to go on excursions. (What sadist did that timetable?) Yesterday's (I'm writing this Saturday morning) excursion didn't start until 1:30. Oh, joy, callou, callay! We missed the main dining room's hours, but food never sleeps aboard a cruise ship, so some place else served us a sumptuous buffet. As a secret taste tester hired by the ship, I had to try a little of everything. Of course. Can't let the shipping line down. (In your dreams, right?)
A little laundry, a little Internet, and then it was mustering time for the excursion before we knew it.
I hadn't realized how ambitious the excursion's offering was until we were whisked off on the bus, marched up a hill to look at the remains of a Mycenean palace, hustled into Atreus' treasury, whisked off again by bus, led like sheep up the steep path to the Palamidi Fortress (18th century, not so old) hulking over Návplion itself, and then stuffed like geese with fancy hours d'oeuvres at a reception given by the President of the cruise line who happened to be traveling on our ship. Then, because we have the President of the cruise line on our ship, we were treated to a dramatic performance by an Athenian actors' group. It was a combination of the stories of Iphigenia, Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, Orestes, and Elektra, all in the space of 30 minutes. Cliff notes for tourists.
Everything except the dramatic performance seemed rushed. I was still awed by the silent, ancient stones and the beehive tomb that housed somebody's bones and somebody's treasures.
The sun set on the quiet sea, the distant shore lights twinkled on, the stars came out, and ... Zzzzz.
Is this another toilet? They say it's a shaft tomb. I don't know. It looks like a toilet to me.
The entrance to Atreus' treasury. Worker bees would have to fill the entire entry way with dirt each time something/one was buried. I bet the workers were pretty fed up and we're happy when the royal line expired totally.
Clytemnestra gives lumberjacking a go.
A red carpet welcome with drums and bells to the President's reception. Aren't I special?
The Palamidi Fortress above Návplion
No comments:
Post a Comment