Κάτου στον Άι-Γιώργη Παραδοσιακό κερκυραϊκό τραγούδι

[Theseus]

I know that the events behind the following song are based on solid fact. It has always been one of my favourite Greek dances (see Άι Γιωργης Χοροστάσι. I have at last found the words to the Corfu song but I know that there are very many versions throughout the Greek islands. I should like help with translating the following:

Κάτου στον Άη-Γιώργη
στο κρύο το νερό (is Κρυό Νερό also a place in Corfu?)
σκοτώσαν το Γιαννάκη
τον μοναχοϋγιό (the only son?).

Τούρκοι τον εσκοτώσαν
Ρωμιοί τον κλαίγανε
Τα δυο του τ’ αδερφάκια
τον εγυρεύανε.

Σήκω (how poignant!) μωρέ Γιαννάκη
να πάμε σπίτι μας
Που κλαίει η αδερφή μας
κλαίει κι η νύφη μας
Λα-λά, λα-λά, λα-λά-λα, λά-λα-λα,
λα-λά, λα-λά, λα-λά-λα, λά-λα-λα.

Κι όπως τον κατεβάζαν από τη σκάλα του
Μικροί – μεγάλοι κλαίγαν την ομορφάδα του
Λα-λά, λα-λά, λα-λά-λα, λά-λα-λα,
λα-λά, λα-λά, λα-λά-λα, λά-λα-λα.

It would be fascinating to see variations of the song in the different islands. What I like particularly about this dance is its slow and measured beauty, the solemn faces of women fixing their attention on getting the dance perfect, the haunting music.
''The isles of Greece! the isles of Greece/ Where burning Sappho loved and sung.........

 

[SBE]

Κάτου = κάτω = down (obviously in the local pronunciation)
στο κρύο νερό= by the spring/ river
Σήκω = get up
σκάλα = Ι will let someone else translate this, as I understand it as "as they were taking him down the stairs of his house", but σκάλα has other meanings, including several local ones, so it might mean something else.

P.S. The song does not refer to places in Corfu, according to my gooogling, but is a Corfu version of an 11th c. παραλογή and it is widely found throughout Greece in several variations.

 

[Earion]

You’ll be surprised perhaps, but σκάλα in Medieval Greel meant also αναβολέας (stirrup).

 

[Theseus]

Thanks, both. I think your translation is correct, SBE. It makes admirable sense in context. For a Corfu dialect list, I have found very helpful http://www.proz.com/?sp=gloss/term&id=4073332.
Also the meaning of σκάλα as stirrup is wholly knew to me. Thanks, Earion.

 

[Themis†]

The song does not refer to places in Corfu, according to my gooogling, but is a Corfu version of an 11th c. παραλογή and it is widely found throughout Greece in several variations.

Ακριβώς (αν και μάλλον κατάσσεται στα ακριτικά και όχι στις παραλογές):

Κάτου 'ς την άσπρη πέτρα και 'ς το κρυό νερό,
εκεί κείτεται ο Γιάννος τ' Ανδρονίκου ο γιος,
κομμένος και σφαμένος κι' ανεγνώριστος.[...]
Τούρκοι τον παραστέκουν και Ρωμιοί τον κλαιν,
κι' απάρθενα κοράσια τον μοιρολογούν.[...]
http://users.uoa.gr/~nektar/arts/tributes/folk_songs/akritika.htm

 

[SBE]

You’ll be surprised perhaps, but σκάλα in Medieval Greel meant also αναβολέας (stirrup).

So "as they were taking him down from his horse".

 

[Theseus]

Presumably Τούρκοι τον παραστέκουν means 'stand by' after they have killed him rather than 'stand by to help' him'. In Pontos παραστέκω can mean 'to watch over the dead'. So here it might mean: 'the Turks keep guard over his corpse'.:)

 

[SBE]

It does indeed mean that.
I am a bit surprised that the song mentions Turks because in the acritic tradition the opponents are always Arabs, since the songs originate in the time of the western expansion of the Arabs (7-9th c.), but then I suppose that is why this song is placed in the 11th c.

 

[Theseus]

Thanks from Glevum to Londinium!

 

[drsiebenmal]

It does indeed mean that.
I am a bit surprised that the song mentions Turks because in the acritic tradition the opponents are always Arabs, since the songs originate in the time of the western expansion of the Arabs (7-9th c.), but then I suppose that is why this song is placed in the 11th c.

The mention of John and Andronikos and Turks could date the song to the late 14th century (or later) when many Byzantine emperors named John and Andronikos ruled, all of both the Kantakouzenos and Palaiologos families. However, the only John son of an Andronikos was John V Palaiologos who had a tumultuous reign but did not die as per the song.

 

[Theseus]

There is an introduction to the thread version of the song:-

Έλκει την καταγωγή του από τα Ακριτικά τραγούδια και είναι από τα παλαιότερα τραγούδια της κερκυραϊκής παράδοσης. Αναφέρεται σε πραγματικό πρόσωπο του 10ου – 11ου αιώνα τον Γιαννάκη, γιο του ακρίτα Ανδρόνικου. Ο θρήνος για τον θάνατό του γίνεται θρύλος που διαδίδεται σε όλες τις περιοχές: από τα νησιά του Αιγαίου και την Κρήτη μέχρι τα νησιά του Ιονίου, από την Πελοπόννησο και την Ήπειρο σε όλες τις περιοχές του Βυζαντίου. Για αυτό και υπάρχουν πολλές παραλλαγές αυτού του τραγουδιού. Υπάρχει, βέβαια, και μια άλλη εκδοχή. Το τραγούδι γράφεται για έναν λαϊκό ήρωα που έχασε τη ζωή του πολεμώντας γενναία σε μια από τις πολιορκίες του νησιού μας από τους Τούρκους την περίοδο της ενετοκρατίας. Αρχικά ήταν διαδεδομένο και χορευόταν στα χωριά της Νότιας Κέρκυρας, γιατί συνδέεται με μια πραγματική Ιστορία. Με την αρπαγή του Γιαννάκη το 1725 περίπου από πειρατές στον Άι – Γιώργη, στην παραλία, κοντά στο «Κρύο το Νερό.
This is the supposed background to the Corfiote lyrics. It might help.

 

[SBE]

The mention of John and Andronikos and Turks could date the song to the late 14th century (or later) when many Byzantine emperors named John and Andronikos ruled, all of both the Kantakouzenos and Palaiologos families. However, the only John son of an Andronikos was John V Palaiologos who had a tumultuous reign but did not die as per the song.

Ι was under the impression that Andronikos is a generic name, since the songs are not about emperors but warriors.

 

[drsiebenmal]

Ι was under the impression that Andronikos is a generic name, since the songs are not about emperors but warriors.

It could very well be, but it would not be a wonder if the alternating names of almost a dozen emperors of the times were used... :)