The Axion Esti
poem by Elytis
Also known as: “To Axion Esti”
Quick Summary
The Axion Esti is a significant long poem by Greek Nobel laureate Odysseus Elytis. Published in 1959, it explores the essence of the speaker's identity, as well as the national identity of Greece and its people. The poem was set to music by Mikis Theodorakis and became very popular, contributing to Elytis's Nobel Prize win.1
The poem is considered a major work within modern Greek literature, often compared to the epic narratives of ancient Greece like Homer's Iliad and Odyssey in its scope and thematic depth.23
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