Parthenon; Ravaged by A Very Narcissistic Thief

The view of the Acropolis/ Parthenon from my room at night was truly magical and enthralling, but I had no idea about the feelings that would envelop me the next day.  I also had no idea that on that very sacred hill dedicated to the Goddess Athena occurred the most despicable, abdominal vandalism in history.

The many stray but sweet-natured dogs that abound around the Acropolis were the first to greet me on the steep path leading up to the top . Most were basking in the warm sun and a few just serenely observing the many tourists clambering about. All looked well fed and cared for despite the fact of being homeless.

By the time I  reached the top of the hill at the base of the Parthenon, I became aware of a strong heavy emotion that came out of the blue.  I felt like I wanted to cry.  Was I simply overcome with joy at being here? Perhaps, but there was a wave of heaviness that engulfed me that made me wonder why and what was I feeling.

A gift that serves me well as a therapist, my sensitivity to energy from others, but from old stones too, was indeed at play here. My emotional porosity probably was keenly picking up a sad story of unbelievable narcissism streaked thievery and destruction.

It is a real  miracle that any part of the Parthenon is left, considering it was first constructed starting around 447 B.C and was completed in 438 B.C..  From that time it suffered from  multiple destructive invasions.

The entire structures were somewhat tampered with by the Christians, who turned it into a church in 5th century A.D.,, and then during the Ottoman Empire occupation that lasted until 1832, it was turned into a  mosque and finally an ammunition depot.

In 1687 , an Italian general bombarded it and the resulting explosion tore the roof off, as the Turks were using the Parthenon to store gun powder at that time.

The worst pillages and destruction did not occur until 1801 by one of the worst cases of narcissism I can imagine. I guess we are all guilty of picking up a pebble at the beach, or a small souvenir rock to take home. But  leave it to the outlandish British ambassador to the Ottoman empire to do the unthinkable!

Thomas Bruce, known as “Sir” Elgin on his own decided that the marble statues and varied frescos  of the Parthenon would look wonderful adorning his Scottish mansion for his new bride. He reportedly bribed the Ottoman in charge at that time to give him the “rights” to remove the absolutely huge marble statues that  for eons graced the Parthenon.

His sly criminal orchestration resulted in a  “permit” to remove freely all that he wanted to.  He then dastardly proceeded to dismantle not only the statues but practically all of the friezes so masterfully sculpted by Pheidias, just to satisfy his own wickedly debased desires.

It was said that he had his eyes of doing this long before being appointed ambassador.  His vandalism started in 1801, and at least caused a scandal back in England, but this incredibly narcissistic and sociopathic man proceed to plunder and destroy without any consideration of the immense historical destruction he was doing.

Almost all of the Parthenon’s marble statues and friezes were removed and damaged of course in doing so, before being shipped to England.  Not being satisfied with his stolen booty, he also took down a whole column for the Erechtheion, which is another temple on the Acropolis.  He did indeed decorate his Scottish mansion with the statues and friezes, but eventually sold his stolen property to the British museum in London for a nifty price.

Although he escaped being prosecuted for this monumental thief, he at least  did experience some karma for all his wrongdoing in that his wife after only a few years of marriage ran off with another man, which Sir Elgin sued to extradite more money as he was becoming deeply in dept.

The Greek government has asked for several years that they statues be returned to the Greek people, as the building of the Acropolis museum was being prepared for them.  So far the British government has refused to comply, therefore condoning the worst case of stolen historical art ever recorded, without any conscious remorse, or sense of honor and respect to the Greek people.  Their refusal constitutes the same narcissistic traits as Elgin to continuously deprive the people and country of Greek of their own historical heritage.  Additionally they are depriving the rest of the world,s citizens the opportunity to see the Parthenon as she once stood in entirety.

The architectural significance of the Parthenon, which by the way come from parthenos or virgin relating to Goddess Athena, is a monumental masterpiece.  I am always amused by modern man’s arrogance, when the ancients had a mathematical acuity in structure unsurpassed today.

There are no straight lines in the Parthenon, because straight lines were noted to not be in existence even to these ancient architects! The corner columns are a tiny bit larger in diameter that the others because they knew that light falling on them the most would make them look less voluminous.

Also the columns lean slight inward and all have a very slight thickening around the diameter at mid height to make them appear more alive than just plain inanimate stone.   Amazing structural designs incorporated for optical illusion of conformity and equality. Equally amazing is the fact that it took only 9 years to construct this huge magnificent structure that remains the finest example of classical Greek architecture.

The Greek government continues in their efforts to restores the Parthenon to its pre destruction beauty, which they says will take over 20 to 70 years.   Perhaps with more global awareness of this thievery and ensuing pressure on the British government,they will agree to return these classical Greek statues and friezes back to their home, where they belong!