THE THIRTEENTH GODDESS AND THE STOLEN MARBLES OF ACROPOLIS

Translated from Greekby Vasilis Poulopoulos

Edited by Karen Cox

Illustrated by Natalia Kapatsoulia

© George Katselis, 2010© PSICHOGIOS PUBLICATIONS S.A., Athens 2013

First published in Greek in September 2010First published in English in 2013

ISBN 978-618-01-0175-1

Printed on environmentally-friendly paper

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

ÅÊ ÄÏ ÓÅÉÓ ØÕ ×Ï ÃÉÏÓ Á.Å. PSICHOGIOS PUBLICATIONS S.A.¸äñá: Ôá ôï À ïõ 121 Head office: 121, Tatoiou Str.144 52 Ìå ôá ìüñ öù óç 144 52 Metamorfossi, GreeceÂé âëé ï ðù ëåßï: Ìáõ ñï ìé ÷Ü ëç 1 Bookstore: 1, Mavromichali Str.106 79 ÁèÞ íá 106 79 Áthens, GreeceÔçë.: 2102804800 Tel.: 2102804800Fax: 2102819550 Fax: 2102819550www.psichogios.gr www.psichogios.gre-mail: info@psichogios.gr e-mail: info@psichogios.gr

Illustrations:Natalia Kapatsoulia

GEORGE KATSELIS was born in Asopia nearThebes in 1974. He studied at the Faculty of Pri-mary Education from which he was also awarded aMaster’s Degree in Literature (2007), at the Facultyof Philosophy and at the Department of Com-munication and Media Stu dies of the University ofAthens. He took a Postgraduate course at theMarasleion College of Edu cation in Athens. Hehas worked with Nestor Matsas on the productionof educational films and cultural events. He has alsoedited several books. His articles have been pub-lished in newspapers and magazines and on inter-net websites. He has published the children’s litera–ture books Toumba Koumba Loumbamba, (ModernTimes Publications, 2009), O vasilias Chartouroske i ippotes tis chamenis anakyklosis [King Char-touros and the Knights of the Lost Recycle] (ModernTimes Publications, 2010), O tri to trigonaki [Trithe Tiny Triangle] (Tetragono Publications, 2010),I dekati triti thea kai ta klemme na glypta, [TheThirteenth Goddess and the Sto len Marbles ofAcropolis] (Psichogios Publications, 2010), andSton planiti tis fantasias [On the Planet of Fanta-sy] (Psichogios Publications, 2012).

To two little goddesses…My daughters Konstantina and Stamatina

A SHORT INTRODUCTION

There is a place where myth and history givebirth to heroes and gods, where heroes andgods become statues under the sculptor’schisel and statues become a fairy tale. In thatplace, the statues meet little Melina and tellher their story. This story is not just a fairytale. It is also the belief and the hope that, atsome time soon, the Parthenon sculptureswhich are now displayed in the British Mu-seum in London will come back to theirproper home in Athens. Today, a unique museum, the New Acro -

polis Museum in Athens houses their otherhalves. The sculptures in this museum areawaiting the return of their siblings to be-come one, as they were long ago.

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The famous Greek poet Odysseas Elytishas said meaningfully:

“There is only one swallowand so precious is the springto bring back the sun it takes a lot of work”

It takes hard work and resolve to achievean objective.Let this story become the little swallow

that will carry the message to all the heartsthat can still be thrilled by the beauty of out-standing works of art, by the beauty of theseunique statues.

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Once upon a time, many years ago, at theedge of the world, there was a city differentfrom all others. Its name was Acropolis.Acropolis was the most beautiful, the

strangest, the most wonderful city on earth.No ordinary people lived there, only godsand goddesses, demi-gods and brave heroestogether with mythical creatures like Giantsand Titans, brave warrior women –the Ama-

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zons– and creatures which were half menand half horses – the Centaurs. And with them, there lived a little girl who

represented mankind. Her name was Melina.Her hair was blonder than the rays of the sunand her eyes were blue like the clear sky. Since her parents died, little Melina lived

in Acropolis with her beloved grandfather,old Pheidias. Pheidias had achie ved fame as a sculptor

from a young age, and he was the creator ofall the statues that adorned the main templeof Acropolis, the most revered Parthenon.These statues gave the Parthenon its splen-dour and supremacy that made it the mostfamous temple in the world.From the moment the two famous archi-

tects Iktinos and Kallikratis designed theParthenon and had surrounded it with thetowering and imposing marble columns,Pheidias’ put all his skill and genius into de -co rating the city and its temple with the

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most splendid statues and sought to find away to make these statues immortal, to beadmired by future generations in the cen-turies to come. When he finished his task, he saw that his

sculptures were perfect from every aspect

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and his statues, that depicted scenes from thelives of the gods and heroes, were lifelike.Before he closed his eyes forever, he calledhis little granddaughter, twelve year oldMelina, to his side and he revealed his greatsecret to her.“My dear child, now that the time has come

for me to leave this world, I’m handing overto you the most beautiful things ever madeby the hand of man on this earth. You are theonly heir and resident of this city and itstemple. You must love it and look after it. Andif you know how to give love and kindness tothese sculptures, you will only have to touchthem to bring them to life and they’ll be withyou forever. In this way, not only will younever feel lonely, but you’ll remain youngforever and will live for centuries like a god-dess among goddesses.”“Learn from the sculptures and you’ll be-

come the richest person on earth. Along withthe Gods, I have also created a procession

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of men and animals. They will keep youcompany when the very dark times come.You’ll discover them when I close my eyesfore ver. In the meantime, keep this secretwell-guarded in your mind:

The statues fall into a deep sleepWhen the golden embroidered sunrise breaks

But every evening when you touch themYou’ll give them the breath of life.”

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