Patrick Leigh Fermor’s ‘Hellen-Romaic Dilemma’
Patrick Leigh Fermor’s ‘Hellen-Romaic Dilemma’

Summary/Abstract: Research on Modern Greek identity consistently focuses on its core problem, the perpetual identity crisis (Faubion 1993:138, Verinis 2005:140, Wrazas 2010:45). The majority of scholars, both Greek and foreign, who deal with that issue constantly compare the present state of Modern Greek reality with its past, especially with the ancient times, obviously finding such a comparison necessary or even inevitable; they are probably right, for as it seems most of Modern Greek humanities thrive and develop in shadow of the ancients. Linguists dauntlessly seek etymological proofs that provide connections between Modern Greek words and their supposed Ancient equivalents.1 Ethnographers and researchers of modern social life in Greece strive to find similarities between modern and ancient customs and social institutions (Danforth 1984:56). Other Folklorists that gather folk songs and document dances are satisfied if they can justify a link between modern and ancient lyrics, or trace the present village dance footsteps to some ancient patterns, either described or depicted.

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