Sunset

Description:

A poem attributed to Michele Carpi, translated into Greek by Agis Theros (Άγις Θέρος), the pen name of Spyros Theodoropoulos (Σπύρος Θεοδωρόπουλος, 1875–1961). No further information about the original creator or this work has been located.

About the translator:

Agis Theros, the pen name of Spyros Theodoropoulos, was a Greek poet, sociologist, and folklorist. Born in Sparta in 1875, he was deeply involved in journalism, publishing newspapers such as Laos, Lakedaimon, and Efimerida ton Ergatón (Workers’ Newspaper).

Theros’s profound love for Greek folk songs significantly influenced his work. His first book, published in 1909, was a collection of folk songs from the regions of Taygetus and Mani. A close collaborator of folklorist Nikolaos Politis, he was also a member of the Hellenic Folklore Society.

In addition to his literary pursuits, Theros was socially active. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Athens Labour Centre in 1910 and proposed Greece’s first labour legislation. He served as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies with the Venizelist Party between 1910 and 1923. In 1922, he was imprisoned for signing the Democratic Manifesto alongside other notable figures.

Theros published his first poetic work in 1940, celebrating Greek resistance during World War II and offering lyrical depictions of rural life. He also wrote prose and later released a definitive two-volume collection of Greek folk songs titled The Songs of the Greeks (1951–1952), which was awarded by the Academy of Athens.

From 1957 to 1959, Theros served as president of the Society of Greek Writers. He passed away in 1961, and his wife, Avra Theodoropoulou, followed in 1963. In his honour, an annual folklore award now bears the name Agis Theros.

“Άγις Θέρος.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 28, 2024. https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Άγις_Θέρος.