The Capsina: An Historical NovelBenson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
History
The Capsina: An Historical Novel
Benson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
Greece -- History -- War of Independence, 1821-1829 -- Fiction
Next day came news that Spetzas had openly joined the insurrection,
and two proselytizing brigs put into Hydra, to try to raise, if not
more ships, at any rate recruits. They both carried the new Greek
ensign, white and blue, and bearing the cross of Greece risen above the
crescent of Turkey. The tidings that the Capsina was going to join the
revolutionists with her ship had already spread through the town, and
when next morning she went down to the quay to speak with the captains
of the Spetziot vessels, she was like the queen bee to the swarm, and
the people followed her, cheering wildly. Their voices were music and
wine to her, and the thrill of exultation which belongs to acts of
leadership was hers.
Fierce and fine too was the news from Spetzas: the people had risen,
and after an immense meeting held on the quay had chosen a commander,
and broken open the treasury in which was kept the annual tribute
to the Ottoman government. The taxes had just been got in, and the
treasury was full. With this money eight brigs were being armed and
manned, and would set sail to Melos, at which island, as they knew,
were several Ottoman vessels making their annual cruise of conscription
for raising sailors. In such manner was the vintage of the sea to begin.
Round the Capsina and the Spetziot captains the crowd surged thickest.
One of these, Kostas Myrrides, had a certain loud and straight-hitting
gift of oratory, and the crowd gathered and swayed, and hung on his
words. There had been erected for him a sort of rude dais made of a
board placed upon two barrels, and from there he spoke to the people.
"The wine is drawn!" he cried; "to the feast then! Yet indeed there is
no choice. Greece is up in arms, and before long the armies and fleets
of the infidels will be on us. What will it profit you to stay still
and watch? Do you think that the Turks will sit in justice and examine
whether this man is an insurgent and the other is not? Is that their
way of dealing? The justice of the Turk! You have heard the proverb
and know what that means. The fire of war leaps from cape to cape and
mountain to mountain. Kindle it here. Already has one of you, and that
a woman whose name will not be forgotten, thrown in her lot with a
glorious cause--Greece, the freedom of Greece!"
The shout rose and broke in waves of sound, only to swell and tower
afresh when the speaker unfurled the new-blazoned flag, and waved it
above them. Truly, if the Turkish ship of conscription had come in
sight, there would have been short shrift for those on board.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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