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Greece crowning Lord Byron, Statue at the Zappeion Garden in Athens
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, usually referred to as Lord Byron, is considered one of the most iconic Romantics poets and arguably the most famous Philhellene; a fascinating and highly influential figure throughout his life, he died at the age of thirty-six in the war-stricken town of Missolonghi, during the Greek War of Independence, which only added to his legend.
Lord Byron in Greece
Lord Byron was born in London in 1788; he lived in exuberance, and became notorious for his flamboyant lifestyle and for his numerous romantic and, at times, scandalous love affairs. He entered the House of Lords at the age of 21, and the following year he set on a long journey to the Mediterranean (1809-1811), which was the inspiration for one of his most famous works, the narrative poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. He visited Greece during his travels, and stayed in Athens for extended periods of time.
Byron was fascinated by Greece, and visited several archaeological sites. He was incensed by the removal of the Parthenon marbles by Lord Elgin, especially after seeing the spaces left by the missing friezes and metopes, and denounced Elgin's actions in his poem The Curse of Minerva.
The publication of Childe Harold would make him a celebrity, and he would go on to produce many more works; he later resumed his extensive travels, especially in Italy, where he stayed for many years.
In 1823, Byron was living in Genoa with his young mistress, Countess Teresa Guiccioli. Mobilised by British officer Edward Blaquiere, he decided to travel to Greece to act as agent of the London Philhellenic Committee, which had been formed to aid the Greek struggle. He initially sailed for the island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Islands – at the time, a protectorate of Great Britain.
After several months, he left for the mainland and, in January 1824, he arrived by boat in Missolonghi, where he was received with great enthusiasm. He probably chose this destination because Alexandros Mavrokordatos, a prominent Phanariote politician who commanded units of Philhellenes in the War, had repeatedly invited Byron to the town in his letters; Missolonghi was of great strategic importance to the Greek forces, and was Mavrokordatos’s base. The town had twice been under siege by the Ottomans, but had successfully held out against them.
The poet had brought with him a substantial amount of money, which he had secured, among else, by selling his property of Rochdale Manor, and was planning to spend all of it to support the Greek cause. Despite his lack of military experience, Byron was also expected to lead an attack against the Ottoman-held fortress of Lepanto, in the Gulf of Corinth. The planned attack was however delayed due to internal differences (the Greek Revolution was thwarted by a civil war at the time) and Byron’s own health condition, as he fell gravely ill in February - possibly a relapse of malaria.
He made a partial recovery, but took a violent cold in early April, after being caught in a storm while riding, and suffered chills and extreme pain. After a violent fever attack, Byron died on 19 April 1824.
On 22 January 1824, the day of his last birthday, Byron had written a poem inspired by his recent arrival in Missolonghi.
On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year
‘Tis time the heart should be unmoved,
Since others it hath ceased to move:
Yet, though I cannot be beloved,
Still let me love!
My days are in the yellow leaf;
The flowers and fruits of love are gone;
The worm, the canker, and the grief
Are mine alone!
The fire that on my bosom preys
Is lone as some volcanic isle;
No torch is kindled at its blaze–
A funeral pile.
The hope, the fear, the jealous care,
The exalted portion of the pain
And power of love, I cannot share,
But wear the chain.
But ’tis not thus–and ’tis not here–
Such thoughts should shake my soul nor now,
Where glory decks the hero’s bier,
Or binds his brow.
The sword, the banner, and the field,
Glory and Greece, around me see!
The Spartan, borne upon his shield,
Was not more free.
Awake! (not Greece–she is awake!)
Awake, my spirit! Think through whom
Thy life-blood tracks its parent lake,
And then strike home!
Tread those reviving passions down,
Unworthy manhood!–unto thee
Indifferent should the smile or frown
Of beauty be.
If thou regrett’st thy youth, why live?
The land of honourable death
Is here:–up to the field, and give
Away thy breath!
Seek out–less often sought than found–
A soldier’s grave, for thee the best;
Then look around, and choose thy ground,
And take thy rest.
Although the painful end that Lord Byron met was not in combat, his sacrifice was not in vain; as British historian David Brewer wrote, "his presence in Greece, and in particular his death there, drew to the Greek cause not just the attention of sympathetic nations, but their increasing active participation".
(Source: GreekNewsAgenda)
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