An Eagle soared to the heights, up high in the sky
His feet were red and his beak was black,
in his claws a brave youth’s hands he grasped.
Eagle, would you give me what you hold? Can you tell me where the body is?
- I cannot give what I hold. The body is over there.
- Make an iron staff and bronze sandals
And take the road, straight, straight down the path.
Over there beyond the mountain and farther on beyond the fir trees
The black birds devour him, the white ones encircle him.
- Eat birds, eat birds, eat the lonely hero,
- the brave sea warrior the honored Akritas,
in war a “Greek hero”, in battle like a lion.

Comments and Observations:

Frequently heroes remain unburied. Quite often they become victims of birds of prey. This is exactly the fate of the hero of the aforementioned poem.

Akritas battles and sacrifices his life for the liberation of his homeland. The conditions of war are tragic. The bestowing of honors to the great dead man is not possible. His bloody body is found heaped on the ground in some remote place.

Black birds slowly nibble away at his honored body. White birds lament him. And nature, fulfilling the tragic greatness of the moment, offers him her wildflowers. Nearby, and next to the warrior that recollects his glory.

However, thirty times Hellene cannot remain in oblivion. Divine Providence ponders him. The respectful eagle carries out her request and proceeds like lightning. He descends to earth and tears off the hands from the body of the young hero. Then he takes wing and ascends to the sky.

The poetic image is replete with glory. The eagle with the hands of the hero in his claws, soars like a bright meteor in the sky. The glory and brightness of the hero culminate – reaches its zenith - from the heights, illuminating the horizon above and beyond time.

Nations establish monuments to the Unknown Soldier. At every national celebration, the Unknown Soldier is honored in a variety of celebratory expressions/demonstrations. Composers and poets write and compose verse and musical pieces about him. They are expressions of wonder and gratitude for his precious offering at the altar of a nation.

The popular Hellenic muse does not provide any eulogistic musical note for the “Unknown Soldier”. The Pontian muse, in the above referenced poem, offers the finest hymn for the “Unknown Chieftain Akritas”. It removes him from anonymity. It makes him renowned with the universal name “Akritas”. It sings his praises, describing his tragic splendor.