Proposed by Vaja Douska
e-mail: vdouska@myflash.gr
From 2nd Elementary School of Paleo Faliro. Greece

Phidippides' Descendants

I divided the class into two groups. The one group was foreign travellers to Greece.
The other group was descendants of Phidippides.
The first group came to Greece to enjoy the sun, the sea, musaca, tsatsiki.
So the second group decided to write them letters to teach them that Greece is something more than this.
In the end we gathered the letters and we come up with the following work:

Phidippides' Achievement

On September of 490 BC, the Persians arrived in Marathon. All the Greeks and especially the Athenians were at great danger, so they decided to ask for help from Sparta.
They sent the army messenger Phidippides to urgently ask for help. The distance was 246 kms, too long for that time, so was the responsibility.
Phidippides, their only hope didn't hesitate. At surprise he started the long run for Sparta.
He arrived there the following day at sunset and delivered the message to the Spartans.
With self denial and bravery he surpassed himself and achieved the unexpected.
Through the years this became a legend, a good fairytale for children.
In 1982 a British Royal Air force team, who admired the Greek civilazation ran the same distance and proved that the story was true.
Since then the 'Spartathlon' races are held each year in remembrance of this historic event.
The athletes start running from the Acropolis sacred rock and finish the following day at the statue of Leonidas at Sparta.
Athletes from all over the world come to compete.
The winner gets an award a wreath of wild olive leaves, called 'kotinos'.

"... when the Athenians won over the Persians in Marathon, Miltiades the general of Athens sent a soldier to tell the Athenian citizens about the victory. The soldier ran as quickly as he could wearing his iron armour the 42 kms distance from Marathon to Athens announced that they had won and dropped dead."
In remembrance of this famous battle and especially for the heroic soldier Marathon race is an official event in the Olympic games.

To the unknown foreign traveler to Greece:

Dear Stranger,

Once you set foot on the sacred soil of my country, the precious land of Greece let your soul be overwhelmed and take the power, take the glory, take the responsibility and commune the love and devotion to the home country.

The spirit of Pheidippides and the unknown marathon runner are still wandering among us, between you and me.  Thus, after you've toured our treasures, after you've taken into your heart our most cherished values, return to your country and share them with your fellow countrymen; pass them over to your children. Make your kin feel like the eternal Pheidippides, like the first Marathon runner.

That will be the gift of my country to you foreign traveler:
the knowledge that Greece not only belongs to the Greeks but equally to you as well as to all those who love and respect it.

Group Work of the students of Class 5-2 in the lesson of Physical Education:

Gina Panagopoulou, Dimitris Karalis.
Alexandra Karala, Antonis Rigkanakos,
Dimitra Loudarou, John Hanidis,
Niki Georgoudaki, Kiose Lougest,
Argentina Kiori.