Abolition | Georgios Souris

 The poem "Abolition" was written in 1885, two years after the Greek government of Harilaos Trikoupis declared bankruptcy. This led to the imposition of the International Financial Control on Greece.

Abolition

By Georgios Souris

Translated in English by Naya Nomikou in December 11th 2022.

For the nation is suffering

 and because there is no hope,

 for the Treasury has no money at all:

 We abolish the embassies and their ambassadors.

 We order everyone to come to Athens immediately,

 leaving in his  position only the ambassador in Constantinople.

 Cause everybody is burdened with taxes,

 because the Greeks can't take it any more,

 because both Trikoupis and the Country are failing

due to the taxes on oil, cigarettes and wine,

 and because our pockets were emptied of money:

 We abolish all the direct and indirect taxes.

 Because all positions require qualifications,

 we are abolishing the junior and senior positions,

 and we order any failed MP,

 to work all night and all day,

without so much as a minute's sleep...

 and we hereby abolish

both the just and the unjust bribery.

 We abolish the tax collectors, we abolish the customs,

we abolish the District Governors and the Constables,

 we also abolish every form of transportation,

we abolish the narrow and wide railroads,

 we abolish boulevards, we abolish squares,

we abolish every kind of expenditure.

 We abolish the municipalities,

we abolish the big and small urinals,

 the State's public stores,

and we abolish some of the public toilets.

 We abolish the Councilors, we abolish the Deans,

we abolish every kind of spending ordinance.

 We abolish the major and minor events,

we abolish our armies and our fleets.

 We abolish each contingency credit

as well as the French marshals and all of our own.

 We abolish steamers, we abolish flagships,

we abolish the Paralos and the steamships.

 We abolish the land and sea forces,

we abolish interest and interest free payments,

 We abolish every Greek treasury,

Lastly, we abolish every building,

 and allow only one house for the state.

 the glorious Lunatic Asylum of Zorzis Dromocaitis.

Paralos (Greek: Πάραλος) = In antiquity the Paralos, was one of the six "holy ships" of the Athenian Republic. 

Zorzis Dromocaitis was a Greek national benefactor. When he died he left in his will money for the construction of the first specialised hospital psychiatric unit, that was called at the time " Dromokaiteio sanatorium".

You can listen to the Greek poem on the link below.

Turn on the subs and from the gear icon choose English, for the English subtitles to appear.

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