This is the first ever translation of this talk into English, originally translated and delivered at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, Swansea, IL, in 1997 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, for parishioners attending a luncheon honoring the 176th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence, the Liberation of Greece from the Ottoman yoke. We publish this translation today, the day of his repose, as a tribute to the great leader.
Preface
Theodoros Kolokotronis is identified with the Greek War of Independence of 1821, as its most notable representative. He became famous especially after his victory against the Turks at Valtetsi and even more so after he crushed the incomparably superior Turkish army at Dervenakia. Imprisoned for political reasons, he was freed to fight the infamous Ibraim Pasha. After part of Greece was liberated, he was imprisoned again by the Viceregency. He was issued a death sentence but it was later commuted. There he remained, for about four years, until the young Bavarian king Otto came of age, assumed the regency, and freed him. The remaining five years of his life, until his death on February 4, 1843, he lived in poverty in a slum house in Athens.
These few lines do not render due justice to this great man. As you will see from his own words, he was a man of deep faith, and faith, according to St. John Chrysostom, is the mother of virtues. He also possessed many other virtues: love towards everyone, foe and friend alike, forgiveness, patience, humility, detachment from money and material goods. His unshakable faith made him always exclaim: “God has signed Greece’s freedom, and He won’t take His signature back.”
Forty days prior to his death, which he had foreseen, he passed through the places where he had played a role, and asked forgiveness of the inhabitants for any transgressions or injustices against them for which he might have been responsible in the whirlwind of the war. He reposed in the Lord with a clear conscience, that he had done his duty to his country, leaving it free and of one mind.
Introduction
Theodoros Kolokotronis visited the Hellenic High School of Athens on November 7th, 1838, and for an hour and a half listened to principal George Gennadios lecture to the students. He became so enthused from the lesson and the sight of the students, that he expressed a desire to address the students himself. His request was gladly accepted, and he was scheduled to speak on the following day at the Pynx, a small hill opposite the Acropolis, which would provide ample space. Besides the students and the teachers, many other Athenians who were informed about the event attended his memorable speech.
My Children:
In this place where I stand today, wise men stood and spoke in ancient times, men whom I am not worthy of comparison, nor to approach their footsteps. It has been my desire, my children, to see you in the great glory of our forefathers, and I have come to tell you whatever things I myself have observed during the time of our struggle, as well as before and after it, so that we may draw certain conclusions from them about your future happiness, though only God knows the things of the future.
Concerning the ancient Hellenes, what great knowledge they had, and what great glory and honor they enjoyed compared to the other nations of their day, what great and heroic generals and politicians they had. If I were to speak to you about the things which you hear every day from your teachers and our learned men, I would certainly fall short. I will only tell you that they were wise, and that it was from them that the other nations took and borrowed their wisdom. I will only tell you a few things, to the extent that I know, about their religion.
In the land which we inhabit, there lived the ancient Hellenes, from whom we too have our origin and received this name of ours. They differed from us in religion because they worshipped stones and wood. But when Christ came into the world, the nations believed in His Gospel and ceased worshiping idols. He did not choose for Himself the wisest of people, nor those who were well-off, but rather, simple men, peasants and fishermen, who, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, learned all the languages of the world; and although they encountered opposition everywhere they went and were persecuted by kings and rulers, no one was able to harm them. They strengthened the Faith.
The ancient Hellenes, our ancestors, fell into discord, and began to squabble among themselves. This gave the opportunity to the Romans, first, and later to other barbarians to conquer and subjugate them. Then came the Muslims who did whatever they could to force our people to change their faith. They went about cutting out tongues of many people, but it proved impossible for them to achieve their goal. As soon as they cut one, another would show up making the sign of the Cross. When the Sultan saw this situation, he appointed a viceroy – a Patriarch – and gave him authority over the Church. He and the rest of the clergy did whatever the Sultan dictated to them. Then kodjabashis, or notables, were appointed everywhere.
The third class, the merchants and those who were well-off, the upper class citizens, not tolerating the yoke, fled abroad, and the educated ones took their books and left Greece, their country. Thus, the people remained deprived of the means of progress, and fell into a wretched condition which got worse every day. Because if someone was found among the people who was a little educated, the clergy (who enjoyed certain privileges) would take him, or the merchants of Europe would drag him abroad to assist them, or he would become secretary to the head of the village.
Finally, there were those who, not being able to endure the tyranny of the Turks any longer, and the sight of the glory and the pleasures they enjoyed, abandoned their Faith and became Muslims.
Thus, every day the people grew thinner and poorer. In this miserable condition, a few of those who had fled and were educated, translated some books and sent them over to Greece. To these men we owe a debt of gratitude, because as soon as one of the simple folks learned the basics of reading, they read these books and they learned their forefathers were, what Themistocles, Aristides, and many others did, and we all saw what a great people we had once were. Then it occurred to us to imitate them, and to prosper. Thus the Society of Friends [Filikí Hetería] was formed, and we made progress.
When we decided to start the Revolution, we neither took account of how few we were, nor that we had no weapons, nor that the Turks held the fortresses and the cities. Nor did any wise advisor say to us, “Where do you think you are going, battling galleons with wheat-freighters.” But the desire for our freedom fell on everyone like a downpour, and everyone – clergy, notables, leaders, the educated and merchants, young and old, were all in agreement for this cause and declared the Revolution.
During the first year of the Revolution we were of one mind. We had agreed that one would run to battle, his brother would bring wood, his wife would knead bread, his son would carry food and amunition to the camp, and if this concord had lasted two more years, we would have conquered Thessaly and Macedonia – perhaps we would have reached Constantinople. So much had we frightened the Turks; just hearing the word “Greek”, they would run a thousand miles away. One-hundred Greeks would rout five-thousand Turks, and a single boat would rout a fleet. But this didn’t last…
Once the discord began, the former eagerness and concord vanished. When Costa was asked to give money for the needs of the Nation or to go to war, he would point to Yianni, and thus, no one wanted to contribute or to fight. And this was happening because we didn’t have one chief, one head, but one came in as president for six months, and another would rise up and knock him down, only to replace him for just as many months. So one wanted this one and the other that one. Perhaps we all sought what was good, only each according to his own opinion.
When many give orders a house can never be built or established. One says, “The door must face east”, the other says “West”; still another says “North”, as if the house were on a cart and turned at anyone’s will. Houses can never be built this way. There must be one architect who directs everything. Similarly, we were in need of a leader, an architect, who would order and the rest would obey and follow. But because we were in such a predicament on account of our discord, all of Turkey fell upon us, and we were nearly lost. So the last [seven] years we did not accomplish any great things.
Into this state of affairs comes the king; things calm down; commerce and agriculture and the arts begin to develop, especially education. This learning would make us grow and prosper. But in order to grow, we also needed our State to be firmly established, which was achieved through the cultivation and support of the Throne. Our king is young and is adapting to our place. He is not temporary, but his kingdom is to be passed on in succession to the children of his children, and both you and your children will live with him.
You must keep your faith and strengthen it, because when we took up arms, we first said, “For the Faith” and then “for the country”. Every nation of the world has and keeps one religion or another. Even the Jews who are persecuted and are hated by all the nations of the world remain firm in their religion.
Don’t live in luxury. Don’t frequent coffeeshops and billiard halls. Apply yourselves to studies. It is better to suffer a little, two or three years and live free the rest of your life, rather than pass four or five years of your youth and remain uneducated, ending up slaves in your old age.
Always listen to the advice of your teachers and elders, according to the saying, “Learn a hundred things and know a thousand”. Let your progress become a climbing axe, not only for yourself, but also for the good of the community, for it is in the latter that your own well-being lies.
As for me, my children, unfortunately, due to the circumstances, I remained uneducated, and for this I beg your forgiveness, since I cannot speak like your teachers. I have told you what I myself saw, heard and came to know, so that you might benefit by learning from the past, and from the bad results of discord, to avoid the latter and strive for concord instead.
Do not look up to us any more. Our word and our times have passed, and the days of the generation which cleared the way for you will soon come to an end. The day of our life will be succeeded by the night of our death…You must straighten up and adorn the place which we liberated. And in order for this to be done, you must set as foundations of the State: the Faith, the cultivation of the throne, and prudent liberty.
To conclude my speech:
Long live our king, Othon!
Long live the wise teachers!
Long live the Greek Youth!
Translation edited by AKH, Feb 3, 2025. The text from which this translation was made, in Greek, appeared on the second page of the Feb. 14, 1997 issue of the newspaper Ορθόδοξος Τύπος.
