Tag Archives: Lord Byron

Event – From London to Messolonghi and Back: Echoes of Eternal Journeys

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The Centre for Hellenic Studies are running a series of events over the coming weeks. For those of you that can make it to London you might find the first of particular interest to be held at 7.00pm on 26 January.

The event will be held in the Great Hall of King’s College London (Strand campus), where we will embark on a journey exploring Lord Byron’s life and part of his work through a variety of approaches. The event will open with Byron’s poem, ‘The isles of Greece’, set to music by composer Stamatis Chatziefstathiou – sung by Andriana Mpampali in the album ‘Έλληνες Φιλέλληνες’. The three parts of the event will be:

A talk by Roderick Beaton, Emeritus Koraes Professor, titled ‘From London to Missolonghi – and back in a barrel of rum: Byron’s life in Greece’;
A documentary called ‘From Messolonghi to London: 200 years later’; and
A performative work-in-progress on Byron’s Manfred called ‘Manfred Echoes’, presented by the actors Konstantinos Delidimoudis and Vassileia Kenanoglou and the cellist Thodoris Papadimitriou.
A wine reception will follow. The event will be in English and in Greek.

Further details of this and their other events can be found here.

 

Announcement of the death of Lord Byron

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Lord Byron’s Oath on the Grave of Marco Botzaris

I just found this and thought some may find it interesting. The resolution isn’t great but it is readable. Right click and select “open image in new tab” and it will be somewhat clearer.

The announcement of Lord Byron’s death by the provisional Greek government

The announcement of Lord Byron’s death by the provisional Greek government

For more mentions of Byron on the blog click here.

Back to the Hellespont – Swimming the Hellespont

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As we know Paddy was 70 years of age when he swam the Hellespont with his wife Joan encouraging him ( whilst probably very worried) from a boat. His good friend Xan Fielding was waiting for him upon his return with a bottle of champagne. There is a long account in the excellent “In Tearing Haste”. Paddy was inspired by, amongst others, Lord Byron and his swim in 1810. There was a very interesting Radio Four programme about this yesterday … you have until approx 24 May to listen again on the BBC iPlayer.

Click here to listen again but only until approx 24 May 2010.

Lord Byron

It is 200 years since the poet Lord Byron swam the Hellespont, commemorating the feat in a poem and setting off a mania for swimming throughout Europe. He said it was his proudest moment.

His talent for swimming was one of the qualities that made him a legend and wherever he swam became almost a sacred spot. On the shore of the Bay of Spezzia, where Shelley drowned, stands a plinth dedicated to “Lord Byron, Noted English Swimmer and Poet”. Note which comes first!

Comedian and Channel swimmer Doon Mackichan takes a look at the man and the event through his poetry and journal entries, comparing Byron’s swim with the experiences of some of the swimmers who turn up every year for a race across this historical channel that separates Europe and Asia. Organised by the Canakkale Rotary Club, it is one of the highlights of the wild water swimming calendar.

Byron was inspired by Leander who, according to Ovid, nightly swam the strait to visit his beloved Hero and, after hours of love making, swam back home again. No slouch in the sack himself, Byron marvelled that Leander’s conjugal powers were not “exhausted in his passage to Paradise”.

Swimming gave Byron, lame as he was, some of the most exhilarating moments of his life. Only in swimming was he able to experience complete freedom of movement and freedom was a state he aspired to in all things – political and sexual.

How many of today’s swimmers have been inspired by Byron to put pen to paper? The programme set them a challenge and you can hear some of the best entries alongside Byron’s own effort.

Related website:

The Hellespont swim: following in Byron’s wake