What Greater Grief ...

What greater grief than the loss of one's native land.

~ Euripides, Greek tragic dramatist (484 BC - 406 BC), Medea, 431 B.C.

Finally, a week after hundreds of wild fires began rampaging across Greece, all of the fires are under control. So reported the Associated Press about six hours ago.

Since the story of this tragedy first hit the news, my heart has gone out to the people of Greece. The loss of life, the destruction of villages and farm land, the plight of those made homeless by the conflagration, all seemed to rise each day. Also each day, the reports indicated the fires continued to burn out of control, the end of the inferno not in sight.

At some point, perhaps it was the account that said that the uncontainable fires had reached the ancient city of Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games, I began to think of this catastrophe as affecting people beyond the Greek nation to the whole of Western civilization. For, in my mind, the land of Greece is the cradle of Western civilization.

Even here in the United States, where knowledge of “the classics” is by far the exception rather than the rule, there is at least a recognition by many of classical Greek names, if not an understanding of what the classical references of those names: Plato (a sex club in NYC), Trojan (a brand of condom), Greek (anal sex).

Perhaps I am underestimating my fellow countrypersons. After all, in 2004 Hollywood did release the film Troy and even gave screen credit to the Greek poet Homer (not a "4-bagger” in a baseball game) as one the writers. That I understand more people were drawn to the film by the highly publicized nudity of Brad Pitt than by Homer’s epic, does not undermine the truth that Hollywood is able to produce a film based upon an heroic classic. And, in the same year, Hollywood also released Oliver Stone’s film Alexander, based upon the life of the Macedonian king and the first world conqueror. That the film was less historical than melodramatic and had poor audience attendance does not undercut that Hollywood at least tried to bring a bit of culture into the American world of historical illiteracy

But I digress from the tragedy of the Greek fires. With the cost thus far is 64 dead, an unknown number injured, nearly 500,000 acres of land burned, and an estimated $1.6 billion cost, the time for recovery is approaching, unless the unthinkable occurs:

Fears remained, however, that a new heat wave accompanied by strong winds that have been forecast for the weekend could feed smaller fires or rekindle those that smoldered around the country. ~ MSNBC

The people of Greece remain in my prayers even as my thoughts center on what that land of classic history, poetry, philosophy, democracy, theater, religion, and mythology means to the world. As such, for my late evening reading, I have taken Plato’s Republic from my library shelves.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Plato

Remember September 27:Details

Those Capricious Fates

The Fates, or Moirae, were the goddesses who controlled the destiny of everyone from the time they were born to the time they died… The Fates were often depicted as ugly hags, cold and unmerciful. ~ Encyclopedia Mythica

Calliope, the Muse of eloquence, has inspired me to pen an expressive satirical blog post on the parallels between the present U.S. administration in Washington and the mythic gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. Unfortunately, those capacious Fates intervened today and, alas, the post has not been written. I’ll not go into detail regarding the ups and downs the Moirae have bestowed upon me today; such a recitation would carry the sound of whimpering.

Which reminds me: the Social Security Administration is as capricious as The Fates. Last Friday I received a letter from them stating that the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks I have received since May I should not have received because my pension made me ineligible. Therefore, I am to return the SSI to the Social Security Administration. If I were the worrying kind, I would have spent the entire weekend in a state of unease.

Then, on Monday, I received a second letter from the Social Security Administration stating that, in their omnipotent wisdom, they have determined that, since May 1, 2003, I have been too disabled to have gainful employment. Therefore, beginning in September, I shall received Social Security Disability income in an amount three time the SSI that I was mistakenly paid during the past three months.

I wonder what the next capricious letter from the Social Security Administration will say?

By the way, I do not consider myself "disabled." My mind is in fine shape, even if my body has its problems. Therefore, I continue to seek gainful employment.