Stories about the Blockade

(dedicated to my grandfather)

1

Since early childhood, I remembered St. Petersburg as an amazingly beautiful, almost fabulous city. These memories were full of joyful and hilarious events. Me, father, mother, brothers and sisters – we were all healthy, full of strength, but most importantly, we were together! Everything changed in the summer of 1941.

The blockade began for us suddenly and unexpectedly, even the adults did not seem ready to accept it and did not really explain to us what would happen and how our lives would change further. Of course, we had heard disturbing news about the German offensive, but the fact that we could be locked up in our hometown for almost two years was unthinkable!

At that time, we lived in a large communal apartment in the Petrogradsky district. Our family occupied three rooms. I went to school with my older sister and three brothers. Nikolai, the oldest of us, just finished it this year, and the younger ones haven’t started yet. My father worked as a master at the university (St. Petersburg State University), and my mother was a nurse at the hospital (I don’t remember which one), later she was transferred to a military hospital.

My father and older brother Nikolai were the first to go to the front. It was like this, Nikolai received a summons from the military enlistment office, after learning about it, his father decided to volunteer with him. It all happened literally in one day. In the evening, we saw them off with the whole apartment, and in the morning, when I woke up, they were gone.

My mother was having a hard time breaking up, at that time she was missing at work all day, and in the evenings she usually came and cried quietly for hours in her corner. My two other older brothers, 17-year-old Ivan and 16-year-old Leonid, were already secretly planning to escape to the front as volunteers, but they wanted to hide it from their mother and sisters in every possible way, so they made Alexey and me promise never to tell anyone about it. And we were silent.

Autumn was quite difficult for us. There were problems with food supplies, but the worst thing was that we started to get sick, especially my younger brother Sasha and sister Lena. They lay for days with a high fever, almost motionless. A couple of times, my mother invited doctors she knew from the hospital. They examined them, gave them some medications, which, as it seemed to me, did not help them much.

My younger sister died first. I didn’t see how it happened, I just found out about it one warm November day from Masha. Alexey, I, and another of my school friends were returning from school when she met us at the entrance.

– Lena died, Mom went to bury her, – was all she managed to say.

2

Winter is coming and life is leaving the city. The streets are dark and cold, and the overhanging silhouettes of buildings seemed to press down on you as you walked down the street. Then we all learned what a bourgeois stove was, which warmed us with warmth, and one day we saw a girl pulling a sled loaded with buckets of water. For the first time, my brother and I even found it somewhat funny, but after a week we went to the Neva and other rivers for water with the whole house or even, probably, the city.

I didn’t recognize my hometown. Everything I associated him with was changing before my eyes. The warmth of summer was replaced by cold, white nights – impenetrable twilight, peaceful silence – the howling of sirens, raids and shelling… At that time, I did not dare to discuss this with my brothers and sisters, and even more so at school, so that classmates would not consider me a coward, but now it seems that all Leningraders were gripped by this feeling of devastation and uncertainty.

By the way, I was doing well at school. Due to the change in my usual lifestyle and the need to keep the fire burning in our small room stove, I plunged headlong into my studies. At that time, I read an unusually lot, wrote, and did my homework with diligence, so that I turned into an almost round excellent student, which began to strongly distinguish me from the class, because many dropped in academic performance, did not do their homework, or skipped school for days at all. Just like me, my school friend Igor proved himself great. And at the end of December, the headmaster even presented us with certificates for excellent studies.

After school, Igor and I didn’t want to run straight home and brag about our successes. On the contrary, imagining ourselves as adults, we decided to take a walk around the area, especially since neither I nor his parents were at home. So, step by step, we found ourselves at the Leningrad zoo. The once festive and grand entrance was now closed and resembled a cemetery gate.

Evil tongues have long been spreading rumors that all the animals were killed and eaten long ago. But we didn’t want to believe it, and we were curious. So we went to wander along the deserted sidewalks around the zoo, hoping to find out something. Of course, we couldn’t see anything, so my friend started reminiscing.

– How long has it been since you’ve been to the zoo? – he asked me.

– Probably two years ago,- I replied, running through the past in my memory.

– But I managed to do it in May! Imagine, there’s an elephant there now! – Igor said admiringly.

– Oh, come on, – I said.

– It’s a pity you didn’t see him, – he continued, – He’s an amazing animal! Huge and elegant, as if from an old fairy tale!

I was overcome by a slight feeling of envy. Igor talked so great about the elephant that I also certainly wanted to see it, but now it was impossible, except after the lifting of the blockade? Having seen nothing, we parted.

There was another significant event that day when I returned home. I expected Masha to meet me in the hallway and, as usual, begin to reproach me for walking home from school for so long, but surprisingly no one met me. I instinctively walked down the hall to the light that was pouring through the half-open kitchen door, hoping to meet someone from the neighbors there and maybe find out where mine were.

In the kitchen, I found my sister crying at the table and my brother trying to calm her down. The door creaked, but my arrival went unnoticed. After standing on the threshold for a second, I entered and sat down at the opposite end of the table.

– What happened? – I asked.

Masha continued to cry, turning away from me, and Alexey said:

– Ivan and Leonid went to the front…

My legs gave out. They had been talking about it for a long time, probably for several months, but it seemed to Alexey and me that it was their invention. We even teased them a couple of times, asking “how many fascists were killed.” And here it is, without warning!

– Did Mom let them go?  I asked, hoping to hear that she had followed them and that everyone would return home soon.

– She doesn’t know yet, – my brother replied softly.

Think Different

The poet destroys the dull clang of convention with the piccolo of chaos.

Then the politician rides up on a John Deere mower and there is a blare of chaos.

The one who can save us is awesome

in saving us from the one who is awesome.

Deep in the unconscious

Thomas Jefferson glows like reasons

with the fire of lust. A ginger-haired monstrosity of goat cheese

cannot be contained in the gap-toothed invertebrate

crawling across some appendage.

That is liberation.

It vomits quietly on the sand where Captain Kirk

dreams of exploding robots as he executes his semen-stained programming.

Absolutely nothing has changed except that the horde of germ-carrying art vermin

have commandeered the red wheelbarrow as a stock offering.

Time -the great equalizer

Time is irrelevant  —  it never ends.

Here on earth or in some other realm.

We worry -Life is passing me ‘goodbye.’

I am getting older.

Well, of course- did you  expect to remain a pimpled teenager without life experience forever

What is the joy in that –what is the point of -No progress  and therefore no knowledge.

Ever hear the expression -‘No pain no gain.’

You have to earn it by living -it is not given away like water.

We contribute to the earth- and it is an honor to be able to do so.

Time can be cherished as a rite of passage or  condemned with a childish mind.

There is a reason we are born-age -live and exit.

Honor it and do something of value with it.

No one chooses to suffer-but that’s the road map to knowledge.

why do you think a baby cries at birth-they know what’s coming.

Glory and grief.

Both welcomed as part of the earthly gift.

Without struggle what would we be and where would we be.

Otherwise we would remain unknowing babes for all time and life would be unbearable and without meaning.

All the discoveries ever made were found in struggle and reward.

Be grateful for age -for as the saying goes- ‘With age comes Wisdom.’

And if wisdom does not accompany age that is not the fault of life itself-but of the person living it.

Take you gift of life and run with it.

Make the most of it.

Discover the meaning of the Universe.

Here in my home 

In my home, 

a man’s worth isn’t measured by his strength, 

but by his wealth. 

A poor man is invisible, his tools useless.

 He’s only noticed when he’s singing a sorrowful song, 

a dirge that echoes our collective pain. 

To be heard, 

your voice must be strong enough to shake the earth,

 like a call to awaken the future.

 For even the smallest creature knows that tomorrow’s survival depends on today’s struggles. 

We’re all born from a fractured past, 

a broken bond that shapes our present.

I hid my love deep within her heart

like a seed planted in fertile soil.

 I confessed that in love, I’m just a child taking my first steps, 

stumbling but eager to learn. I admitted that I don’t understand the bond between us,   

I asked her to nurture my heart like a garden that blooms flowers, 

I remember then when my mother mouthed me 

that: loving a girl is different from liking her.

 Loving a girl is like cherishing a flower, gently caring for its petals, 

And  liking her is like picking it – one is forever, the other, fleeting. 

So, I ask you, which part of her heart should I  nurture

 with the metaphors of flowers.

That will zoom her out, of the shadow

Echoes of Eternity: A Comparative Study of Greek and Roman Mythology

Parichita Saha

B.A.(H), B.Ed student, Kolkata Teacher’s Training College, Panpur,

Kankinara-743126

Keywords: Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Gods and Goddesses, Epic Narratives, Cultural Exchange, Influence on Western Culture.

Abstract:

Greek and Roman mythologies serve as cornerstones of Western thought, art, and culture. Greek myths are chronicled in works like Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, contrast with Roman myths centred around Romulus and Remus and immortalised in Virgil’s Aeneid. Both mythologies feature gods and goddesses embodying human attributes, with Greek deities often personifying traits and Roman gods representing societal roles. Epic poems like the Iliad and the Aeneid reflect the intricate cultural exchange between these civilizations. This interchange extends to language, art, and philosophy, highlighting the profound interconnectedness and enduring legacy of Greek and Roman cultures on Western civilization.

Introduction:

Myths are not mere stories; they are the bedrock of civilizations, offering insight into human condition and the cosmos. Both Greek and Roman mythologies have profoundly influenced Western thought, art and culture. Greek mythology, rooted in a rich oral tradition, was eventually chronicled in texts like Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Hesiod’s Theogony. Conversely, Roman mythology centres around the birth of Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome and is immortalised in Virgil’s epic, The Aeneid. Thus, Greek and Roman mythology stand as two pillars of ancient storytelling, shaping beliefs, values and cultural identities of their respective civilization. Despite originating from distinct societies, separated by time and geography, the parallels between these mythologies are striking. From their gods and goddesses to epic narrative of heroism and tragedy, Greek and Roman mythology share a profound interconnectedness that  reflects the intricate relation between  these ancient civilizations.

Pantheon of God and Goddesses:

As the central figures of mythology, the ancient Greek and Roman gods and goddesses embodied an array of human attributes, from fortitude to folly. They were worshipped in temples and exalted in myths recounted by people living ordinary lives. When Rome conquered Greece in the 2nd century B.C.E, many Greek deities were absorbed into the Roman pantheon, often under new names but retaining similar roles and characteristics.

 For instance,  Jupiter, the Roman sky-god overseeing all aspects of life, originated from the Greek god Zeus, ruler of Mount Olympus and god of thunder and lightning, as well as law and order. Juno, Jupiter’s wife and sister mirrored  the Greek goddess and Hera by closely overseeing women and all aspects of their lives. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, known of her strategic prowess and symbolised by the owl, was transformed into Minerva, who retained these attributes.  Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, horses and earthquakes, wielding a trident, became Neptune in Roman mythology, depicted similarly with a trident chariot drawn by sea creatures.  Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and fertility, who presided over the harvest, was represented in Roman mythology by Ceres, also depicted with symbols of agriculture like barley and wheat. Demeter also presided over the fertility of the earth and the natural cycle of life and death.

  Greek gods were often personifications of human personality traits and emotion, such as love, hate, honour and dignity. Their myths were shaped by these traits, making them relatable to human experiences. In contrast, Roman gods were more abstract, often embodying objects or actions that were represented in a way that emphasised their roles within Roman society and state religion.

This direct comparison highlights the deep interconnectedness yet distinct adaptations between Greek and Roman deities, showcasing how Rome Incorporated and reinterpreted Greek mythology to suit their cultural societal contexts.

Epic Narrative:

The stories of these gods and goddesses, along  with mortal heroes, came to life in the form of epic poems. Epic, derived from the Greek word ‘Epos’, meaning word or speech. An epic is a long poem, usually composed of lines with six rhythmic measures. Epic poems of Greece throughout antiquity, the most prestigious literary form, the apex of the hierarchy of genres. Through it they articulated their conceptions of war, empire, mortality, religion, gender, the natural order, psychology and cultural identity. Homer, the legendary author of both the Iliad and the Odyssey, is often credited with  pioneering this literary form. When Rome began translating Greek works in the 200s B.C., they adopted the epic tradition, infusing it with their own historical narratives. The Greek epics, such the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer and Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, were mythological epics, inspired by Greece’s legendary past. While Roman epics were modelled on these Greek epics, Roman epics also included stories from recent history. Ancient Roman and Greek literature, while sharing some similarities due to the Roman culture being heavily influenced by Greek culture, also have distinct differences. Greek literature often focused on mythology, philosophy, and the human experience. Roman literature, on the other hand, often emphasised practicality, politics, and historical narratives. Greek literature is known for its development of literary forms such as epic poetry, tragedy, comedy, and lyric poetry but Roman literature, while also including epic poetry (e.g., Virgil’s Aeneid) and drama, is particularly noted for its development of the genre of satire.  Thus, epic poetry became a bridge connecting Greek philosophical musing and Roman practically, illustrating the cultural dialogue between these great civilizations.

Cultural Exchange and Adaptation:

This cultural dialogue extended beyond literature and into every facet of life as the Romans absorbed and adapted Greek culture. The Greek civilization, flourishing much earlier than the Roman, laid the groundwork for many of the art, philosophy and architectural advancements that the Romans later embraced. In the Mycenaean era (1500 to 1100 B.C.) the Macedonian Wars (roughly 214 to 168 BCE) resulted in the Roman Empire conquering and absorbing Greece. Greek culture, however, superseded Roman culture. Romans were enthralled by Greek culture and highly influenced by it, especially in areas of art and philosophy. Although Greek culture heavily influenced Roman culture, especially in art. These two civilizations, though distinct in their political structures and societal norms, were deeply intertwined through cultural exchanges that occurred over centuries. This cultural exchange helped the Romans advance in their community to become one of the greatest empires of that time.  One of the most significant areas of cultural exchange was language . The Romans adopted the Greek alphabet and many Greek words into their language, resulting in a significant linguistic influence. We know the Romans for their beautiful art, their outstanding architecture. Roman fascination with Greek culture is clearly evident in many Roman works of art, which appropriate heavily from Greek artistic canon. Many surviving statues of Greek origin in museums today are actually Roman copies of the Greek original. Greek statues were typically made of bronze, which, in later centuries, were typically made of bronze, which, in later centuries, were often melted down to make weapons or destroyed by other cultures who saw them as pagan. Marble Roman statues, on the other hand, have mostly survived. Some Roman statues are unique in design, but many others are exact or partial copies of Greek statues. The influence of Greek art also can be seen in Roman temples, theatres, and public buildings, with iconic features such as the use of columns, pediments. As well as art, Greek ideas of philosophy spread to Rome, where they grew and developed as they became popular with the  people. For example, stoicism originated in Greece, but became immensely popular and was further developed in Rome. Stoicism is an originally Greek philosophical system founded by Zeno of Citium around 300 BCE in Cyprus; it was introduced to Rome in the second century BCE where it quickly became a popular philosophy among a wide variety of people.

Greek philosophy had a profound impact on Roman intellectual thought. Roman elites were educated in Greek philosophy with Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Neoplatonism gaining popularity among the Roman intelligentsia. Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle were studied and revered in Roman intellectual circles, influencing Roman ethical, metaphysical, and political thought. The enduring legacy of Greek culture in Roman civilization speaks to the richness and complexity of the ancient Mediterranean world, where cultural interchange played a pivotal role in shaping the course of history. Since literature is known to reflect the overview of the socio-economic structure of an era, chronological relevance is  evident even in two mostly similar mythological literary patterns. Greek mythology observed more intricate philosophical thinking in character building, whereas Roman mythology celebrated materialistic practicality and historical narratives.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Greek and Roman mythologies have numerous similarities that show their intertwined cultural and religious histories. Both myths feature a pantheon of gods who rule over various aspects of nature and people’s lives, sometimes with human weaknesses and emotions. The Romans inherited several gods of the Greeks, but were given different names and occasionally modified features as a sign of respect for Greek culture and a desire to take in their strengths. Myths from both traditions serve as foundational stories that explain natural phenomena, human behaviour, and social customs, highlighting the values and beliefs of their respective societies. Furthermore, these mythologies have had an indelible impact on Western literature, art, philosophy which has left an indelible mark in hearts ever since. Studying what they share among them contributes much not only to the better understanding of ancient civilizations but also helps us see how humans seek to interpret the world through narrative discourse.  The legacy of shared heritage of Greek and Roman culture endures, a testament to the power of myth to shape and inspire, resonating in our hearts and minds ever since.

References:

1. Graf, F. (1993). Greek Mythology: An Introduction. Johns Hopkins University Press.
2. Hard, R. (2004). The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on H.J. Rose’s “Handbook of Greek Mythology”. Routledge.
3. Leeming, D. A. (2005). The Oxford Companion to World Mythology. Oxford University Press.
4. Wiseman, T. P. (2004). The Myths of Rome. University of Exeter Press.

Resilient Rising

 
In planning where present and future mix,

Sustainable aspirations with tomorrow’s fix.

We crave for harmony by nature’s grace,

May progress prevail in every place!

From lofty woods to oceans wide,

Sustainable goals will be our guide.

Development must thrive keeping in mind,

A sustainable sacred path  we need to find.

Renewable energies like sunbeam gleams,

We can cherish with sustainable dreams.

Let innovation flourish, let prudence guide,

For coming  generations yet to stride.

In the symphony of civilization, let’s play our part,

In sustainable development, a majestic art.

Communities prosper through restored balance,

Man and  nature persist with great reverence.

Eco-conscious minds allow innovative buds to bloom,

Treasures that we cherish for years are sustainable tombs.

Every intricate steps we make in this grand ballet,

Enables us removing darkness and arriving to a golden day.

Our  beacon of hope is ‘sustainable development.’

Bright future guided by this brilliant advent.

All the resources we have, are pretty scarce.

Green Energies are the tools, solution we searce.

In the core of progress, a whispered creed,

“Sustainable development, our urgent need.”