CAPE SOUNION – seeking sanctuary with Poseidon

Feeling refreshed from this morning’s adventures I am now looking forward to spending the afternoon with Poseidon, the sea God.

This post may not be as long as previous ones as there is only one place we visit – but it sure will be packed with history, myth and photos.

The tour bus arrives at 2.30pm and we are introduced to our driver – Socrates (I wonder if he will have any words of wisdom for us) – our guide is Effie, well at least I think that is what she said.  I immediately think of Effie in Acropolis Now – what a great TV show in Oz. But I digress – –

Once we get out of the Athens traffic the drive becomes more enjoyable as we travel the coast road.  Plenty of time to look out the window at the blue waters of the Aegean – and past the former Athens International Airport where we landed 20 years ago.

Ellinikon International Airport was the main airport for sixty years up until 28 March 2001, when it was replaced by the new airport. The grounds of the airport are located 7 kilometres south of Athens. The airport had an official capacity of 11 million passengers per year, but had served 13.5 million passengers during its last year of operations.

Unfortunately the terminal has now sunk to the depths of despair – – how sad.  Getting close to our destination we briefly glimpse the Temple every now and again. How exciting.

Finally arriving – it is an easy walk up a hill but the path is wide and you can stop every now and again if it gets a bit much – it doesn’t take long to reach the Sanctuary of Poseidon that stands proudly albeit a bit the worse for wear.

Poseidon was God of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses and is considered one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy Olympian gods. He was known to be vengeful when insulted.

He is the son of Cronus and Rhea and was swallowed by his father along with Hades, Demeter, Hestia and Hera.  However, in some folklore stories it is believed that Poseidon, like Zeus was not swallowed by Cronus because his mother Rhea concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which was devoured by Cronus instead.

Isn’t that a wonderful bit of Greek mythology!

The afternoon has retained the morning heat and the sky shimmers but every now and again a breeze comes through to give a bit of relief.

This ancient Temple or Sanctuary is one of the major monuments of the Golden Age of Athens.  Perched above the sea at a height of almost 60 metres.

Built in 444 BC – same year as the Parthenon – of marble from nearby Agrilesa, it was a vision of gleaming white columns.

Sailors in ancient times knew they were nearly home when they saw the first glimpse of white; views from the Temple over the Aegean are equally impressive.

Is this not an impressive site?  Can you imagine what it was like when it was first built? I love this place.  Walking around there are lots of things to discover in the surrounding areas.

Unfortunately the unthinking idiots commonly known as brain dead tourists continue to climb over barriers to sit on steps and column remnants so that their equally brain dead companions can take their photo.

This brings out the officials with their loud whistles and yelling at them to get off.  They begrudgingly move and then some of them have the hide to light up cigarettes which brings back the loud whistles and yelling again.  This definitely detracts from the majesty of the place.

I certainly do not want idiots in my photos so I wait until they move away.

Don’t you just love this place? I do!. Have I already said that? Too bad – it can bear saying again.

I am not the only one who loves this place. Lord Byron visited here and carved his name on one of the columns.  Definitely a no-no in today’s world. ‘Place me on Sounion’s marbled step where nothing else save the waves and I may hear our mutual murmers. Sleep there – swan like – let me sing and die’.  Thanks your Lordship – a wonderful quote for a wonderful place.

Here is a little bonus for you – I will finish with an ancient tale – one of my favourites – it concerns the unfortunate King Aegeus who was the founder of Athens.

After failing to produce a male heir to the throne with his first two wives, he went to the Oracle of Delphi where he was given a particularly cryptic prophecy. Seeking someone to explain it, he reached Troezen where King Pitheus who understood what the prophecy meant, forced his daughter Aethra upon him. After their union, Aethra also bedded Poseidon and became pregnant with Theseus.

Aegeus, deciding to return to Athens buried his armour and weapons, and told Aethra that once his son grew up, she should bring him to Athens.  BUT – in Athens, Aegeus married Medea, who had fled from Jason (of Argonaut fame) and they had a son named Medus.

Later, the Prince of Crete, Androgeus, who was visiting Athens was killed in a contest with Aegeus.  This enraged King Minos who declared war on Athens.  However, a peace treaty was signed under the terms that seven men and seven women from Athens would be sent to Crete in regular intervals to be fed to the dreaded Minotaur.

When Theseus grew up, he went to Athens where he was acknowledged by his father; soon, though, he volunteered to be sent to Crete as one of the tributes to face the Minotaur.

The Minotaur was a monster with the body of a man and the head and tail of a bull. It was the offspring of the Cretan Queen Pasiphae and a majestic bull.

Due to the Minotaur’s monstrous form, King Minos ordered the craftsman, Daedalus and his son, Icarus, to build a huge maze known as the Labyrinth to house the beast. The Minotaur remained in the Labyrinth receiving annual offerings of youths and maidens to eat.

Theseus successfully slayed the beast, however, on the way back, he forgot to change his ship’s black sails to white, as he had told his father he would do if he succeeded.

As a result, Aegeus seeing the black sails from Cape Sounion and thinking his son was slain by the Minotaur, jumped into the sea and drowned. Since then, the sea became known as the Aegean.

Not a happy ending – speaking of which, my time here is coming to a close so it is time to head back down the hill – the heat is still with us so a purchase of a cold drink at the kiosk is in order.  We are not staying for sunset – bummer – I will have to return.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit and the little story – definitely this place is one for the bucket lists out there.

We get back into Athens about 7.00pm.  Now I have to pack and get ready for my private two day excursion tomorrow.