Cretan Poetry

Minoan Mantinada of the Month / Μινωική Μαντινάδα του Μήνα #5: Our Goddess

/ Rei Arkangelakis / 6 Comments

Our Goddess

Original Greek Version

H Θεά μας έχει ένα φίδι σε κάθε χέρα.
Την προσκυνούμε με αφοσίωση κάθε μέρα.

Μια μικρή κουκουβάγια καθεί στο στεφάνι της.
Την ζωή και τον θάνατο, και τα δυό τα διοικεί.

Transliteration

I Theá mas éhei éna fídi se káthe héra.
Tin proskynoúme me afosíosi káthe méra.

Mia mikrí koukouvágia katheí sto stefáni tis.
Tin zoí kai ton thánato, kai ta dyó ta dioikeí.

English Version

Our Goddess holds a snake in every hand.
We worship her with devotion so grand.

A little owl* sits atop her crown.
Life, death, in between… She commands it all.

Literal Translation (sans proper syllable count & rhyme)

Our Goddess has one snake in each of her hands.
We worship her with devotion each day.

One little owl sits on her crown.
Life and death, she commands the two.

Minoan snake goddess figure

Note: In Sir Arthur Evans’ controversial rendition of the Minoan Snake Goddess, he placed a cat atop her crown that he found in one of his excavations. In a lot of Cretan renditions, there’s a little owl instead. Some scholars have posited that this Goddess is the precursor to the Greek goddess of wisdom & warfare (Athena); therefore, the owl addition makes more sense (they are a primary symbol of hers after all).

Minoan Mantinada of the Month / Μινωική Μαντινάδα του Μήνα #3: A Bull-Leaper’s Desire

/ Rei Arkangelakis / 2 Comments 












A Bull-Leaper’s Desire





Original Greek Version





Ο πιο δυνατός και γρήγορος ταύρος δεν με τρομάζει
αλλά κρατώ την πνοή μου όταν αυτός κοιτάζει.

Περνά συχνά να με βλέπει στην ταυροκαθάψια.
Το ενδιαφέρον του παίζει πολύ σημασία! 

《Αγρίμι》 με φωνάζουν όλοι στο ντουνιά.
Λένε 《άφησε τούτο το σκοπό για να βρείς άντρα!》

Αλλά εγώ πιστεύω στο βάθος της καρδιάς μου, 
θα βρω αγάπη χωρίς να σβήσω τα όνειρα μου.





English Transliteration





O pio dynatós kai grígoros távros den me tromázei
allá krató tin pnoí mou ótan aftós koitázei.

Perná sychná na me vlépei stin tavrokathápsia.
To endiaféron tou paízei polý simasía!

《Agrími》 me fonázoun óloi sto ntouniá.
Léne 《áfise toúto to skopó gia na vreís ántra!》

Allá egó pistévo sto váthos tis kardiás mou, 
tha vro agápi chorís na svíso ta óneira mou.





English Translation





The strongest, swiftest bull doesn’t scare me,
but I hold my breath when he looks at me.

He comes by often to watch me bull-leap.
His interest makes my heart skip a beat.

“Wild one,” most of the villagefolk call me.
They say, “Quit this gig so you can marry!”

But I believe, deep in my heart of hearts,
I’ll find love without snuffing out my spark.












Note: This Cretan folk poem is about a Minoan bull-leaper who is seemingly fearless when it comes to bulls charging at her, but gets nervous the moment a romantic prospect looks her way. While Minoan society had egalitarian aspects (the fact that both men and women could be bull-leapers, for instance), there were still patriarchal elements and young women were expected to get married and start a family, as well as take on the family business. This starry-eyed bull-leaperess, however, plans on having both her love of bull-leaping and the love of her life someday. She refuses to give up one for the other!








			

	


			
				


	

							
Minoan Mantinada of the Month / Μινωική Μαντινάδα του Μήνα #2: A Saffron Gatherer’s Musings
						

			 / Rei Arkangelakis						 / 1 Comment
								

			


		

		








A Saffron Gatherer’s Musings





Original Greek Version:





Η χέρα μου βαμμένη βαθυκίτρινη σαν ήλιο.
Χρυσοχέρα με φωνάζουν στην Θήρα και στην Κνωσό.





Τα μαλλιά μου πάντα θα μοσχοβολάνε σαν τη γη.
Θα μαζεύω σαφράν μέχρι την τελική μου πνοή.





Transliteration:





I héra mou vamméni vathykítrini san ílio.
Hrysohéra me fonázoun stin Thíra kai stin Knosó.





Ta malliá mou pánta tha moschovoláne san ti gi.
Tha mazévo safrán méhri tin telikí mou pnoí.





English Translation:





Μy hand, like the sun, is tinted yellow.
Golden-handed they call me in Knosso.





My tresses will always smell like the earth.
I’ll gather saffron ’til, with it, I merge.






a fresco of a boy picking saffron






Note: This Cretan folk poem is inspired by Minoan saffron gatherer frescoes. I’d imagine something as time-consuming as saffron gathering would make it so a saffron gatherer’s fingers were continually tinted deep yellow. There is a level of precision and dexterity that is necessary due to the dainty and valuable nature of crocus stigmas, so I’d also like to think these gatherers were determined and patient people. Also, “χρυσοχέρα: hrysohéra” (golden-handed) is a common descriptor used amongst Greeks for someone who is good with their hands.