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Geske

Το φίδι κι ο Αλέξανδρος

13 posts in this topic

I can't remember when I last had such a hard one.

ΤΟ ΦΙΔΙ ΚΙ Ο ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ | | The snake and Alexander

Μουσική: Γιάννης Μαρκόπουλος | | Music: Giannis Markopoulos

Στίχοι: Αντώνης Ανδρικάκης | | Lyrics: Antonis Andrikakis

Είκοσι χρόνια στο μπερντέ | | Twenty years, behind the curtain,

κρυφά παραμονεύω | | hidden, I wait,

και πίσω απ' τον Αλέξανδρο | | and behind Alexander,

το φίδι αγριεύω | | I get mad at the snake.

| |

Αλέκο μη χαρίζεσαι | | Aleko, don't be sparing,

καθάρισε το χτήνος | | teach that beast a lesson!

θέλει δουλειά κι υπομονή | | It takes work and patience,

μου απαντά εκείνος | | he answers me.

| |

Κι εγώ που δεν κατάλαβα | | And I, who didn't get it,

ενάμιση αιώνα | | for a century and a half,

πώς έχω γίνει θεατής | | that I have become a spectator

σ' ένα φτιαχτόν αγώνα | | at a fixed match!

| |

Το φίδι κι ο Αλέξανδρος | | The snake and Alexander,

τα κάνανε πλακάκια | | they play their conniving little games,

κι όλος ο θίασος σκιών | | and the whole shadow theatre

βαράει παλαμάκια | | sounds applause.

| |

Τελείωσε η παράσταση | | The show has ended,

και σβήσανε τα φώτα | | and the lights have gone out,

κι αν θέλεις λεπτομέρειες | | and if you want to know details,

τον εαυτό σου ρώτα | | ask them of yourself.

| |

Αλέκο μη χαρίζεσαι | | Aleko, don't be sparing,

καθάρισε το χτήνος | | teach that beast a lesson!

θέλει δουλειά κι υπομονή | | It takes work and patience,

μου απαντά εκείνος | | he answers me.

Ενάμησι αιώνα: the site has νησί, corrected here (not by me - thanks!)

Το φίδι: a snake, or, I think, possibly also a snake-man, i.e. a wrestler.

Φτιαχτόν αγώνα: a fixed match is where someone is paid to lose.

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Well, Geske, I really liked your translation: it's the kind of translation I prefer ; not to faithful to the words but to the spirit of the song. But it's clear you can't fully understand the specific context of the song. And that's quite normal, because it is about an older art that now isn't very well-known. Let me give you some information about it:

The song refers directly to the greek shadow theatre(θέατρο σκιών) or, as it is better known, to Καραγκιόζης(from the name of its protagonist ). That theatre was very popular in Greece until '60s or '70s and it became after that another victim of television . The plays of that theatre are about either Karagkiozis' daily adventures(as mayor, baker, astronaut, groom etc.) in a vague Turkish society or mythological-historical events from all over the greek history where Karagkiozis participates.

One of the most populat plays is "Ο Αλέξανδρος και το καταραμένο φίδι (or όφις)" where Alexander (the Great, of course) kills a snake (the well-known dragon of the western-Europe mythologies) and frees the daughter of a Pasa. Karagkiozis is all the time during the battle behind Alexander and does exactly what the song describes: teases the snake.

So it's clear now who speaks in the first person in this song.

And something else in can you didn't know it: Αλέκος is a diminuitive of Αλέξανδρος

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How totally brilliant!!!! I was hoping the snake was a real snake, but I didn't _know_ . But a dragon! That's more than I dared hope! Dragons and me - well, it's a long story.......

I knew about Alekos - in fact I thought everyone else knew too, or I'd have put a note.

What makes me a bit uneasy is that you say it's a not-too litteral translation - and I thought I was being very litteral indeed. So now you know what I'll question you about next time I corner you :mellow: .

At least two lines to change:

και πίσω απ' τον Αλέξανδρο | | and behind Alexander's back,

το φίδι αγριεύω | | I tease the snake.

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:D:music:

Thank you so much for this link Kenan Basar !

Since the many years I spent in Indonesia, I've wanted to know more about the Turkish shadow play but I never managed to get the information (for the usuals reasons : too busy, too lazy)

Shadow play is one of the most accomplished and popular arts in Indonesia.

Here too, the puppets are made of water buffalo hide and so intricately carved that their shadows look like lace on the muslin screen. The visual aspect is enhance by the music of the gamelan (gongs orchestra).

The puppeteer is an amazing performer playing the voices of all the characters in turn : men, women, children, aristocratic and refined characters as well as coarse ones and this during the whole night !

Does the play also lasts a whole night (from about 8p.m to dawn) in Turkey ?

Oh! I could go on and on .but you will find any number of websites with better explanations than mine under the word "wayang" and more particularly "wayang kulit ".

Thank you again, you have rekindled such wonderful memories!

Geeske, thanks for the translation :music:

Antoni, for bringing up the subject of Karagiosis :confused:

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Je repondrai toujours a l'appel du vrai Karagiozis. Une annee, j'allais voir le spectacle tous les soirs, celui du vieux Haridimos au bord de Plaka... :D:rolleyes::)

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Thank you so much for this link Kenan Basar !

You're welcome Annemarie.

Does the play also lasts a whole night (from about 8p.m to dawn) in Turkey ?

No,it doesn't.As mentioned on the link,its form is four parts.It plays in a certain time.

When I was in primary school in 70',puppeteers were coming to schools to show their arts.For children,Karagoz was very amusing but,nowadays it is not famous unfortunately.Many children don't know Karagoz.As Gazakas and the link say that,it became another victim of tv,radio,cinema etc.Only in Ramazan month,you may see it on some tv chanells for a while.

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One slight detail, Geske; Strophe 4, the end: ask HIM (not: them) of yourself.

Thanks for the whole; as I was hearing to it without text, I was not understanding so much.

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[When I was in primary school in 70',puppeteers were coming to schools to show their arts.For children,Karagoz was very amusing but,nowadays it is not famous unfortunately.Many children don't know Karagoz.As Gazakas and the link say that,it became another victim of tv,radio,cinema etc.Only in Ramazan month,you may see it on some tv chanells for a while.

Such a pity to see these art forms disappear.

It is still very appreciated in Indonesia but I don't know for how much longer.

Again, thank you for the information .

:)

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