Friday 18 September 2009

Konstantinos Theotokis: Honour and Money

"Happiness and joys cost money; however economical a person may be, in Mandouki just like anywhere else in the world, they involve expense, isn't that so?" asks an unsympathetic character in Konstantinos Theotokis' novella, "I timi kai to chrima" ("Honour and Money"), written before the Balkan Wars, published in book-form in 1914.

"Oi chares theloune exoda". I've just finished reading this powerful short novel in Greek. It's set in Mandouki (Corfu).

"Anathema ta ta talara!" shouts Rini to Andreas at the end, as she goes her own way.

Even if prospective husbands no longer demand dowries, it's still very relevant.

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