Home life in Hellas, Greece and the Greeks - eBooks4Greeks.gr

it.DOMESTIC LIFE 171With us, the creation and gradual growth ofthe environment which we call home is one ofthe greatest pleasures in life. It possesses nointerest for the Greek. Indeed, it has no placein his scheme of existence. The imposing facadesof Athenian houses conceal, for the most part,a bare and comfortless interior, and a well-keptgarden is rare. The reason is not far to seek.A garden is not made in a year, and a personwho changes his residence every twelve monthsdoes not want to be troubled with much furniture,nor is he particular as to its arrangement, seeingthat it will be carted away in a few months. Ofcourse instances may be cited to the contrary, andthere are delightful homes in Athens. But theyare the exception, and they belong in nearly everycase to people who have lived many years inWestern Europe, or who come from Helleniclands outside Greece. Next door to the house inwhich these words are being written dwells a professorof the University. He does not possessa foot of garden ground, yet he has turned hiscourtyard and exterior stairway into a bower ofclimbing plants, and histhe more brilliantflowery windows are allin contrast with the blank casementson either hand. He. does not occupy hishouse merely, but lives in it. But he is a nativeof Samos, and his taste for flowers is derived fromthe Turks, though perhaps he would not admitit. The foregoing remarks apply chiefly to theGreeks of Athens and the larger towns. In the