Prometheus in Athens

NAME: MARIA SAMPANIDOU

AGE: 16

PLACE OF RESIDENCE: PSYRRI - CENTER OF ATHENS

BIRTHPLACE: ATHENS

ORIGIN: PONTOS AND SERRES

ON THE NIGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE MARIA SHE WILL DARE TO WALK FROM THISEION THROUGH APOSTOLOU PAVLOU STREET STRAIGHT TO HERODEION, THOUGH SHE CAN’T FORGET THE TIME WHEN SHE WAS ATTACKED WITH A KNIFE AND STOLEN BY A GROUP OF FIVE PERSONS.

16-years-old Maria Sampanidou says “just by watching someone in pain I burst into tears". Her special feeling for humans is much stronger when it comes to her family. That is why she is always carrying with her the cross her grandfather used to have in his pocket. She found it on the ground of her grandfather’s garden in the village of Gazaro, outside Serres. Since he was from Pontos in the Black Sea, she clearly remembers him talking in the Pontic Greek.

She identifies herself with Prometheus because she remains stable in her ideas and actions and whatever she decided on doing, she is not changing her mind about it.

[167-171] Prometheus: Truly the day shall come when, although I am tortured in stubborn fetters, the prince of the blessed will need me to reveal the new design whereby he shall be stripped of his sceptre and his dignities.

Following that, she is known for her communist political beliefs and her active presence in all peaceful demonstrations, and she was the one who brought newspapers with communist ideas at home and slowly turned all of her family towards her political beliefs

One night in a small park next to the Apostolou Pavlou, she was mugged by a group of five people, under the threat of a knife. As she grew up with Albanian children, she had basic knowledge of Albanian language. Thus, she was able to understand the muggers and speak with them for two hours. Eventually, she was left unhurt, although without her belongings.