Road to Priene
A Column in Priene
Can you spot the difference between these two drawings? Two hours in scorching heat, drawing this column from the Temple of Athena Polias, dedicated in 334 by Alexander the Great in Priene, a city high on a hill over a grassland that once was the harbor. Realized with horror that I’d left out one of the two small sections at the top. It drove me crazy. A friend said, “Trici, nobody in this life will ever notice that,” but-Damn! So I went in digitally and fixed it.
Did Alexander Sit Here?
The ancient Greek theater at Priene is overgrown with pine trees, which horrifies archeologists. I find it charming. There are five massive marble chairs around the stage at center. They are right at the edge and there is no blood screen. This means that the theater is intact from ancient Greek times, before the Romans and their blood sports. Alexander the Great paid for this theater. Did he sit here? Many tourists have, which is the reason for the thick enamel-like patina, all from the last hundred years.
Face of Many Cultures
At the foot of the mountain, under the ruined ancient city of Priene, is a village where the women weave for trade. This lady posed for me, but I didn’t have time to get that animal-print. I came home, scanned the unfinished drawing, bought an animal-print shirt at the bazaar and posed it myself in the mirror.
Beach and Weavers
As we visited the weavers at Priene, Little Simay came in with her ice cream, and now I have her forever. After a happy day of ruins and far vistas, we came to the beach, in the fading heat, for an evening swim.
Eros and Priapus: Aspects of Love
