Μέσ' της Πόλης τ' αργαστήρια

Listen

In the workshops of Constantinople,
In the gold and silver smiths’,
I first laid eyes on your likeness,
And my heart was yours forthwith.
You stand there in the church
Like a column made of marble
And at the sight of you
The priests their words do garble.
I decided to become a dome
Up on top of Aghia Sophia,
So maidens Greek and Turkish
Could come and pray to God there.
I decided, little bird - now you decide -
To make two hearts into one, one body, one soul.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Μέσ' της Πόλης τ' αργαστήρια

Μέσ’ στης Πόλης τ’ αργαστήρια, μέσα στα σαράφικα1
σ’ έχουνε ζωγραφισμένη, σ’ είδα και σ’ αγάπησα.

Σαν τη μαρμαροκολόνα στέκεις μέσ’ στην εκκλησιά
και σε βλέπουν οι παπάδες και πετάνε τα χαρτιά.

Απεφάσισα να γίνω στην Αγια-Σοφιά κουμπές2
να ’ρχονται να προσκυνάνε Τουρκοπούλες και Ρωμιές.

Απεφάσισα, πουλί μου, απεφάσισε κι εσύ
δυο καρδιές να γίνουν ένα, ένα σώμα, μια ψυχή.

1 σαράφικο: το μαγαζί του αργυραμοιβού, του χρυσοχόου (από το αραβοτουρκικό sarraf)
2 κουμπές: τρούλος, θόλος (από το αραβοτουρκικό kubbe)

Information

Collaborators

Albums

Notes

Jaunty and colourful love couplets sung to the rhythm of the karsilamas, which express the powerful feelings born of erotic passion. The beautiful beloved attracts universal admiration. She is coveted and desired everywhere: in the workshops and the gold and silver smiths, in the churches. Her beauty even stirs emotions in the priests. The poet looks forward to when the lovers will be united as "one body, one soul“.

Short, graceful couplets of this sort were common in a great many communities in Asia Minor, from Constantinople to Smyrna and their environs, where they were usually sung to the rhythm of the karsilamas.

Theodor Kondaras (2022)

Recording information

Live recording from the concert Songs of Asia Minor with Domna Samiou at the Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall, on 8/53/2005.

Member Comments

0 Comments

Post a comment


up to 2000
Login to post a comment

See also

d14_badge
Song
Ataris
I vowed to the Holy Virgin not to sing again. Ataris! But for your sake I will break the vow. Four! Once again four bla...
d14_badge
Song
Dimitroula
You dance, my spoilt one, but I don't know who are you, from your stature you seem, scampish perivolaria, to be of noble bi...
d33_cover_badge--2
Song
If I want black eyes
If I want black eyes, I have them in hand: They're my darling’s, my other half’s. Douneme, doumanaki, douneme, vai, vai, D...
d11_badge
Song
My Heartless Love
Smyrna's Bálos My heartless love, do you not feel for me as you don your finery and I lose myself for love of thee? Come kiss me quick ...
d14_badge
Song
The Water of Life
Olmaz The water of Life flows from your sweet eyes. I asked you for a little but you didn’t give me any to drink. Impossible, my ...
d14_badge
Song
The Young Meliots
Two young Meliots got up to dance the syrtos, they will ask us for songs and commendations. Come, let us go over there and ...
d14_badge
Song
Yatzilariani
I brought you a Good Evening, give me a Good Night I had no business here, I came only for you. Come out that I may see yo...
d14_badge
Song
Yioryitsa
I intended to love you, my Yioryítsa, and nobody to know of it. Now our own people learn of it, my Yioryítsa, strangers to...
d20_badge
Song
Again They Entered in the Dance
Again they entered in the dance, four eyes as dark as olives, four eyes that weave like shuttle through the hearts they brea...
d08_badge
Song
Farewell Holy One
In Galatá a shower falls, a downpour in Tatávla. The loveliest of all the girls is she who's dressed in black. It was nothi...