Know Thyself
project by Anna-Alexandra and Elia Nedkov
Short movie by and poetry inspired by the ancient mysteries on Samothrace
filmed and written on Samothrace island, summer 2018
Know Thyself
poetry by Anna-Alexandra
translated from Bulgarian to English by Zornitsa Hristova
Know
The water, wine, and incense,
The sound of stone upon the slope
The seafoam where
The marble column’s shadow bathes.
Know
The leaves of that wild olive
Touched by Eurus*,
The deep and bitter taste,
The black and thirsty root.
Carry
The world upon your shoulder,
In pain the wounds will heal.
And leave
A shallow imprint
When you kneel
To see your face upon the sea.
*Eurus: the Eastern wind in Greek mythology, born from the marriage of the titan Astraeus and the rosy-fingered goddess of dawn Eos (Aurora).
Still from Know Thyself
Know Thyself is a project that involves video installation, poetry and objects. The project examines the philosophical theme of self-knowledge as the deepest wisdom.
There are 147 maxims carved in the stone of the Apollo Temple in Delphi, one of the most important sanctuaries of Antiquity. According to the sources at the entrance, there was an inscription – Know thyself.