"The Madman" is a fascinating and deeply ironic poem by Georgios Souris from 1888.
Souris begins by describing the "Madman" (a British visitor) weeping at the sight of the Parthenon's missing marbles (the artifacts removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and shipped to Britain,
and now held in the British Museum in London) and then writing to Queen Victoria to return them to Greece. This action of the Madman represents Western romanticization of Greek antiquity. Souris mocks this performative grief, highlighting its irrelevance to contemporary Greeks. The madman’s unsolicited letter - "Who told this fool to write about the marbles?" - to Queen Victoria underscores foreign interference.
But Souris' pen doesn't stop there. While critisizing the British, he also cauterizes the Greek apathy and indifference - "we do not care at all, no one has asked anything of him, no one wants them back". That, though, is an irony to probbably expose how Greeks prioritized survival over heritage.
He continues by scorning hollow gestures of cultural pride and the fetishizing of antiquity, while Greece is under a sad state, with the people suffering from hunger, disease, poverty, political instability. Souris urges the Madman and all the foreigners and Great nations of the day, to not romanticize ancient stones but care for Greece's breathing, living people - "don't cry for lifeless marbles", "Look at the living statues before you, and cry for us, Briton".
After all Parthenon was build by people and people are the ones who can build new Parthenons:
"Gather from the earth
large stones and stack them up and paint them and make as many Parthenons as
you wish. ".
And that was a short "analysis" of the poem. Following is my attempt at translating the poem in English:
The MADMAN
By Georgios Souris
A madman from Britain climbed alone to the Acropolis yesterday to see our glory, and as he gazed upon the columns of the divine Parthenon, he was moved and wept like a small child. He became delirious, his heart squeezed tight, and his warm tears dripped onto the marbles.
And immediately he sat down and wrote to Queen Victoria in London, asking her to give us back what had been stolen by Sir Elgin, because sooner or later she will bitterly regret it. These and other things were written by Mr. Madman, without seeking any permission from Greece.
What the hell? ... Will every madman relieve their feelings on us? Who told this fool to write about the marbles? And even if the Parthenon was naked and deserted, I believe that no Greek would cry about it. We are used to such things, and we do not cry, and we do not even mourn what has been stolen from us.
If you want to hear my opinion, Queen of the British, I warmly beg your glorious Majesty not to send us back any of the stolen stuff . And pay no heed to this madman. I assure you, Queen, that we do not care at all, no one has asked anything of him, no one wants them back.
Oh Briton , do not mourn for the Parthenon, and do not send bitter letters to the Queen Gather, like our poet Parashos, from the earth large stones and stack them up and paint them and make as many Parthenons as you wish. Wherever you step there are marbles, wherever you stand there are monuments, antiquity epidemic.
And if you feel like crying with all your heart, don't cry for lifeless marbles and for ancient figures . Look at the living statues before you, and cry for us, Briton, and for our miserable state. Your fiery tears are not wasted on us. Yes, weep for the living, and weep for me too.
January 1888.
If you like my content, are intrested in Greek culture, literature, history, poetry consider visiting my YouTube channel.
You can listen to "The Madman" recited in Greek, with English subtitles, here: