The Myth of the “Beautiful Greek Shepherd”
Writers of old romances often used the phrase “as beautiful as a Greek shepherd.” Yet, anyone traveling through the countryside of modern Greece might doubt whether such shepherds ever existed outside the imagination. The men who tend the flocks today are usually rough-looking, with blank expressions, unkempt beards, and clothing that seems never to have been washed.
The contrast with ancient Greece is striking. From the ruins and statues unearthed, we know that the Greeks of old possessed a deep love of beauty, art, and architecture. But the ordinary working-class Greek of today often lives in homes that appear comfortless, unclean, and gloomy, with little evidence of refinement. Observers sometimes suggest that while the modern Greek’s surroundings may lack beauty, his mind is still sharp, recalling the intellect and spirit of his ancestors from twenty centuries ago The Traditional Greek Costume and Rural Life.
Life in the Currant Country
Traveling through the railway towns of the “currant country,” one sees that nature remains lovely, but the villages themselves often show poverty and neglect. Around the stations, groups of men linger, apparently indifferent to their condition. They do not inspire admiration, though one cannot deny that they are excellent talkers. Nearly all of them carry a string of beads in their hands.
These beads are not rosaries for prayer but rather tools to keep their fingers busy during conversation. They are twisted, clicked, or rolled while speaking. Even members of parliament are known to use them when giving speeches. Locals claim that the simple act of fingering the beads sharpens the mind and makes the tongue more fluent. Whether this is true or not, it is a curious habit unique to Greek society. One wonders what Demosthenes, the great ancient orator, would have thought of such an aid to eloquence.
The Rebirth of Corinth
Modern Corinth stands at the head of the Gulf of Corinth. The present town, with about four thousand inhabitants, was founded only forty years ago, after an earthquake destroyed the last remaining houses of the old city. Despite this, Corinth has regained some prosperity in recent years thanks to the completion of the Corinth Canal.
This great engineering work cuts through the clay ridge that separates the Gulf of Corinth from the Saronic Gulf, reducing sea voyages by more than two hundred miles. The idea of building such a canal was not new. It was first imagined by the ancients and later attempted by Caesar, Hadrian, and even Nero. In fact, traces of Nero’s unfinished excavation can still be seen today Tours Bulgaria.
The modern canal, however, was constructed by a French company and completed in 1893. It is three and a half miles long and about one hundred feet wide, large enough to accommodate vessels drawing up to twenty-six feet of water. Built without locks or sluices, the canal sits at sea level, with breakwaters to protect the entrances.
A Land of Contrasts
Thus, the journey through this part of Greece offers contrasts at every turn. On one hand, there is the simplicity—and sometimes hardship—of rural life, with shepherds and farmers who seem far from the glory of their ancestors. On the other hand, there are feats of modern engineering, such as the Corinth Canal, that connect Greece once more to the legacy of ambition and vision that defined its ancient world.
