IN THE ENGLISH LESSON
English department
A bit about history ( or politics …) A desired trip from London to Greece
In 1801 , Thomas Bruce Elgin literally grabbed what was never his or his land ’ s . As most people are aware of , the Elgin Marbles , that is some ancient masterpieces of Hellenic identity , were stolen at that time . Some do not care about the importance of the issue , some others are not even interested in getting to know it .
But as each and every story demands , let ’ s try to understand how and under which circumstances the marbles were stolen . We are in the year 1801 , thus our land , Greece , is under the rule of the Ottoman Entity . Elgin , who has already come to Greece and is currently working at the Acropolis , claims to have taken permission by the officials of the Ottoman Empire , the so-called firman , to take some sculptures away from the Parthenon and thus , away from Greece . The operation begins in 1801 and ends in 1810 . Within that period of time , marbles are sent to Great Britain , Elgin ’ s homeland , via the sea .
Nonetheless , years later , the fact that the officials of the Ottoman Empire permitted that Elgin take sculptures and marbles of the Parthenon away from the place , where they had been born , is strongly attacked . In other words , there has been much doubt surrounding the issue .
Even if Elgin had taken permission , that permission could not at all be valid after Greece was set free and autonomous . The Ottoman Empire disrupted our traditions , ruined our churches , killed our people . How can a permission given by such an “ authority ” be valid , when that “ authority ” does not care at all about the preservation of Hellenic tradition and culture ? When the “ authority ” has been proven to be only temporary and the government of the new Greek state is the real authority of Greece ? Consequently , w the permission given by officials of the Ottoman Empire can under no circumstances propose that Elgin ’ s action was legally correct .
Moreover , the Elgin Marbles belong to Greece , have been and are part of our tradition . What our ancestors fought for , what our ancestors once possessed , is these marbles . So , something that is part of our nation ’ s identity and history cannot be the possession of another nation , even when that nation is benefitted economically from holding the sculptures that primarily belong to Greece .
Interestingly , worth-mentioning is that the
IN THE ENGLISH LESSON
45