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Λευθεριά για λίγο πάψε

<<Λευθεριά για λίγο πάψε, να χτυπάς με το σπαθί, τώρα σίμωσε και κλάψε εις τον μπάυρον το κορμί.>>

Λ.  Βυρών.

 

Background to Poem:

This poem was written by L. Byron to encourage the Greeks in their uprising against the Ottoman Turks.  Lord Byron was an aristocrat in England who fell in love with the Greek people and their culture.  

Lord Byron sold  his property to buy weapons for the Greeks during the early years of the uprising, and wrote many poems encouraging the Greeks in their struggle.  He died in Messolonghi on April 1824, and with his last words  spoke of how he gave what is most valuable to a person his life as a sacrifice to the Greek people, and that hopefully his sacrifice would bear fruit and help in the liberation.  

The Greek people were horrified at the death of Lord Byron as they loved him so dearly.  The Greek people owe much to Phil Hellenes such as Lord Byron, and they are all highly respected and loved by the Greek nation.  In  Lord Byron's honor a statue has been erected in Messolonghi and in other areas throughout Greece.