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Christos Chrissopoulos: Ο βομβιστης του Παρθενώνα ( The Parthenon Bomber)
The title gives away what this book is about but if yoiu are expecting a straightforward story about a terrorist blowing up the Parthenon, you will be in for something of a surprise. The book is divided into sections, looking at the story from different perspectives.
We start with the views of the unnamed bomber. Not only is he unnamed his target is also unnamed, referred to only as It. If we did not have the title we might wonder what his target was.
The book starts with a probable monologue spoken by the perpetrator. At the end of the monologue we are told that this is only one version of his account doing the rounds and it is by no means certain that it is genuine. Indeed at the end we learn that his writings were destroyed and it is not clear whether copies were made before they were destroyed.
He tells us that he had no formal plan and was more concerned with the consequences – radio, TV and press. Part of his pleasure is that he would know who did it and could exult in his achievement while no-one else would know who did it and they would all be very upset. I would be, for the first time in my life, the lord and master of my own unique act. Everyone else will be running around like lunatics, bent on rescuing what they think can be saved.
He accepts that It was what makes the city distinct (Like the Parthenon, Athens is not named). However, our city, pride is nonexistent. We’re all living on borrowed greatness.
He points out that It is not in a good state of repair – naked, defenceless. Patched on every side but it is ubiquitous. Tourists come to see It. It is visible from all over the city and its named is etched on on a street sign, on a child’s T-shirt, on a cigarette lighter and even on a crumpled piece of paper he sees on the ground.
He visits regularly, just sitting there or wandering around. This is later confirmed by the guard who opens It up every morning. He says that he has frequently noticed him and wondered about his motives, never suspecting that he planned to blow it up.
Clearly, he is something of a loner and this is confirmed by the next section, witness statements. People who know him say that he keeps himself to himself but that he is polite though others have different views, accusing him of being neurotic and aggressive. In short he is something of an enigma.
We move on to the reaction of the locals who are, of course, devastated. We learn how he did it. Experts say it cannot be repaired.He did not conceal his crime but boasted about it. Only his initials are published
– Ch.K – which are similar to but not the same as our author’s.
However the next bit may be what is the most interesting. It seems that the idea of blowing up the Parthenon has a history in Greece. A Society of Aesthetic Saboteurs of Antiquities opposed the temporal and historical conservation of antiquities, including the Parthenon. Survival is artistically harmful, for it fosters only amateur tourists and eunuchs, along with onanistic contemporary poets and painters. The key figure is the virtually unknown (even in Greece) poet Yorgos Makris who planned to blow up the Parthenon. Makris was surrealist and was associated with the better-known poet Nicolas Calas. Obviously they did not blow up the Parthenon and it remained a surrealist stunt which inspired our author/protagonist. We do learn more about Makris who seems to have been a very unstable character.
We also learn what happens to the bomber and to the Parthenon.
This is certainly a fascinating account, not least because it does have a historic background in the activities of those such as the surrealists Makris and Calas, inspired by Dalí and, though this is not mentioned Guy Fawkes’ unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. I wonder if others have had similar ideas in their countries.
Publishing history
First published in 12010 by Kastaniotis
First English translation in 2017 by Other Press
Translated byJohn Cullen