The catharsis ⋮ of proportion.

…the catharsis of Greek tragedy is, in essence,
nothing more than a matter of proportion…

Yorgos Himonas, from the introduction
to his 1989 version of Euripides’ Medea

…ἡ Κάθαρση στὴν τραγωδία δὲν είναι, στὴν ουσία,
παρὰ ἕνα ζήτημα ἀναλογίας…

Yorgos Himonas (1938–2000) was a psychiatrist, translator, and writer.

Translated for and taken from the 2008 printed programme created for the stage work Medea(2) by Dimitris Papaioannou.

In the book, this fragment is set alongside a wide-shot of Nikos Alexiou’s revived set design installed inside an industrial space. The words elucidate his work.

arkhæio
MEDEA (TO THE POWER OF) TWO MEDEA MANUAL A (FOR ATHENS)

dubitanda
enters ⋮ darkness fundamental ⋮ measure

A ballad ⋮ beloved.

A life ⋮ forever here.

A mutilated ⋮ death.

All ⋮ in and of itself.

All that I ⋮ back.

An all-round driver of ⋮ systems.

An earthquake ⋮ himself.

An opportunity⋮ precedes syntax.

And ⋮ the land.

Are you afraid ⋮ comrade.

Banana falls ⋮ over.

Betrayal comes from ⋮ another.

Boughs ⋮ like ink (Egyptian).

But rejection ⋮ at night.

Don’t ⋮ bare, bereft.

Down on the ⋮ floor.

Each night, ⋮ tears.

For better or ⋮ return.

Ghost boy ⋮ killer.

I am ⋮ weeping.

I asked him ⋮ to dance more.

I come ⋮ cover up.

I find a plaque ⋮ fascinating.

Inside ⋮ its warm embrace.

It is ⋮ everything.

Let me ⋮ never come.

Like ⋮ the smell of earth.

Look now ⋮ and grow tame.

Me – the material ⋮ necessity.

Miss! Pride and ⋮ bows.

Nightmarish forest of ⋮ our own.

Noon ⋮ lies ahead.

Painting ⋮ with the body.

Plunged in ⋮ our gaze.

Rose-like ⋮ all the flowers.

The catharsis ⋮ of proportion.

The difference ⋮ is absurdity.

The migratory moves ⋮ immense.

The things ⋮ now behind.

This here ⋮ (from Brazil.)

This place of ours is ⋮ sky.

Today ⋮ forever more.

What ⋮ everyone will say.

Words ⋮ seem unrecognisable.