Лоренс Даррелл - Prospero's Cell

I think of them all in Africa, in this unfamiliar element, as subtropical men, defeated by a world where the black compromise is king. I see them daily recovering by their acts, their songs and poems, the whole defeated world of acts and thoughts, into a small private universe: a Greek universe. Inside that world, where the islands lie buried in smoke, where the cypresses spring from the tombs, they know that there is nothing to be said. There is simply patience to be exercised. Patience and endurance and love. Some of us have vanished from the picture; some have had their love converted into black bile by the misery they have witnessed. Nimiec died in an Athens night-club. Spiro died in his own vinewreathed house. Theodore with British forces in Italy punctuates the silence by characteristic letters beginning 'Do you remember?'

Zarian is in Geneva. His silence is complete. Caroline, Mitsu, Rosemary, are in Cairo. The Count is somewhere in the mountains of Epirus — a philosopher with his pockets full of dynamite. Bocklin is on the Russian front. The white house has been bombed and the boats too. History with her painful and unexpected changes cannot be made to pity or remember; that is our function.

The day war was declared we stood on the balcony of the white house in a green rain falling straight down out of heaven on to the glassy floor of the lagoon; we were destroying papers and books, packing clothes, emptying cupboards, both absorbed in the inner heart of the dark crystal, and as yet not conscious of separation.

In April of 1941, as I lay on the pitch-dark deck of a caique nosing past Matapan towards Crete, I found myself thinking back to that green rain upon a white balcony, in the shadow of Albania; thinking of it with a regret so luxurious and so deep that it did not stir the emotions at all. Seen through the transforming lens of memory the past seemed so enchanted that even thought would be unworthy of it. We never speak of it, having escaped: the house in ruins, the little black cutter smashed. I think only that the shrine with the three black cypresses and the tiny rock-pool where we bathed must still be left. Visited by the lowland summer mists the trembling landscape must still lie throughout the long afternoons, glowing and altering like a Chinese water-colour where the light of the sky leaks in. But can all these hastily written pages ever recreate more than a fraction of it?

KARAGHIOSIS(see Chapter IV) C'est а Karakouche, ministre de Salah Edine, que revient l'honneur d'avoir fait йdifier la Citadelle. Il proposa en 1176 la construction d'un chвteau ou le sultan pourrait loger. . Karakouche, plus communйment connu sous le nom de Karaguez, avait fait dйtruire les petites pyramides de Gizeh et de Sakkara et employait leurs pierres a bвtir les remparts des йdifices. Il s'йtait rendu trиs impopulaire par les nombreuses vйxations qu'il avait fait subir au peuple pour lui permettre de rйaliser les travaux d'utilitй publique qu'il avait en vue. C'est pourquoi certains, pour se venger, commencиrent a brandir des fantoches a son image, auxquels ils donnиrent son nom. Ainsi, Karaguez entrait dans le tourbillon d'une brillante carriиre de pitre qui jusqu'aujourd'hui amuse les foules sur les place publiques.'-G. ZANANIRI, l'Egypte et l'Equilibre du Levant au Moyen Age.

SOME PEASANT REMEDIES IN COMMON USE AGAINST DISEASE

For all Fevers.

Infusion of the plant called Pharmakouli (a type of Erythrea, perhaps E. Centaurea).

Kidney Troubles. Infusion of plantain leaves (Plantago coronopus).

Earache. The brown silk with which the pinna shell fixes itself to the ocean bed, is said by sailors to be excellent in cases of earache. The ear is plugged with the silk.

Stings, Bites. Garlic or onion applied to the wound.

Scorpion Bite. A living scorpion dissolved in a bottle of olive oil, provides a remedy against the bites of other scorpions. Lotion applied externally.

Dysentery or Diarrhoea. A small bottle of beetroot juice (about 50 cc.) is corked and placed in the heart of an uncooked loaf of bread. The bread is baked and the bottle removed. The medicine is drunk in small quantities on successive days until symptoms cease.

Open Wounds. Infusion of cypress-cones used to dress wounds.

Malaria. The efficacy of quinine is supposed to be increased if taken with a little urine from an unweaned baby.

Open wounds. Cobwebs or cigarette-tobacco used to stanch flow of blood.

Coughs, Colds. Infusion of mallow flower.

Indigestion. Infusion of mint leaves and flowers used for flatulence, indigestion and all minor stomach disorders; often mixed with infusion of orange blossom.

Piles. Water from boiled onions applied in the form of hot fomentations.

Seasickness. Suck a lemon.

The Evil Eye. Blue stone amulet, price 3 drachmae. Worn by all horses and most motor-cars.

Werwolves. Garlic fixes both werwolves and witches.

Rats. An excellent rat poison is made by pounding the centre of asphodel bulbs and mixing with a little ordinary cheese.

Warts. Rub on juice of milk-wort.

Skin eruptions and sores. Strong infusion of Sambucco nigra used for skin trouble. Applied as poultices.

Hollow teeth. Juice of cloves on cotton wool. Many of these peasant remedies show medical knowledge.

No. 18 is particularly effective in the case of autumn sores, which are prevalent in Corfu towards the end of the year. SYNOPTIC HISTORY OF THE ISLAND OF CORFU

B. C.

734 Island colonized by Corinth. (Town probably at Analypsis, Canoni.)

434 First sea victory in Greek history over Corinth. Took place off Lefkimi.

432 Corinthians repelled once more.

413 Corfu helps Athens in second Sicilian invasion.

373 Corfu helped by Athens beats off the Spartans under Mnasippus, who is killed.

361 Civil wars.

303 Corfu sacked by Spartan Cleonymnus.

301 Corfu sacked by Agathocles, Tyrant of Sicily.

229 Corfu conquered by Demetrius the Pharian with his Illyrian freebooters.

229 Taken by the Romans without resistance. Remains a Roman colony until A.D. 337.

A.D.

445 Raided by Vandals.

562 Raided by Goths.

733 Corfu comes under Byzantine Empire of Leo the Isaurian.

933 Raiding Slav pirates repulsed. Forts built on the hill near the town from which the island is supposed to get its name.

1032 Corfu raided by Barbary pirates who are destroyed by the Byzantines.

108 °Corfu conquered by Robert Guiscard, King of Sicily.

1149 Retaken by Byzantines after long siege.

1185 Retaken by Sicilians.

1191 Retaken by Byzantines.

1199 Corfu raided and taken by Genoese under Vetrano.

1203 Retaken by Byzantines.

1205 Conquered by the Venetians, who are however driven out by Vetrano.

1206 Vetrano defeated by Venetians and hanged.

1214 Corfu seized by Michael Douca, Despot of Epirus, who builds Castle of St. Angelo at Paleocastrizza.

1259 Helen, daughter of Michael II, receives the island as a dowry on her marriage with Manfred of Sicily.

1266 Manfred killed in battle. Island seized by Philip Cinardo for himself.

1266 Cinardo murdered.

1267 Island passes to Charles D'Anjou, King of sicily and Naples.

1286 Island raided by Villaraut.

1292 Island raided by Roger Doria.

1303 Island raided by Catalans under Roger de Flor.

1373 Island raided by Jacques de Baux.

1382-6 Island passes to Charles D'Anjou II, on whose death the Anjou dynasty ends. At this time the first Jews came to Corfu.

1386 Corfu asks Venetians to take over the island.

1403 Island raided by the Genoese.

1431 Turks under Ali Bey are repulsed.

1537 First great siege by the Turks; 25,000 land at Gouvia and ravage the island throughout August, failing however to take the town. Abandon island in September carrying off 20,000 hostages into slavery.