Greek-Romanian historical links

"There is hardly a foot of soil in all this region that has not been enriched with the blood of men, patriots or invaderrs". Dracula, chaper 3

In 1913, July 28th, the Bucarest Treaty was the first epilogue to the Balcan Wars. Greece and Romania fought on the same side in two Wars against different opponents, that changed the Balcan map and forbode World War 1. Click here for more and here for history-lover's Pericles work in Greek. Many thanks to Vaggelis for his assistance.

Σαν σήμερα το 1913 υπογράφτηκε η συνθήκη του Βουκουρεστίου, που έβαλε τέλος στους Βαλκανικούς Πολέμους, όπου Ρουμανία και Ελλάδα πολέμησαν εναντίον κοινών εχθρών, αλλά προανήγγειλαν τον Πρώτο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο. Για την εργασία του Περικλή στον Δεύτερο Βαλκανικό, που αφορά τις συνεργάτιδες χώρες μας, πατήστε εδώ. Ευχαριστούμε τον Βαγγέλη για την πολύτιμη αρωγή του.

Dracula's Diary

Vaggelis Fotiadis, 18, took up our Romanian colleague’s suggestion and wrote a few pages from Dracula's diary. No dates -the Count is Timeless- no gruesome details -he remains a nobleman, despite being a villain. Click on the picture to see the diary in Greek. This is the Library translation:

Σελίδες από το ημερολόγιο του Δράκουλα, από το Βαγγέλη Φωτιάδη. Πατήστε στην εικόνα για το κείμενο στα ελληνικά.

"My name is Vlad Tepes and this is my story. I have been blessed or cursed, with what humans call immortality. Why mortals wish for it is beyond my comprehension. I cannot deny it is a privelege to be able to watch the beginning and the end of others. But what would these vain people say if they experienced TIME as I do? Their poor minds simply cannot conceive the notion of this “gift”.
Once, when I too was wrapped in my mortal coil I could not forsee what was in store for me. I can still see my beloved materializing from specks of dust in the moonlight only to vanish as I reach for her. I too have loved. I was happy by human measures. Now the loneliness is insufferable. It is the price to pay for eternal existence.
.....
On the ship
Is there anyone out there able enough to understand a creature like myself? Can I hope for some feeling of sympathy for my plight except the loathing I am doomed to arise in others? I have crossed the river of Time with success by nowhere have I found happiness. Nothing can relieve my entrapped soul except precious blood that allows me to linger on until my next meal. People hate me for it.
....
In London
Yes, I must suffer the hatred of my inferiors, I, Vlad Tepes, a knignt of the order of Dracul! But would my enemies destroy an animal simply for hunting down and killing its prey, as it is in its nature to do? People like Van Helsing and his ridiculous lot make me angry. No! Furious is the word.
......
Back at my homeland
I have been the cause of utmost misery to other humans. But I only give what was offered to me. Many are the moments I have pondered on my own existence. Am I still here as a mere whim of Fortune?
Sometimes I wish someone would release me from my undeathness. Only then could I find peace."

Dracula's influence. Part 2. E-games

Nowadays Dracula and his kind, the Vampires have become part of all kinds of entertainment. It’s only natural that videogames would include these characters. There’s a whole series of games based on the Dark Lord’s Legend, where there is at least one vampire or a creature with vampiric powers e.g. the Vampiric Lion in every RPG –Role Playing Game- edition.
A legend among these games is Vampire-the Masquerade. Though I have never actually played it, I’ve read the best comments about it in books and magazines about games and also vampires.
The series that rotates round the legend of Count Dracula is Castlevania. In this game there are enough similarities and differences to write a small book. Yet, I’ll try to be as curt as I can.
Dracula is the fiend that will have abducted or killed a young woman. He transforms only in the ultimate battle. His reformed son, Alucard, who is with the “good guys’ can turn into a wolf, a bat or mist.The areas in the games, such as Subterranean Hell, the Demon Guest House, the Gypsy Village outside the Castle, the Mine of Judgement, the Abyss –the entrance to Hell- are all of close reference to the book. We can easily recognise Dracula’s wherabouts and Johnathan Harker’s dwellings in Transylvania. Dracula can be battled by swords, spears, axes, the holy water and the crusifix. However, he can only be slain by the Vampire Whip. That is why he reappears every hundred years.Technically, the H/P button (Heath/Hit Button) makes it difficult to aim exactly at the opponents neck. So, beheading the fiend is out of the question.
A major difference is the presence of Death, who converses and battles the main hero in every title. Also, areas such as the Garden of Madness, with the carnivorous plants, the Wizard Lab, where mutated creatures are made and a Time-travelling character, bare the influence of our times on the game.
Finally, Dracula’s undeathness, necromancy and above all, untangible mystery has passed on from Stoker’s book to the electronic era.
Costas Papageorgiou, 16

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