Inertia and thought

N. Lygeros

Translation : Paola Vagioni

We examine the return of the marbles as a nostalgic thought. Without giving it the range that it has to the history of our civilization. It is our inertia that wants to avoid new struggles, new battles. We would like to forget this situation, in order not to disturb our partners, not to disturb our tranquility. We do not even examine the issue of the Caryatid although we have the infrastructure to support it.
It suffices to say that an injustice exists that we allegedly don’t forget while things are simpler. Already the polls on the English people demonstrate how much they are favorable towards the return of the marbles. Why therefore we don’t focus on the Caryatid that consists a unique part as the beginning of our effort. This female statue is not just a marble, it is not just a sculpture, it belongs in a group, a collection that gains its meaning only when it is complete. It is the completeness of the Caryatids that supports the temple of Erechtheion. Isolated, the Caryatid that is situated in the British Museum does not highlight but the absurdity of a barbarity. There isn’t a single Englishman that would want to be considered an accomplice of such an act. Why therefore shouldn’t we help each other, to overcome this obstacle of civilization? The destruction has been done. The crime has been committed. But the reparation process exists. Let’s imagine for a while how the two nations will feel, when they will see at last the Caryatid take its place in the New Acropolis Museum. Both nations will know that it was because of them this new miracle happened, this new victory of civilization against barbarity, of memory against oblivion. If we contemplate realistically and positively on the whole issue, we will understand that we can overcome our inertia and think efficiently the method of solving the technical problem. The essence though is elsewhere. The return is not just the reinstatement to the previous situation. It is a real overcoming that has added value for both nations. It is therefore an issue of time and humanity.

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