Eléni & M Move to Athens - Part 13

This new series has its history in the form of several short stories, several poems, and a 13-part series that is linked at the bottom via Part 12 of this series. Anthi Psomiadou has graciously agreed—with a good number of words—to reprise her role from the first series as a fictional character also called, Anthi. What a coincidence! Goddess Athena works in mysterious ways.

The light of Greece opened my eyes, penetrated my pores, expanded my whole being. Henry Miller

Good morning, my goddess, I said, when I saw Athena appear with Patrick beside her and Glaukopis on her right shoulder. I can almost imagine Patrick on your shoulder instead, I added, smiling.

“It is good to laugh first thing in the morning, M. Keep it up!” Athena said. “What do you think, Patrick?” she then asked.

“M always tries to be funny in the morning, but it is always lame. Was he funny, Anthi?” Patrick asked.

“We had a few laughs since I came down, but he said something in French and will not reveal what M stands for,” Anthi replied.

As soon as Glaukopis heard Anthi, it flew to her and rested on her right shoulder. Here you go, Patrick, I said. Athena’s shoulder is now vacant. Do you need help to climb up?

“Only if you climb on the other shoulder,” Patrick replied, grinning.

“An interesting proposition. I am game if you are,” Athena replied.

That is also why we love you so much, my goddess, I said. Perhaps Glaukopis can teach you French, Anthi, I added. Can you, Glaukopis? It lowered its head, mumbling, non (no in French). Apparently, it can only repeat words that it had learned by heart. It is fine, Glaukopis. I will teach her French and she will teach me Greek. And when my Greek is adequate, Anthi, I will tell you what the M stands for. Do you agree?

“Yes, M! We have a deal,” Anthi replied, smiling as she always does.

Tu es trop mignonne, Anthi. You are too cute, Anthi. Repeat after me!

“Very funny, M. But sure,” Anthi replied, repeating, “Tu es trop mignonne.”

That is the feminine of cute. For a male, you would say, Tu es trop mignon, if it ever happens that you feel like saying it, of course.

“Tu es trop mignon,” Anthi repeated, smiling but somewhat bashfully.

Luckily Grandpa and Grandma do not speak French. They look like they need another hug. They will probably appreciate it more if it came from you, dear Athena, I said and hid behind Eléni.

“Why are you hiding, M? I will gladly hug them,” Athena replied, proceeding to hug and then kiss them on the forehead one by one.

Grandpa and Grandma beamed, as did, Anthi, thanking me in my mind. No thanks are required, Anthi, I replied in French.

“I understood it!” Anthi exclaimed.

And the reason why it should be easier to teach and learn. You could even teach me Greek that way, directly in my mind.

“Yes, M! It will be much easier this way.”

You also speak Italian if I am not mistaken, Anthi.

“I do. I could teach you Italian too, and it should be easier to learn than Greek given that it is a Latin-based language like French.”

I accept. Too bad that you do not also speak Portuguese. Italian is my second favourite after Portuguese, and French is my third in case you are wondering. But I am only referring to the sound of the language because when it comes to the words, English has to be first because of Shakespeare. No one in any other language can beat the Bard. It is a fact inscribed in the fabric of spacetime. Even Athena will agree after she reads and sees Shakespeare’s plays.

“I agree, M,” Anthi replied, smiling as always.

Did you have a chance to show Athena some Shakespeare, Patrick, my twin? I asked, also smiling.

“I only showed her Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet and it was sufficient,” Patrick replied.

So, you used the cannon; the most famous play. I would have done the same. How did you find it, my goddess?

“It is the best play I have ever seen. Shakespeare was, is amazing,” Athena replied.

Our minds are surely primed for each other and so much more since you arrived, our Athena, and touched us with your love and wisdom. We have to do something for you. I know that you are happy with Patrick. I do not doubt it. I am referring to something all of us can do. Anthi mentioned it first. We wanted to call ourselves the Fellowship of Athena, but since there are only two fellows, we thought that Athena’s Alliance or Athena’s Ring could be a better appellation. And we also wondered if we could choose a symbol to represent us. You already have the spear, the distaff, and the aegis as your symbols, and the little owl, Glaukopis, as your sacred animal. I will not even mention the first symbol that came to my mind, though Patrick may guess it but will keep quiet about it.

“I will,” Patrick replied.

Any ideas? (Anthi could leave me a comment, of course). Perhaps a symbol that could be modified in case we get a new member in the future. We are five right now, which also happens to be Athena’s number, the centre of nine numerical signs of Pythagorean numerology.

“I am flattered, M. But there is no need. Je suis déjà comblée. I am already fulfilled and satisfied. You are both sweet. All of you. Let us celebrate our now and leave symbolism in the past! Your love and Glaukopis is all I need, my dear M, Anthi, Eléni, and my Patrick. We complete each other and it is more than enough, at least for now,” Athena said, leaving a few of us in tears.

It is regrettable that the world will never know about you, though it does not deserve you in any shape or form, dear Athena. I may be wrong, but it is up to you, my goddess. You hold wisdom in every breath you take. I, we, could never leave you. You are truly what a deity should be. I love you, Athena!

“I love you too, M. I love you all; even Grandpa and Grandma, as you call them. I will give them another gift tonight in their dream. I will give it to all of you. Perhaps Crete could be our symbol. What do you think?”

“It is a wonderful idea, my goddess,” Anthi replied with her eyes still wet.

I wanted to hug Anthi but could not because of Grandpa and Grandma, so I just kissed her right hand. She reddened a bit when she heard me in her mind. I said it in French for the full effect. They were two simple words that seem to carry more weight in Molière. I love you, or I love thee, do not convey what the words, Je t’aime, do. Moi aussi (Me too), she replied, lowering her eyes.

Later that night, we all had the same dream. We were, each, flying around white clouds, peaking between them to contemplate Crete from the sky. It looked a little like the pic above, but we felt the air in our lungs, and perhaps had a taste of divinity. It seems that we also all awoke at the same time, but no one checked the time. I am sure, however, that it was 5:05, 6:05, or 7:05 a.m. I even asked Athena, but she only smiled and kissed me.

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Many thanks to Anthi Psomiadou for her thoughtful comments, suggestions, and even text (in Part 11) regarding this tunnelling story, as I find myself ever so deeper in the culture of both ancient and modern Greece. I will have to purchase some tsipouro at some point. Do you have any suggestions as to the brand, Anthi?

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