Μου κάνει εντύπωση, Δαεμάνε, που ενώ εντόπισες το πολύ ενδιαφέρον
αυτό βιβλίο, δεν έσπευσες να ρίξεις μια ματιά στο πιο καυτό όνομα της επικαιρότητας:
Φιλίππα, χαϊδευτικά
Πίππα. Ιδού, το κάνω εγώ για σένα.
Θαύμασε ιστορίες ποθοπλανταγμένων πριγκιπόπουλων και δεσποινίδων με διάφανο δέρμα. Στην τελευταία παράγραφο εξηγεί κι ένα ωραίο παιχνίδι συναναστροφής:
PHILIPPA
Philippa is a Greek word, the first syllable meaning "lover," the second "horse." The name, then, may be translated "lover of horse," or horse flesh. The father of Alexander the Great was the first noted person to bear the name. [...] Phillippine, the French form of the name, has also been adopted by the Germans, with the difference that they sound the last letter.
A pretty pet name is "Flipote." The Latin countries use the English version, substituting "f" for "ph." Lippa and Pippa are diminutives much favored in Italy.
[...] "Pippa Passes," by Robert Browning, has been called the grandest of his dramatic works. Charles Dickens called it the finest poem of the nineteenth century, striking deep into the very substance and core of the soul.
As a royal name, Philippa has not been used since the fourteenth century, though there have been Kings Philip in plenty. Philippa was the queen of the third Edward of England. She was a Dutch princess, the daughter of Count William of Holland and Hainault. She spelled her name in the French fashion, Philippe. A daughter and a niece were baptized Philippa and carried the name northward to Sweden and southward to Portugal. Every second man or woman in the Island of Jersey is called Philip, or Phipp, for short.
A most romantic story is that of Philippine Welser, a citizen's daughter of Augsburg, the most beautiful girl of her period, end of the sixteenth century. It was said that her complexion was so fine that, when she drank red wine, it shone through her skin. Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol made love to the girl, but she would not listen to his protestations unless he married her. A marriage between the emperor's son and a plain citizen's daughter was fraught with many dangers in those days, but Ferdinand finally sacrificed himself, as he thought, and married Philippine in secret. After the honeymoon was over Philippine went to Vienna and threw herself at the feet of her husband's father, the emperor, imploring his protection " against a haughty and implacable father-in-law." The emperor was charmed by the beauty of the strange girl, and raising her from her knees gave her his imperial word that her father-in-law would treat her kindly. Then Philippine made herself known and the emperor received her as a beloved daughter.
The "Philippine game" provides much fun for young people of both sexes in Europe. A couple of them share a twin almond and thereafter the party, accepting anything from the other without crying Philippine loses and is obliged to give the other a present. The Philippine game causes much fun at dinners.