1
Dr Iannis Commences his History and is Frustrated
This first chapter introduces the reader to the life of Dr Iannis and to the island of
Cephallonia, which is the setting of the entire novel.
It starts with the doctor going to the house of one of his friends, Stamatis, in order
to deal with an earache. This is not strange because the patient had been deaf in the ear
concerned since he was a child. Eventually, the doctor finds out that, very awkwardly,
there is a hard pea inside the ear. Finally, after some thought, the unexpected vegetable
by filling the orifice with water for some hours. After following this procedure, the pea is
removed with the aid of a hook, and Stamatis’ deafness is cured.
Most of this chapter deals with the doctor’s writing of “The New History of
Cephallonia” (soon renamed “A Personal History of Cephallonia”). His views about the
island, its history and its people’s beliefs prove to be inevitably subjective. This part is
included by the author in the very first chapter to make readers know Dr Iannis (who is
an important character) and understand the way Cephallonians live and think.
After a distraction, the “historian” catches his daughter’s little goat eating the
whole of his writings. He blames Pelagia (the ruminant’s owner) and warns her, but she
responds very calmly and he cannot achieve to argue with her any more. The doctor starts
to write his story again, realising that the goat’s meal was not so catastrophic, though his
resentment is shown in the new version of his work.
2
The Duce
This chapter is not very important in the novel. There is little or no plot, but it is
used to depict the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini as a bad leader and person. The
section consists entirely of the Duce’s words in conversations with some of his
subordinates. At first, he talks to an assistant about very different issues, including his
looks, the party’s propaganda, a cultural revolution, his view about Italian economy, the
Abyssinian War and his mistress. A delegation of artists and intellectuals interrupts the
dialogue briefly to give an award to the autocrat, who speaks with them about their
important role in the Fascist state.
Shortly afterwards, Italy’s foreign minister, Count Galeazzo Ciano, arrives and
Mussolini discusses with him about golf for a while, but mainly about the preparations
for the invasion of Greece, the casus belli and strategies to be used, and plans for the
attack of other territories, including France (!). A cat appears and the dictator is so scared
that he shoots the animal, after much yelling.
In this chapter, we can identify some of the characteristics of the Fascist ruler:
arrogance, hypocrisy, incompetence in economic and military affairs, racism,
remorselessness, cowardice, stupidity, love for violence and an obsession with Hitler’s
regime.
3
The Strongman
Alekos is introduced shortly at the start of this chapter. He is a goat herder who
lives at the top of Mount Aenos, very isolated from Cephallonian society. He is a
secondary character in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
Megalo Velisarios, a huge man who calls himself the strongest person ever, is
presented immediately. He exhibits his strength in a show, with which he intends to get
some money. He lifts a girl (Lemoni) and two men at a time, then a mule and finally
Father Arsenios, a not very respected priest. However, this action causes Pelagia’s
reproach, due its sacrilege-like nature. The act seems to be over, but claims for the use of
a cannon prove to be effective, and Velisarios’ Turkish culverin is fired down a road.
Mandras, a fisherman, gets in the way, and he gets injured. While being treated by Dr
Iannis, he meets Pelagia, with whom he falls in love. Meanwhile, Alekos wonders
whether the noise produced by the cannon meant the start of a new war.
Stamatis appears again in this section, and Kokolios, a Communist, is just
introduced, as well as Nicos, an insignificant character in the book.
4
L’Omosessuale (1)
This is the first part of Carlo Piero Guercio’s writings intended to be read only
after his death. It is a confession of his homosexuality and shows his feelings and
thoughts about this issue. This chapter contains no action and it appeals mainly to
emotions. He shows himself as someone who thinks a lot, and reads much (he mentions
some writings of Dante, Plato, Aristophanes, Phaedrus and Homer).
The Italian soldier writes about a “conspiracy” of priests and doctors against his
kind, discriminating them and calling their sexual preference an abomination. Carlo’s
grief is evident. He admits having entered the army because of the presence of young and
beautiful men, and also because he wanted someone to love, to impress, who would
inspire him and help him to develop himself as a person.