Parthenon Marbles

Reality of Dreaming the Past, Present and Future

From the imagined point of view from the sculptural form of what  contemporary people call as Apollo, I will now allow the stones to speak of their story. 

The Past and Reality

I am a statue, and from the moments of my creation I came together with my fellow marble figures to be fashioned as the gift of the city state of Athens. Its people and the Polis.  A gift to their protector, Athena the goddess of Wisdom and self defence. For two thousand years I sat there looking out towards the rising sun. 

I survived weathering, shrapnel and gunpowder. I survived changed ideologies as humanity played with power amongst themselves.  Yes , I had survived  humanities forgetfulness of my true worth. All these things,  I survived. But the day of removal was truly painful and degrading. My home was left as raw broken teeth as it was striped of our presence. The British Lord Elgin thought only of our value as separate artifacts not as a whole unit belonging to the Parthenon. Belonging to place as I was, we were intended.

The Present and the Dreaming 

An imagined conversation between Stone and mortal.

"My heart aches for the place of my beginning, and I know that act by one man has taken my real home away from me for ever.... ahhh. But you say it is time for me to go back to Attica?"

"Yes it is time that you must be returned to your place of creation."  Said a little figure of a human to stone. The marble noticed the human staring and filled himself with more life than usual.  A shadow rippled over his face of stone as the human felt him pull at her mind once again. Still with his imagined words she reacted. "I promised my Ancestors that I would do this , secure your return."

The statue spoke. "I have stared at a wall in a dark hall for 200 hundred years. I think it is time for me to once again sing in the morning which was my primary purpose for being created by those artisans and craftsmen of Ancient Classical Greece. Athens of my birth was a total different place..." 

The marble figure stopped speaking, then a ripple of a sigh filled the hall. The very air grew colder... a  spectre of a soul appeared. It was shaped in the form of Melina Mercouri. "This human is speaking lies  my friend. The British Museum has refused again."

"Oh No!  The stone stopped speaking but the human looked closer and could see a shadow of a well formed tear run down the frozen cheek.  At this the human hung her head in the shame of it and looked at her  feet to see that she too was becoming marble. The stone statue noticed how the female was now  and increased the feelings of helplessness  to overwhelm her. " Oh what more can I do to help achieve the return for the treasures of the Parthenon?" She whispered. 

Then, from as if echoing over the millennium ,the message came to the mind of the  woman. "Write and keep writing until your death or until I am returned in reality, not in this tale of pretense. You have not come to me yet to give me my right of passage. Show me some respect. Surely, I should be shown at least this emotion by you people. No more pretense,  return me to my place of origin... my place of creation. If Lord Elgin truly believed he saved us;  then let it be just that,  so our story of survival is complete . Only until we are all returned will our story be fully understood. We do not survive in these dark halls anymore.  Because our story is incomplete  with lies of Imperialistic overtones and stupidity of human greatness given to a thief, a vandal and destroyer of our true home, the Parthenon. Too many have decided his guilt and only a few believe he removed us for our own good. Do not pretend anymore! Come back to me only when you have truthfully secured our return."  

"That I will God willing." Said the human.

"How many of you have said this to us and you die without us being returned? You now say this to me? This pledge of your heart. How many, will it take?"

"There are many of us all over the globe who have pledged to do whatever it takes to bring you home. We will not cease, until you are returned."

The stone then returned to just being stone without life. 

The Future and most likely the Reality. 

From the triumph of the one who helped secure their Return. 

Then on a special day the woman returned and in truth announced the long awaited words.In her hand the document of release was lovingly held.

"Eureka we have done it, you are going HOME!"  

The stones could not believe that after all these years they were to be returned. In fact, all the marble frowned in disbelief at my news as I approached  them and whispered. "I am here to tell you that your return has finally been secured.   This is your last day to be displayed here in these halls. The special crates and foam packagings are ready for you to be packed and placed in special cargo planes. You are going to fly home. "

"Fly? On wings?" The imagined voice seemed to crack with emotion. 

"Yes, mechanical wings. But first you must be carefully wrapped and transported by road to the awaiting planes. You will fly and land in Athens, then a line of trucks specially marked and painted for your return will take you from the airport to your new home, the Acropolis Museum.  

The people of Athens and all Greeks and Philhellenes are gathered to greet you. All those who had the means to travel will do so. They will line the streets. Music and dancing will grace all of Athens. From the airport to the Acropolis they will wave you on with the best of wishes.  Cheering of millions will echo all around the global as the internet alights with congratulatory messages for your return."

" So this time it is true?"

"Yes you are to return!"  

The marble form rippled with expectation of once again fulfilling its purpose of greeting the sun in the early morning light.

"Our hardworking committees and organizations have secured your return with the help of UNESCO and the help of the British People. Without the parliamentary vote in your favour you would still be here in these halls. But the release is now signed. You are going home."  

The first day's viewing at the Acropolis Museum.

Night was still surrounding the large crowds awaiting to view for the first time the statues in the Acropolis museum. The date is not important, for this will happen maybe sooner that anyone now believes. Just before dawn the museum workers open the doors hours before the real opening time. The ones chosen by lottery, the lucky few are allowed to enter. Their excited buzz of voices now hushed as they carefully made their way to the viewing area of the Acropolis Museum. A floor full of windows which allowed for the natural light to bath the old marble statues. Most eyes were fixed on Apollo as the first light of the new day began to kiss the sculptural form. And there was a collective sigh from the human audience as slowly the light changed, being forth the real meaning of this collection of sculptures from that ancient Temple, the Parthenon. 

"We are now home, and now our story is completed and understood." 

The people rejoiced.  The parades of people continued for many days. They filed past as each took home a feeling of great pride and accomplishment that good still exists in this troubled world. 

The woman walked past within the crowd of  many who missed out from the first morning viewing. But it didn't matter. Melina's  spirit was with her in the crevices of her imagination whispering to her inner self. " The return is but a part of the healing necessary for our continued survival as a species of intelligence. Those sculptures speak to us of ourselves and our collective accomplishments. They are our soul and now the Greeks can hold their heads high in the knowledge of their long past and history."  

As the woman looked the light and shadows played over the stones, those marbles emitted their words of thanks.  

"Finally we are home."