Abstract:

This is an English translation of the work “Traces of the Old Literature of the Albanians of Greece (1860–1889)” by Arben P. Llalla. This book examines the historical, linguistic, and cultural legacy of the Arvanites—the Albanian-speaking communities of Greece—highlighting their contributions to Albanian heritage and Greek history. Drawing on archival research, early texts written in Greek script, and oral traditions, the study documents the preservation of the Albanian language through centuries despite systematic suppression after 1821. The work explores Arvanite participation in the Greek War of Independence, their role in modern Greek statehood, political leadership, and cultural achievements in music, literature, and the arts. By tracing linguistic connections across Albanian diaspora communities, this book enriches understanding of Albanian identity and historical memory.

Author: Arben P. Llalla

Translator and Editor: Petrit Latifi
Editor: Teuta Llalla
Publisher: Tringa Design, Tetovo, 2006
Edition: 500 copies
Cover: Map of Epirus and the Ionian Sea (J. Jannsson & I. Laurenber, 1650)

Copyright © Authors
Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited (Law 2121/1993).

Dedication

The book is dedicated to the Albanians of Greece who worked to preserve and enrich Albanian history and language, among them:
Anastas Kullurioti, Panajoti Kupitori, Jorgo Maruga, Aristidh Kola, and others.

Preface

In recent years many studies have been published on early Albanian writing. Officially, the oldest known book in Albanian remains Gjon Buzuku’s “Meshari” (1555), written in Latin script. However, Albanian texts written in Greek letters also exist and merit deeper research, given the historical ties between Albanians and ancient Greece.

During my stay in Greece, I explored various archives. In the Archive of the League of Arvanites of Greece, I found 19th-century Albanian texts written in Greek script and published in Greek newspapers. These contain Albanian mixed with Greek and Italian elements. Bringing these documents to light is important for the study of Albanian linguistic and cultural history.

The transcription was difficult due to the lack of a comprehensive Albanian dictionary—modern Albanian dictionaries do not include many dialectal words used by Arbëresh in Italy, Zadar in Croatia, Arvanites in Greece, Albanians in Bulgaria and Ukraine, or the Arnauts in Turkey. Also missing are words from Macedonian and Montenegrin Albanian dialects.

Living in Tetovo helped me recognize many words. The dialects of the Tetovo Highlands and Upper Reka share similarities with the Arvanite dialect, a relationship deserving future study.

I have translated and adapted the materials as accurately as possible. Some minor errors may remain due to unclear abbreviations or dialectical expressions. Consultation with Arvanite specialists would have been ideal, but I believe the work still contributes meaningfully to the enrichment of Albanian linguistic heritage.

On Terminology: Arvanites, Arbëresh, Albanians

Many scholars use the terms Arvanit/Arvanitas or Arbëror to refer to the Albanians of Greece. However, Greek–Albanian and Albanian–Greek dictionaries consistently translate:

• Arvanitas → Albanian
• Arvanitika → Albanian language
• Arvanitasi → “Little Albanian” (N. Gjini)
• Arvanitas → Arbëresh (K. Papafili’s dictionary)
• Albanian → Arvanites (in Greek)

In Italy, Arbëresh communities are officially called albanesi. The variations are due to historical differences in how surrounding peoples referred to Albanians. For clarity, in this book I use the term Arvanites for the Albanians of Greece, as this is the name used in Greek sources, although they represent a branch of the broader Albanian population.

Historical Notes on Names: Arbër, Alban, Arvanit

Ancient Albanians—known as Illyrians and later Albanians—called themselves Arbër, Arbënesh, Arbëresh, and their land Arbëri or Albania.

• Ptolemy (90–160 AD) mentions the Albanian people and their capital Albanopolis, located behind Durrës.
• Anna Komnene (1083–1146) notes that the population behind Durrës called themselves Arbanez.
• The Song of Roland (12th century) refers to the region from Durrës to Vlora as Albana or Albania.

The terms varied depending on the peoples using them:

• Greeks pronounced Arban as Arvan, giving Arvanites and Arvanitia.
• Turks used Arnaut or Arnavud.
• Some Arbëresh settlements in Italy were once labeled “Greci” due to confusion with Orthodox rites.
  • For example: Piana dei Greci → now Piana degli Albanesi.

This demonstrates a long history of naming variations tied to regional linguistic habits.

The Arvanites in Modern Greek History

During the Greek Uprising of 1821, the Great Powers grouped all insurgents under the common name Greeks to facilitate the formation of the modern Greek state. Thus Arvanites, Hellenes, Vlachs, and Bulgarians all became “Greeks” in the political sense.

Even Greek intellectuals of the 18th–19th centuries often preferred the names Romei (people) and Romaiki (language).
The revolutionary Rigas Fereos (1757–1798), in his poem “Song of the Struggle”, lists the peoples involved: Bulgarians, Albanians (Arvanites), Armenians, Greeks, Arabs—showing that Albanians were clearly recognized as a distinct group.

From the History of the Albanians of Greece (Arvanites)

It is true that at times Orthodox Arvanites clashed with Muslim Arvanites, fighting each other as if they belonged to different peoples. The Orthodox Arvanites fought the Muslim Arvanites as if they were Turks, while the Muslim Arvanites fought the Orthodox Arvanites as if they were Greeks. These conflicts were religious wars, not ethnic ones.

For many decades, the prevailing belief in Greece was that the Arvanites were an inferior race. The Arvanites themselves often believed this, because they were deprived of knowledge about their own history and about the decisive role their ancestors played in the formation of the modern Greek state. To deny their contribution, Greek political and cultural structures tried to suppress their identity: the Albanian language was denied, the Arvanite race was denied, and old Albanian manuscripts written in Greek letters were hidden so they would never reappear.

The Arvanites in Greek History

Studies on the Arvanites are extremely limited. Historical, cultural, linguistic, literary, and musical sources are scarce or entirely missing, largely because Greek state institutions took care to prevent Arvanite materials from coming to light. As a result, many documents of great importance for the history of the Albanian nation were lost or hidden.

The Arvanites are not newcomers to Greece, nor a minority. They have lived in the region continuously. Major waves of Arbër migrations southward occurred between the 4th–7th centuries and again in the 14th century, often driven by Slavic and later Ottoman invasions in northern Albania.

Some Greek, European, and Albanian historians have falsely presented prominent Arvanite figures as Greek minorities or as belonging to “Northern Epirus.” In the 19th century, the term Greek had a political meaning, not the national or linguistic one it has today.

To erase the Arvanite past, certain Greek politicians and historians vilified many Arvanite heroes of the 1821 Uprising—calling them traitors, imprisoning them, and even assassinating them after the establishment of the Greek kingdom. Despite such attempts, Greek history cannot be understood without the Albanian element.

Arvanites in the Greek War of Independence (1821)

The Arvanites were a decisive majority of the fighters in the 1821 Uprising. According to several historical sources, 90 out of 100 heroes of the revolution were Arvanites. Their warrior culture and strong sense of honor made them central figures in the struggle against Ottoman domination.

Famous Arvanite heroes include:

• Gheorghe and Pavlos Kountouriotis,
• Theodoros and Yannis Kolokotronis,
• Markos, Notis, and Kitsos Botsaris,
• Laskarina Bouboulina,
• Odysseas Androutsos,
• Andonis Miaoulis,
• Kiço Xhavella,
• Teodor Grivas,
• Konstantinos Kanaris,
  and many others whose Albanian origins are well documented.

The Arvanites also created Komite guerrilla groups during Ottoman rule, preserving traditions, customs, music, and their sense of freedom.

In 1674, the English consul in Athens, Jean Giraud, wrote that the klephts of Attica and Morea were all Arvanites.

Arvanites as Political Leaders of Greece

After independence, Arvanites became some of the first leaders of the Greek state, guiding Greece toward its European future.

Arvanite presidents and prime ministers included:

• Ioannis Kapodistrias
• Georgios and Pavlos Kountouriotis
• Andonis Kriezis
• Athanasios Miaoulis
• Diomidis Kiriakos
• Petros Voulgaris
• Alexandros Diomidis
• Theodoros Pangalos (President, 1925–1926)
• Georgios Papadopoulos, among others.

In 1850, Prime Minister Andonis Kriezis declared the Greek Church autocephalous, permanently cutting ties with the Patriarchate of Istanbul. Under Arvanite Prime Minister Dimitrios Voulgaris, the Ionian Islands were united with Greece.

The Arvanites also played a crucial role in the intellectual life of the country. Wealthy Albanian benefactor Simon Sina, from Voskopoja, financed the construction of the Academy of Athens (completed by his wife Iphigenia Sina in 1885).

Many renowned academics of the Academy of Athens were of Arvanite origin, such as Dhimitër Egjiniti, Angjelo Gjini, Sotiri Shqipi, Spiridon Doda, and others.

Arvanite Culture, Art, and Music

The traditional Arvanite way of life and dress fascinated many European travelers. Numerous famous painters depicted Arvanite warriors, and several highly regarded Greek painters themselves were of Arvanite origin, including:

• Polikron Lebeshi
• Eleni Boukoura
• Jani Altamura Boukoura
• Niko Engonopoulos
• Alqi Gjini
• Taso Haxhi
• And many others from Hydra, Euboea, and Attica.

The Arvanites preserved their language mainly through song, because they were not allowed to write it. Their songs express themes of freedom, love, resistance, and the spirit of the kaçak—the free, untamed man.

The Suliots in Corfu, for example, sang Arvanite songs about their heroes while cleaning their weapons. These songs contained no Greek words, as recorded by P. Joti in 1866 and later by Thimi Mitko in The Albanian Bee (1878).

German scholar Arthur Milchhöfer wrote in 1891 that many Greek folk songs were actually adaptations of older Arvanite songs.

The First Anthology of Arvanite Songs

In 2002, after 17 years of research, Arvanite musicologist and singer Thanasis Moraitis published the first anthology of Arvanite song lyrics: Anthology of Arvanite Songs from Greece. This groundbreaking work preserved many forgotten texts and laid the foundation for future study of Arvanite literature.

Through my own eight years of research in Greek archives and private libraries, I discovered several poetic texts, including satirical verses and one significant poem written in 1571 by the Arvanite warrior Manoli Blesi, originally in Italian but containing many Greekisms. The poem commemorates Arvanite fighters in the war for Cyprus. Only fragments survive today, preserved by K. Biris and Aristidh Kola.

Examples of Arvanite Oral Poetry

“Oh Poor Warriors…” (fragment)

Oh poor Warriors,
How shall we cross from here to Cyprus
to fight together?
Where is great Kelmendi,
captain of the army?
Where is brave Gërbeshi
who made the Turks tremble?

On the preservation of memory:

“This is how our memory is preserved.
None of us knew how to write,
but we made songs,
and they survived to this day.”

On the Arvanite language:

“The Arvanites sing—
they do not forget their language.
Mouth to mouth it is preserved,
with true songs.
Arvanitas does not know how to write,
but he knows how to preserve.”

“Our language is only spoken,
they do not allow it to be written.
So we made wise songs,
so that it would never be forgotten.”

ALBANIAN LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES

The main element distinguishing the Arvanites from other peoples of the modern Greek state is the Albanian language, which they traditionally spoke within the family environment.

For many centuries, Albanian was not a written language for the majority of its speakers. It was not a language of education, administration, or religion. It survived because it was the spoken language of daily life, passed orally from generation to generation. As a result, educated circles often referred to Albanian as a “barbaric” language. Since it was unwritten, it risked disappearing over time, losing both its originality and its emotional depth.

To preserve their language, the Arbër people created lullabies, epic songs (kreshnik songs), and laments, safeguarding the language’s memory through oral tradition. Song became the principal method of preservation. Many daily and historical events were transmitted through folk poetry, as expressed in the lines:

“Since we do not know how to write, we only speak—
with songs and with tears.”

These verses reveal the pain of the Arvanites for their language and their determination to preserve it.

The Albanian Language in the Early Greek State

In the early years of the modern Greek state, the German scholar Karl Theodor Reinhold, who lived for many years in Greece, studied the Albanian language. Reinhold served as a chief physician in the Greek Navy, where he learned Albanian—because at that time Albanian was the language of communication in the navy.

This tradition continued until the era of the great admiral of the Balkan Wars, Pavlos Kountouriotis, an Arvanite who became President of Greece in 1923. In his close circle, Kountouriotis spoke only Albanian, and the first regulations of the Greek Navy were written in Albanian—a fact many Greeks today refuse to believe.

After 1821 and until 1834, the capital of Greece was Nafplio, a predominantly Arvanite city. Debates in the National Assembly there were conducted in Albanian, while the official agenda was drafted in Greek. When King Otto arrived in 1833, he was shocked to discover that most of his new subjects did not speak Greek, but Albanian.

During the inauguration of the statue of Markos Botsaris in Missolonghi, the speaker thanked the Albanians of Greece and Albania for their sacrifice in the Revolution of 1821. King Otto turned pale hearing such praise. Bishop Porfirios responded boldly:

“Your Majesty, Albania gave birth to the founders of your nation!”
And turning to the people, he added:
“Woe to the nation whose king does not know its history.”

Reinhold’s Work and the Alphabet Question

Reinhold published The Pelasgian (Athens, 1855), in which he called Albanian “the language of the fleet.” The book includes a small Albanian lexicon that became a reference point for many European linguists.

Since Albanian had no standardized alphabet, Arvanites wrote it using:

• Greek letters (as Pavlos Kountouriotis and Ali Pasha Tepelena did),
• Latin letters (used by northern Albanian and Italian clergy),
• or even the English alphabet, as Lord Byron did for the three Albanian songs in Childe Harold’s.

Early Lexicographic Efforts

Before the 1821 uprising, some attempts were made to compile Albanian dictionaries.

18th century

• In 1770, Theodor Kavalioti published a trilingual Greek–Aromanian–Albanian dictionary, with around 1,200 words.
• This dictionary (Protopirinen) was printed in Voskopoja (1760) and again in Venice (1770). Kavalioti (1718–1787) was director of the New Academy.

Early 19th century

• Daniel Mihal Voskopojari created a tetralingual dictionary (Greek–Aromanian–Albanian–Bulgarian), published in 1802 in Venice.

These dictionaries likely served communication between the many Balkan peoples living together in northern Greece. In southern Greece, such dictionaries were unnecessary, since Greek was considered the language of prestige, and Albanian the spoken language of the people.

The Suppression of Albanian After 1821

After Greek independence, the official state attempted to replace Albanian with Greek. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch condemned Albanian literature and threatened excommunication for anyone who learned or taught it.

European theorists predicted that Albanian would disappear completely within one generation after 1821.
Yet the language survives in Greece to this day, despite systematic efforts to eradicate it.

The Albanian Cultural Renaissance (1860–1890)

Between 1860 and 1890, a significant linguistic and cultural awakening took place. The most important Albanian works of the time were created by:

• Thimi Mitko
• Naum Veqilharxhi
• Kostandin Kristoforidhi
• Jani Vreto
• The Frashëri brothers

Also by Arvanites of Greece, such as:

• Panajot Kupitori
• Anastas Kullurioti
• Birbili
• Dhriva
• Botasi

and the Helenismos Society led by Neoklis Kazazis.

During this period the League of Arvanites was founded, and in 1899 its famous “Call” was issued, proposing the creation of a Greek–Albanian kingdom united not by religion, but by common heritage.

Key Dictionaries and Manuscripts

Kristoforidhi’s Greek–Albanian Dictionary

A major linguistic achievement, though it covers only the dialects from Epirus to northern Albania.
There is still no dictionary that documents the Albanian spoken historically by the Arvanites of Greece.

Panajot Kupitori (Hydra)

• Author of Albanian Studies (1878).
• Compiled an Albanian dictionary that remained unpublished for over a century in the basements of the Academy of Athens.
• Published the Primer of the Albanian Language (1860).
• His Greek–Albanian dictionary was bought in 1882 by the French consul in Ioannina, and again in 1926 by the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece. Its fate today is unknown.

Taso Nerukos (1826–1892)

Compiled a dictionary of the Albanian of Attica. After his death, his widow gave the manuscript to German linguist Gustav Meyer, who published part of it (A–L) in Albanesische Studien V.

Anastas Kullurioti (Salamis)

• Founded the newspaper “Voice of Albania” (1879–1880).
• Published Albanian Complaints and Songs for Babies (1882).
• Arrested and later poisoned in an Athens prison in 1887.

Gjon Buzuku’s “Meshari” (1555)

The earliest known Albanian book, written in Latin script with additional letters.
Rediscovered in 1740 and again in 1909, later published in modern Albanian by Eqrem Çabej (1968).

Scholars believe earlier Albanian writings must have existed but were lost because Albanian intellectuals wrote in Greek or Latin.

Modern Linguistic Insights

In 1998, the Municipality of Livadia (a heavily Arvanite city) organized a European academic symposium:
“Albanian and Greek: Issues of Multilingual and Multicultural Communities.”

Speakers included:

• Francesco Altimari (University of Calabria)
• Brian D. Joseph (Ohio State University)
• Viktor A. Friedman (University of Chicago)
• Eric P. Hamp (University of Chicago)

Professor Hamp stated:

“The Arbëresh language preserves, with unmatched accuracy, the exact sounds of the Albanian vocabulary of 1500 years ago. Greece is fortunate to have this rich linguistic heritage among its citizens.”

Friedman compared Arvanite speech from Arcadia (Greece), Ukraine, and Bulgaria with standard Albanian, demonstrating their shared roots and meanings, despite centuries of separation.

Cultural Memory and Identity

For many Arvanites, the loss of their language equals the loss of their homeland:

“For us, the loss of Arbërish is like losing our homeland…
It contains a culture formed not under oppression—
because the Arvanites were generals, leaders, prime ministers—
but a culture we ourselves swallowed in our effort to prove we were Greek.”

Only a few elderly speakers remain today.

At the 2002 presentation of the book Anthology of Arvanite Songs of Greece, Arvanite MP and former Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said:

“It will truly be a lost homeland.”

“GAZETA E ATHYNËS”, Athens, November 1, 2002, p. 11

On the Fate of the Arbërish Language

“In the last 50 years, the Arbërish language in Greece has suffered a fate completely opposite to its historical and linguistic value.
The Arvanites of the 20th century bear responsibility for the loss of their language—
and the greatest responsibility belongs to the Arvanite intellectuals, who were not few.
Many of them belong to the list of the most distinguished personalities who brought glory to modern Greece.”
— “Oooooh, Oooooh, Oooooh”, Athens, 1996, p. 9

**A POEM FROM 1889 IN ALBANIAN

PUBLISHED IN A GREEK MAGAZINE**

The poem of 1889, written in Piraeus by an Arvanite from Greece, is of great importance, since—until now—no detailed study has been published on the older literature of the Albanians of Greece (the Arvanites).

The poem was first published in May 1889 in the magazine “Apollon”, edited by D. K. Sakellaropoulos in Piraeus, Athens. Many Greek writers and scholars of the period contributed to this magazine.

The poem was republished in Greek with commentary by the Arvanite scholar Jani P. Gjika in 1995 in the magazine “BESA”, issued by the League of Arvanites of Greece.

I decided to study this poem—one of the oldest Albanian literary creations in Greece—transcribe it into Latin script, and adapt it to modern standard Albanian.

The poem was written on March 26, 1889 by an unknown Arvanite poet. It is dedicated to the engagement of Princess Alexandra of Greece, daughter of King George I and Queen Olga, to Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Emperor Alexander II and brother of Emperor Alexander III.

Princess Alexandra married in 1889, but died only two years later, in 1891, in Russia, at the age of 21. She is buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg with other members of the Russian imperial family.

The magazine issue in which the poem was printed bore the dedication:

“To the noble protector of letters and lover of the Muses,
with deep respect and devotion,
we dedicate the fifth volume.
— Apollonios, Director”

The poet begins with the well-known lines:

“I sing to you in Albanian,
in the heroic language
that Admiral Miaoulis, Botsaris, and all of Souli spoke.”

HISTORICAL FIGURES MENTIONED IN THE POEM

Admiral Andreas Miaoulis

Andrea Miaoulis (born May 20, 1769, Hydra) was the son of Dhimitër Boku/Voku from Euboea. A great-grandfather adopted the surname “Miaoulis” from the ship Miaoulis, on which he served many years.

• Elected Commander of the Hydra Naval Fleet in 1822.
• Donated 250,000 gold francs and three warships to the 1821 Revolution.
• Spoke Albanian, his mother tongue, and English.
• Did not speak Greek and learned to sign his name in Greek only after becoming admiral.
• Refused many honors, including the French Legion of Honor from King Charles X.

He died on July 21, 1835 and was buried in Piraeus. His heart is kept in a silver casket at the Greek Naval Ministry.

The Boçari (Botsaris) Family

The poem also mentions the heroic clan of Boçari from Souli, who, after the death of Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, settled in Souli with about 200 Albanian warriors and their families.

From this family came many heroes:

• Kiço Boçari
• Kosta
• Dhimitri
• Jorgji
• Noti Boçari (captain of the 1821 Revolution)

Most famous of all was Marko Boçari (1790–1823).
While exiled in Corfu, he learned Greek and produced the famous “Bilingual Dictionary of Greek and Simple Albanian” (1809), written with the help of:

• his father Kiço Boçari (1754–1813)
• his uncle Noti Boçari (1759–1841)
• his father-in-law Kristaq Kallogjeri of Preveza

French consul Pouqueville inspired the project, hoping to help the Souliots reconcile linguistically with the Greeks.

Marko Boçari may rightly be called the creator of the first Greek–Albanian dictionary.

ALBANIAN IN GREECE IN THE 19th CENTURY

In the late 19th century, Albanology in Greece was flourishing. Discussions intensified on the unification of Greece with the Albanian territories—a union envisioned as a Greco-Albanian kingdom.

For this reason, Queen Olga of Greece began learning Albanian.

Aristidh Kola published in 1996 the important document:
“The Call of the Arvanite League of Athens to the Brothers of Arbëria” (1899), setting out arguments for such a union.

By the end of the 19th century, Albanian was widely spoken in the Balkans.
In Greece, it was spoken by large portions of the population—even within the royal court, and throughout the naval, military, and merchant fleets.

THE ALPHABET USED IN THE POEM

Because there was no unified Albanian alphabet at the time, the author wrote the poem using Greek letters, adapting them creatively to represent Albanian sounds.

Based on the poem’s orthography, the poet used around 38 distinct letter forms, combining Greek characters to approximate the 36 sounds of Albanian.

THE POEM

**FOR OUR FIRST PRINCESS

ALEXANDRA**

Let us sing in Albanian,
the language of bravery—
spoken by Admiral Miaoulis,
by Botsaris,
and by all of Souli.

The sun rose over the mountain;
I thought I saw you riding,
hiding within the clouds
so you might shine upon the earth.

When you come from Tatoi,
the moon rises from Hymettos.
Seeing you, she whispers:
“Shine for me.”

You are the light that never fades,
the flower of flowers,
blooming wherever you pass.

Parnis produced a lily,
so delicate in its fragrance
that a duke came and took it from us,
carrying it to Petersburg.

Three thousand years have passed—
never has a princess appeared
so like Helen of Sparta,
in form, in eyes,
in walk,
in beauty.

Like a star that opens the night,
that closes it,
and brings day to the underworld—
so says Aphrodite—
so do you descend from the palace,
like a bride approaching the city
with mother and father,
and we will cover you with bridges
so no one rises above you.

A Moon Appears…

Then a moon appears, covering the night and bringing in the day—and thus they call it Aphrodite.

You are the one who brings us the day, when you rise like the sun.
From your palace you pour blessings upon us, like a bride accompanied by her father and mother, filling me with hope.

(This refers to Helen of Troy.)

Athenians Speak

“Athenians, here is our first maiden—
the one whom Greece sends as a bride,
to become a Russian Duchess.”

The moon crosses the night sky;
in eight months it blesses what seven months could not.
It walks in the heavens until the sun rises.

Alexandra and the Duke

You, Alexandra, are the Moon—
your light made from the sun itself.
Duke Pavel was a star,
following you to the priest,
to join you with a crown
and exchange rings.

Since the day you were born,
two angels descended and sat beside your cradle.
They breathed upon you the scent of beauty
and the spirit of kindness.
They touched your lips with grace
so that you would speak softly,
like a partridge—
with lively eyes,
sweet from the first glance,
hands and fingers like lanterns,
a rare gift in women.
A face white and red,
like a rosebud.
They dressed you with golden fleece
and took you by the hand, saying:
“Live as befits royalty—
you shall become a Duchess.”

Down in Faliro

Down in Faliro,
the sea lion rests on the rocks,
sometimes sleeping on the sand.
It approaches and kisses the shore,
playing with the wind.
When the wind grows stronger,
it covers the sand with foam,
attacking the shore,
gripping it and making it tremble—
then withdrawing,
so that the sun may bleach it.

In the glassy sea,
an otter glides along the shore,
quick and clever.
Its feet barely touch the grass;
it moves like a shadow among the meadows.
Fearless of drowning,
its head rises boldly above the waves.
A brave creature of the deep—
but beware,
for one might fall in love with you.

Evening in Faliro

At sunset, the entire sea of Faliro becomes a mirror.
The moon and stars appear,
silver inside that great mirror,
revealing beautiful faces.

On one of those radiant summer nights,
among all the Athenians, Piraeus men, and islanders,
you, Alexandra, were the brightest—
wearing a beaded gown,
resembling your father.

All who passed wished to see you,
for you were a rose.
In the theater, people whispered your name,
saying that little time remained
before you would be betrothed to a Duke.
They blessed you,
that you might soon wear a crown,
rejoice alongside your parents,
and fulfill the destiny they envisioned.

Those were not idle rumors—
they proved true when the engagement was announced.

The Shepherd’s Prophecy

When the news of your engagement spread,
a new star appeared in the sky.
People went to ask the shepherd,
who knew the heavens well:

“The star you saw will shine over Athens for eighteen years.
For eight years it will give light,
then drift northward,
pulling with it other smaller stars.
From these, a cluster of six will gather—
father, mother, and children.”

So spoke the old shepherd of Oza,
who drives the sheep at night
and watches the heavens until sunrise.
He knows where the stars travel
and what signs they bring.

Advice and Blessing

“Why write and write,” he said,
“when three months are enough
for everything to be revealed?”

Now you have grown,
and you have been chosen.
You are engaged to a Russian Duke
with blessings to Saint Mary.
Soon you shall wear the ring and crown.

Only mothers truly know
what lies in a girl’s heart
when she is crowned by a priest
and a ring is placed upon her hand.

Good day to you, maiden—
no matter how poor a girl is,
she always believes
that her husband will make her rich.

And you, daughter of the king,
who now await marriage
to the brother of the Emperor of Russia—
with wide, bright eyes—
fall humbly to your knees,
for soon you will be a Duchess.
All will rejoice day and night.

Remember this:
You will help the poor,
the sick,
and the abandoned.
From the moment you stepped in our land,
with all the people who followed you,
not a day passed without blessings.

A sweet word for the sick:
their suffering burns like fire—
yet kindness heals.
For the abandoned and the miserable,
your patience will be a mercy.

The Flowers of Privi

Two flowers of Privi—
two symbols of joy and sorrow—
grow as winter bears flower after flower.
Honey gathers as the earth warms,
and the bees tend it carefully.

You are the honey of Privi,
living among birch blossoms.
You are the honey that sweetens speech
and brings delight.

The earth was covered with flowers;
roses spread everywhere—
mountains, fields, vineyards,
birds, wild trees, and bushes.
All bloomed,
for it was the month of goodness,
the month of joy,
the month of love.

And you, Alexandra of Greece—
with the great Duke of Russia,
you will soon be a bride.

The Flowers of April

The flowers of April bloom—
honeysuckle and wax—
rising from the nest
that winter kept hidden inside.
Flower after flower trembles open,
honey moistens its mouth,
then turns into a bee
that shapes the honey into gold.

You are the honey of April,
living within the blossoms.
You are the honey of counsel—
when you speak,
you sweeten and delight us.

April passed, and the earth was covered;
the rose grew heavy with petals.
Flowers dressed the land,
reddening and whitening everywhere:
mountains, fields, vineyards, caves,
wild forests and cultivated groves—
all called to you: come in.

May arrived—
the best month,
the month of fragrance,
the month of love.

And you, Alexandra of Greece—
you and the Grand Duke of Russia—
when the time comes for you to marry…

The Swallows

You will come first, like the swallow,
now that winter is behind us.
Wherever you go, high in the sky,
you will be the one they look to—
as you once were in Athens.

The swallows return everywhere,
building their nests:
white bellies, black crowns—
a pair of dark birds,
flying out by day,
sleeping together by night.
The mother alone lays the eggs;
she warms them,
covers her featherless young,
brings them food—
flies she hunts,
prey the hawk delivers.
She protects them as they grow;
day and night she plays with them,
teaches each one to fly.

And before winter comes—
when August ripens the vineyards,
when the nights grow long and cool—
the mother and her young
leave the nest
and fly away.

As many Russians return from far Barbaria—
(Africa, as the poet explains)—

So too will you, Alexandra:
when you and Pavlo
build your nest
in the bridal chamber;
when you become
mother and father;
when all of us bless you,
watching the cold winds return,
and autumn pass into summer,
and the sky fill with clouds
while the sun hides;
when the leaves fall,
shaken loose by the wind—

Come then to Athens,
to spend half the year,
to see the mountains.
Your children will come slowly
to know us,
to see us,
to be seen by us.

Piraeus

Entering and leaving
the port of Piraeus,
they will always speak of you,
daughter of the king.
From the ships they will say:

“Look—
on that cape,
the stone once dry
is now moist with spray,
and that fence was made for her.”

They will say they have seen you—
many times—
with your father,
your mother,
and all your sisters,
looking toward Psittaleia
and all of Salamis.

The People Gather

The people arrived quickly,
with red cloths,
carnations budding.
As they approached,
their eyes searched for you.
The folk of Koulouri,
busy with their feasts,
carried your name in their mouths.
They longed to see you, Alexandra—
to know you.
With your father at the helm,
they learned what must be done,
just as an Eleusinian,
a Megarian,
a Koulouri bride
speaks Albanian
as easily as Greek—
and we Albanians,
wherever we are,
take pride.

The days drew near
when the palace and kingdom
were prepared,
for you—
the first daughter fate granted them—
to be engaged,
to marry,
and to rejoice.

The Grand Duke was coming
for you, Alexandra,
to place the ring upon your hand
while you were still a maiden.

The sky grew darker;
the tide began to rise;
the wind gained strength.

The Ships and the Frigate

Three caravels came,
red-sailed,
their garlands shining.
As they neared,
the waves washed their sides.
The people of Koulouri
ran along the shore.
They carried your name, Alexandra,
in their hands—
to see you,
to know you.

Like a bride of Elefsina,
Megara,
or Koulouri,
who speaks the Arbërish tongue
like a cleric speaks scripture—
we rejoice,
for Arbërish lives
wherever we dwell.

The day arrived—
the king’s children were honored,
the palace adorned.
You were the first
whom fate had blessed
to marry
and to rejoice first of all.

The Grand Duke came for you,
to place the ring
upon your hand
while you were still untouched.

The sea darkened;
the waves turned steel-blue.
Three ships appeared—
Athens behind them,
Piraeus at dawn.
The wind pushed them onward.

From Saint George’s cape
they looked like a field of crops.
A frigate exhaled smoke—
sometimes visible,
sometimes fading—
approaching swiftly,
its prow foaming white.
Above it waved
the great flag—
the two-headed eagle of Albania
before all others—
and behind it
a cross of four arms,
shining like open scissors.

As soon as “Our Lord” was spoken,
the frigate entered the harbor,
cannons firing salutes.
The harbor filled with smoke;
in an hour it had not cleared.
The ships rose and entered
one by one.

The people shouted
until their ears rang.

When the frigate anchored,
the whole crowd cried out
that Admiral Miaoulis himself—
in his grave—
must have awakened
from the sound.
He heard the cannon fire,
the Turkish ships struck,
the smoke rising—
and he called out from within:

“Stand firm, brave men!
Bullets on the deck!
Waves above powder!
Lightning over the sea!
Burn the Turkish navy—
let freedom shine again!”

The wind carried off the smoke,
and the ships appeared clearly.
The Russian flag waved on three masts.
The Admiral asked what had happened—
the tomb shook beneath him—
but the guard trembled,
speech caught in his throat.

A boy approached:
“A frigate has arrived
and entered the harbor.”

The Closing Invocation

You leaders of Morea,
Captains of Sterea,
Lords of the islands—
rise and see what has happened!
The sons of your kingdom,
its brides and grooms—
Constantine of Germany,
Alexandra of Russia—
all rejoice and congratulate her.

Rejoice, throne of nations—
you who made yourselves
a root of thorns
and a flower of flowers.

Written on March 26, 1889, in Piraeus.

A PRE-ELECTION SPEECH PUBLISHED IN ALBANIAN IN THE GREEK NEWSPAPER “TO MELLON TIS PATRIDOS” IN 1860

In the 1993 issue of the magazine BESA, the front page of a Greek newspaper from 1860 was published. This historical document was brought to light by Petro Filip-Angeli, at that time the Mayor of Kalivia in Attica and a researcher of the Arvanite (Albanian) language, history, and folklore.

The document is a pre-election speech from the election period in Greece from December 1860 to March 1861. During that time, according to historical records, Greece experienced intimidation and political imprisonment. The 1861 elections were won by the pro-royalist group led by the Arvanite Athanas Miaoulis, who served as Prime Minister.

Athanas Miaoulis was born in Hydra in 1815, the son of the celebrated Arvanite admiral Andreas Miaoulis. He grew up at sea and learned Greek from Filippos Ioannou. Later, he became aide-de-camp to King Otto and Minister of the Navy in 1855.

The discovery of this document is significant because it is one of the few surviving examples of Albanian written in Greek letters in the 19th century. Scholars of Albanian writing have generally focused on songs and oral tales of Arvanite folklore, making this political text especially valuable.

From the text it becomes clear that a large portion of the population in Athens and surrounding areas were Arvanites, and that they played a major political role in 19th-century Greek life. The opposition group to King Otto’s court made strong efforts to win the support of the Arvanites of Attica and Boeotia, who were known to be conservative and loyal to the king.

The bilingual publication of pre-election propaganda in both Greek and Albanian demonstrates an attempt to communicate more effectively with the Arvanite population, and perhaps to assist candidates who themselves were Greek rather than Arvanite.

The speech was printed in The Future of the Homeland in Albanian written with Greek characters, using special combinations to reflect Albanian sounds. Many Greek words appear in the Albanian text — the same speech was also published fully in Greek.

CONTENT OF THE PRE-ELECTION SPEECH 

Citizens!

The land is still wet with the blood of your fathers and brothers. We expelled tyranny and won freedom. It is now your sacred duty not to betray this freedom. All those who fell in the war will either bless us or curse us. We now have a Constitution. What does that mean?

It means that all citizens have the right to care for themselves and to govern their homeland well: not to suffer heavy taxes, to have good laws, not to be mistreated, not to be abused by gendarmes, and so forth. Since all citizens cannot gather in one place because they live far apart, they appoint representatives — deputies — who must do what the citizens themselves would do in assembly.

If you choose good men, those who will guard your interests, who cannot be deceived or corrupted, then you will be free, as the Constitution promises. But if you fail to think for yourselves, if someone threatens or intimidates you, then you will choose not your own representatives but those who serve their own interests. Then you will not be free, and injustice will follow: the strong man, even with thousands of drachmas of debt, will escape the law, while the poor man alone will become a soldier; patrols will demand chickens, pies, and even seize more; tax collectors will drag people to prison while the powerful are untouched.

If, instead, you select your own people — men who know your suffering — then even a beating by a gendarme will be treated as a serious insult. Your true representative will not tell you, “Do not worry, this is nothing,” but will speak about it in the Assembly. Deputies will question the minister, and if he cannot answer, he will be dismissed. Thus justice will be restored and wrongdoing prevented.

Citizens! Every three years your mother, the homeland, calls upon you to express your opinion and to choose those who love the homeland and honor its glory. You must choose those who will protect your goods and your dignity; to them you will bring your grievances and the injustices you suffer. They will defend your rights.

Do you want to see how valuable your right is? Look at how much good the government claims it will do: schools, courts, bridges, and all manner of improvements — only to forget everything afterward. They appoint deputies who know nothing of your hardship, who do not know the labor and sweat by which you earn your bread, and they burden you with even more taxes.

Do you want to know how much your right is worth? See how the government dismisses mayors and appoints others to serve its own interests, how it sends officials to deceive and intimidate you. The Constitution states clearly that government interference in elections is illegal; elections belong to the people. Yet you see well that the government interferes for its own ends. Therefore do not vote for those it proposes, otherwise you will suffer the same injustices again.

Remember: your vote is your freedom, your life, your honor, and your progress. Do not waste it carelessly. Think well — for the next three years will be shaped by the decision you make now.

And listen also to the words of Christ from the Gospel:
“Ask, and it shall be given to you; knock, and the door shall be opened to you; for everyone who seeks receives, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”

ARVANITIAN SATIRE PUBLISHED IN ALBANIAN IN THE GREEK NEWSPAPER “Ohhh f-” IN THE YEAR 1860

In the 1989 issue of the magazine “BESA”, the Arvanite scholar, the late Aristidh Kola, writes about a satirical-political newspaper that was published in the early 1860s in Athens.
The name of the satirical-political newspaper was (DRITA), and it was written almost entirely by Sofoklis Karidhis.

According to historical documents, Sofoklis Karidhis was considered a highly intelligent journalist with democratic ideas, who fought against the frequent and blatant violations committed by the Greek government of the time—a government represented through the gendarmerie, the public prosecutor, and the king.
As a result of Karidhis’ anti-government polemics, there were repeated attacks against his newspaper, which was finally shut down in November 1861.

The criminal prosecutor Muxuridhis carried out a fierce persecution of Karidhis and his newspaper, but Karidhis countered him with his sharp satirical pen whenever the opportunity arose.

In the historical documents of the archive of the League of Arvanites of Greece, we do not find the origins of Sofoklis Karidhis, and today it is striking that he did not translate all of the Albanian satirical poems that were published in the newspaper .

Satirical Verses Published in “Drita”

We have six ministers
who are not worth a penny.
We have many deputies
who are not worth a penny.
We also have a Muxuridh
who will darken our eyes.

Karidhis is good too,
he shouts: “Hey, Muxuridh!”
The minister is also good
at sending us to the Office
to get rid of us as well.
Why has he dried up and become wood?

We say these things, and say no more,
because otherwise he will throw me in jail.

We have six ministers,
not worth even a lepton.
We have many deputies—
they’re worthless too.
We also have a Muxuridh,
who will smear our eyes with muck.

Karidhis does well,
calling out “Muxuridh the cloud!”
And the rain does well
to send him to Syria
to take him away from here.

Why did he dry up
and turn into wood?
I say this and no more—
otherwise he will lock me in a box.

Carnival Satire

Nani, at the funeral
the priest had no underwear.
Give him a piece of onion—
I’ll make the priest’s underwear.

Nani, the cream of the day,
but the profit of the cream is gone.
I swear, I’ll deal with you—
we will make the priest a robe.

Now, during Lent,
the priest’s behind has no underwear.
We give it all at once
to make the priest his drawers.

Now the priest Xul
has no more fasting days—
we give him a whole chicken
and make it the priest’s gift.

Arvanite Ministers

I looked up and saw a shadow,
a girl dressed in some clothes.

“Who are you, my girl?”
“I am Mitro the Captain’s—
the one who wipes the pan’s backside.”

“Are we cousins?”
“Yes, second cousins.”

“How much is that goat
with those other goats?”

Christmas Traditions and Arvanite Folklore

According to Christmas traditions, the turning of the year was connected with the search for fortune.
Saint Basil—the Old Man of the New Year—is invoked as the one who comes from the “promised land,” bringing prosperity.
Christmas days were days of sensitivity, repentance, affection, and kindness.

In the Christmas markets of the Menidhi region, the collector Dhimitër Jota notes:
“In the Menidhi celebrations, the important element is the well-known myth of new shoots sprouting from dry wood.”
This myth is also found throughout southern Greece from Rumelia to the Morea—regions historically inhabited by a majority Arvanite population.

From the archives of the magazine “BESA”, several verses of high linguistic, historical, and folkloric value have been preserved.

ARVANITE KALANDA (CAROLS)

Christmas carols are songs of joy sung to mark the arrival of the New Year and the distribution of gifts by Saint Basil.
They were sung by groups of children going door to door.

The Albanian people had, and still have, their own Christmas carols, sung on New Year’s Eve.
The Arvanites of Greece also had their own, known as kalanda, but by the end of the 20th century very few remained in memory.

Some of these were preserved and published in “BESA”, the magazine of the League of Arvanites of Greece.

Examples of Arvanite Christmas Carols

From North and West Attica

It’s good that the New Year has come,
it’s good that we like it.
As the elders say—
Saint Basil’s day has arrived.

At the courtyard door
two birds are singing,
their eyes like diamonds;
Christ has brightened them
so that they may sing.

Listen, brothers, listen—
listen, neighbors too:

Let there be no poor,
no destitute,
no homeless person
who cannot come.

Let no one be unable to hear,
let no one be sick.

From Southern Attica

Welcome the New Year,
may it please us.

At the courtyard door
a ducat is given,
for tomorrow the Church celebrates
the gifts of Saint Basil—
a man of virtue
with a sweet tongue.

He had a dry stick
to lean on,
and from that dry wood
two birds were singing,
their eyes like diamonds,
golden like butterflies.

Get dressed, brothers,
get dressed to go to church—
don’t miss the service;
come home afterward
to set the table,
to eat and drink.

If there is even one poor person—call him.
If someone is sick and cannot come—
take the food to them.

Let us say it all with joy,
with full stomachs and freely—
may we be well from day to day.

Christmas Eve Songs and Traditions

This song was taught to Melet by Niko Poga:

“And there was also cold, speak to him and come.”
“But there was a fire and I didn’t want you to come.”

Say it with joy, with gray and flax,
word for word: let us be well.

Family Greetings and Traditions

From Mandra, his grandfather:

“Many good things may God do for us, you are well;
I am fine, God willing.
You are welcome, you are welcome.”

Just as he comes, so comes his son, the spitonikoqiri,
with the sack of Krisats, with the gait of the Krisostafts,
and every time he pays, the Rusoliots also pay.

He took much gold and gave it to the brave,
saying, “Congratulations, congratulations.”

Welcoming and Blessing

“Good morning and good luck.
How are you, sir?”
“I am well, as our Lord wills.”

“Come on, sir, come on, lady,
come as that thread comes.”

“So may your son and the master of the house live,
with a bag of gold, with a golden belt.
Once a year, every year, pay the blond.
If you have a lot of money, give a gold coin or a ducat to the brave.”

Christmas in Lefktra (1991)

This version was first published in the Greek newspaper (Nov–Dec 1991), authored under the pseudonym “I Vjetri”, describing how Spiro Dhumanis sang the Kërshëndella on 7 January 1947.

It was published in Albanian with Greek letters, not in Greek, showing that the inhabitants of Lefktra still spoke Albanian fluently in 1991.

Even in Vlastarëzë, the Qelajdhisin clan prepared:

• Dress up, brothers, dress nicely tonight.
• From the church, don’t miss the service; come home, set the table, eat bread.
• Let even a poor or destitute person be given a penny.
• Better weather and good fortune.

Welcoming the New Year

The sooner the New Year comes, the better we like it.

“As Nester says, whoever comes first will be the first to arrive.
At the courtyard door, give a double.
Tomorrow the church celebrates the offering of Saint Basil,
a man of virtue with a very sweet tongue.

He had a dry stick for support, and from that dry stick, fresh buds came out.”

Facsimiles of Albanian Literature

Several facsimiles of historical Albanian texts from Greece are documented:

• Magazine “APOLLON”, 1889, published in Albanian.
• Newspaper “THE FUTURE OF THE HOMELAND”, 1860 election speech.
• French consul Augusto Dozon, Manual of the Albanian Language, Paris, 1879.
• Panayot Kupitori, Studies for Albanians, Historical and Linguistic, Athens, 1879.
• Panajot Kupitori, Studies on the Albanians of Greece and the Island of Hydra, Athens, 1879.

Bibliography and References

• Renaissance, History of Albanian Literature, Pristina, 1989.
• Dhimitër Grillo, Arvanites and Albanians in the Liberation War of the Greek People, Tirana, 2003.
• Magazine and Newspaper Sources:
  • BESA, Athens, 1983–1995
  • Athens Gazette, Athens, 1999–2004
• Antonio Bellushi: Research and Studies Among the Tree-Growers of Hellas, Cosenza, 1994; The Arberori-Arvanitiun Invisible People, Cosenza, 2004.
• Marko Boçari, The Great Passage of the Five Elements, Athens, 1993.
• Robert d’Angely, Enigma, Tirana, 1998.
• Edwin Jacques, Albanians, Tirana, 1996.
• Irakli Koçollari, Arvanitas, Tirana, 1994.
• Koli Xoxi, The Greek People’s War for Independence – The Albanian Contribution, Tirana, 1991.
• Tolkë Xhillari, Arvanites, Athens, 1996.
• Homer, Iliad, Tirana, 1965.
• Niko Stylo, The Sacred History of the Arvanites, Pristina, 2004.
• Johann Georg Von Hahn, The Albanian Alphabet, Notes on the Old Pelasgian Script, Istanbul, 1910.
• Karl Reinhold, Pelasgian Nights, Old Albanian Texts of Greece, transcribed and explained by Ardian Klosi, Tirana, 2005.
• Zhan Klod Faveirial, The Oldest History of Albania, Tirana, 2004.
• Romilly Jenkins, Byzantium and Byzantinism, Tirana, 2001.
• Niko Gjini, Greek-Albanian Dictionary, Janinë, 1993.
• Thanassis Moraitis, Biography accompanying the CD: Arvanitic Songs, Athens, 1988.

Publication Details

Traces of the Ancient Literature of the Albanians of Greece, 1860–1889
Author: Arben P. Llalla
Publisher: Tringa Design, Tetovo, 2006
Edition: 500 copies
ISBN: 9989-9591-5-3

Contents include:

• Foreword, Introduction, History of Albanians in Greece
• Albanian Language through the centuries
• Pre-election speeches, satire

Translated and edited by Petrit Latifi, December 12, 2025. Authored by Arben P. Llalla.