Month: September 2026

higher ⋮ farther

How much I love you, I can’t know
How much I love you, I can’t know
My love lies past all measure, free
Higher even than the sun
Oh higher even than the sun
Far farther than the eye can see…

At first, it was a tiny spark
A single drop of drizzling rain
This spark became a raging fire
This spark became a raging fire
This tiny drop, a sea entire…

The love that ties us tight as one
The love that ties us tight as one
Will never feel the slightest sting
For we are two refreshing sips
or we are two refreshing sips
Drawn from a single flowing spring…

At first, it was a tiny spark
A single drop of drizzling rain
This spark became a raging fire
This spark became a raging fire
This tiny drop, a sea entire…

A song by Apostolos Kaldaras
with lyrics by Christos Argyropoulos

Δεν ξέρω πόσο σ’ αγαπώ
Δεν ξέρω πόσο σ’ αγαπώ
Μέτρο δεν έχει η αγάπη
Είν’ απ’ τον ήλιο πιο ψηλά
Είν’ απ’ τον ήλιο πιο ψηλά
Και δεν τη φτάνει μάτι…
 
Ήταν μια σπίθα στην αρχή
Και μιας βροχής ψιχάλα
Κι έγιν’ η σπίθα πυρκαγιά
Κι έγιν’ η σπίθα πυρκαγιά
Και πέλαγος η στάλα…

Η αγάπη που μας έδεσε
Η αγάπη που μας έδεσε
Πόνο δε θα γνωρίσει
Είμαστε δυο σταλαγματιές
Είμαστε δυο σταλαγματιές
Από την ίδια βρύση…

Ήταν μια σπίθα στην αρχή
Και μιας βροχής ψιχάλα
Κι έγιν’ η σπίθα πυρκαγιά
Κι έγιν’ η σπίθα πυρκαγιά
Και πέλαγος η στάλα…

Vicky Moscholiou sings the final note of a song, sat on a small moving boat. She cradles her head in one hand.

“How Much I Love You, I Can’t Know” (“Δεν ξέρω πόσο σ’ αγαπώ” / “How Much I Love You, I Can’t Know”) is a song by Apostolos Kaldaras, with lyrics by Christos Argyropoulos.

 

First recorded by Vicky Moscholiou in 1966.

 

The moving images show the singer lip-syncing lovingly along to this original recording for the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) in 1983.

 

This is one of five songs performed by George Davlas during the musical interlude that lies at the heart of the Efthimis Filippou play Etymologies.

 

For another two, see the dubitanda “away ⋮ again” and “sparrow ⋮ harried” (listed below).

 

For the remaining two, see the transpolia “On a rainy ⋮ day.” and “Two broken homes left ⋮ clandestine.” (buttons below).

 

Translated for use as surtitles at the 2024 Athens Epidaurus Festival performances of this play.

 
 

see also
away ⋮ again
sparrow ⋮ harried

 
 

arkhæio
ETYMOLOGIES

 

transpolia
On a rainy ⋮ day. Two broken homes left ⋮ clandestine.

sparrow ⋮ harried

And so you’ll leave me
You’ll move on past me
And soon forget me
And I’ll be left here (astray)
Wasting away
in some sad corner…

A watch now stopped
A ship now wrecked
A sparrow ever harried
by a blizzard…

A watch now stopped
A ship now wrecked
A sparrow ever harried
by a blizzard…

And when it comes
That hour
My darkest hour
Feel no hurt, feel no pain
Just leave me here, alone (again)
out in the cold…

A watch now stopped
A ship now wrecked
A sparrow ever harried
by a blizzard…

A watch now stopped
A ship now wrecked
A sparrow ever harried
by a blizzard…
by a blizzard…
by a blizzard…

A song by Mimis Plessas
with lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos

Κι εσύ θα φύγεις
Και θα περάσεις
Και θα ξεχάσεις
Κι εγώ θα μείνω
Να αργοσβήνω
Σε μια γωνιά…
 
Ένα ρολόι σταματημένο
Ένα καράβι ναυαγισμένο
Ένα σπουργίτι κυνηγημένο
Απ’ τον χιονιά…

Ένα ρολόι σταματημένο
Ένα καράβι ναυαγισμένο
Ένα σπουργίτι κυνηγημένο
Απ’ τον χιονιά…
 
Όταν σημάνει
Εκείνη η ώρα
Η μαύρη ώρα
Μη νιώσεις πόνο
Κι άσε με μόνο
Στην παγωνιά…
 
Ένα ρολόι σταματημένο
Ένα καράβι ναυαγισμένο
Ένα σπουργίτι κυνηγημένο
Απ’ τον χιονιά…

Ένα ρολόι σταματημένο
Ένα καράβι ναυαγισμένο
Ένα σπουργίτι κυνηγημένο
Απ’ τον χιονιά…
Απ’ τον χιονιά…
Απ’ τον χιονιά…

A woman gazes sadly at a man gazing sadly into a mirror. They are parting lovers.

“And So You’ll Leave Me” (“Κι εσύ θα φύγεις” / “Ki esí tha fíghis”) is a song from the 1970 film Sunday’s Dream directed by Odysseas Kostoletos.

 

The music is by Mimis Plessas, with lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos.

 

The moving images show Tolis Voskopoulos performing the song for Niki Triantafyllidi.

 

The pair play parting lovers here, Ángelos and Margaríta.

 

We gaze sadly at her gazing sadly at him gazing sadly through (not into) a mirror.

 

He is lost (stopped, wrecked, harried). His eyes never meet hers or ours or his (reflected) own.

 

This is one of five songs performed by George Davlas during the musical interlude that lies at the heart of the Efthimis Filippou play Etymologies.

 

For another two, see the dubitanda “away ⋮ again” and “higher ⋮ farther” (listed below).

 

For the remaining two, see the transpolia “On a rainy ⋮ day.” and “Two broken homes left ⋮ clandestine.” (buttons below).

 

Translated for use as surtitles at the 2024 Athens Epidaurus Festival performances of this play.

 

A dubitandum dedicated to the late Viví (mother of the man I love), who endlessly adored Tolis Voskopoulos.

 
 

see also
away ⋮ again
higher ⋮ farther

 
 

arkhæio
ETYMOLOGIES

 

transpolia
On a rainy ⋮ day. Two broken homes left ⋮ clandestine.

away ⋮ again

Star of mine, moon of mine
My budding shoot of spring
To your side I’ll come again
To your side I’ll come one dawn
Just to have you kiss and fawn
And make me yours again

My darling one, my darling one
Away the night will take us soon
As will the stars and sky above
As will the cold, cold moon
As will the stars and sky above
As will the cold, cold moon

I’ll love you and live on in song
You’ll love me and live with the birds
I’ll love you and we’ll be made song
You’ll love me and we’ll be made birds

My darling one, my darling one
Away the night will take us soon
As will the stars and sky above
As will the cold, cold moon
As will the stars and sky above
As will the cold, cold moon

A song by Mikis Theodorakis
with lyrics by Yiannis Theodorakis

Αστέρι μου, φεγγάρι μου
Της άνοιξης κλωνάρι μου
Κοντά σου θα ’ρθω πάλι
Κοντά σου θα ’ρθω μιαν αυγή
Για να σου πάρω ένα φιλί
Και να με πάρεις πάλι
 
Αγάπη μου, αγάπη μου
Η νύχτα θα μας πάρει
Τ’ άστρα κι ο ουρανός
Το κρύο το φεγγάρι
Τ’ άστρα κι ο ουρανός
Το κρύο το φεγγάρι
 
Θα σ’ αγαπώ, θα ζω μες στο τραγούδι
Θα μ’ αγαπάς, θα ζεις με τα πουλιά
Θα σ’ αγαπώ, θα γίνουμε τραγούδι
Θα μ’ αγαπάς, θα γίνουμε πουλιά
 
Αγάπη μου, αγάπη μου
Η νύχτα θα μας πάρει
Τ’ άστρα κι ο ουρανός
Το κρύο το φεγγάρι
Τ’ άστρα κι ο ουρανός
Το κρύο το φεγγάρι

A woman with her back to us (Melina Mercouri) closes two little doors over an orthodox icon of the Virgin Mary hung from a wall above her head. Scene from Phaedra shot by Jules Dassin.

“Star of Mine, Moon of Mine” (“Αστέρι μου, φεγγάρι μου” / “Astéri mou, fengári mou”) is the love theme from the 1962 film Phaedra directed by Jules Dassin and starring Melina Mercouri.

 

The music is by Mikis Theodorakis, with lyrics by his brother Yiannis Theodorakis.

 

As Phaedra (of myth, made then-modern), Melina sings to her step son and darling one, played by Anthony Perkins.

 

They both live on in (celluloid and) song.

 

The original recording was laid over the film’s original trailer (and strangely fit).

 

This is one of five songs performed by George Davlas during the musical interlude that lies at the heart of the Efthimis Filippou play Etymologies.

 

For another two, see the dubitanda “higher ⋮ farther” and “sparrow ⋮ harried” (listed below).

 

For the remaining two, see the transpolia “On a rainy ⋮ day.” and “Two broken homes left ⋮ clandestine.” (buttons below).

 

Translated for use as surtitles at the 2024 Athens Epidaurus Festival performances of this play.

 
 

see also
higher ⋮ farther
sparrow ⋮ harried

 
 

arkhæio
ETYMOLOGIES

 

transpolia
On a rainy ⋮ day. Two broken homes left ⋮ clandestine.