Evening star., 1954-01-10
Stirring Epic
Of Christiun
Survival
The Greek Passion
BY Nikos Kazantzakis.
fSimon & Schuster;; 50
Reviewed BY Mory McGrory


(Simon & Schuster; 81
Reviewed by Mory McGrory
Gusto was the quality that
marked 'Zorba the Greek" q
pagan gambol through crea-
tion which was the flrst novel
of Nikos Kazantzakis to be
published in this country.
Gusto is here, too. but har-
messed to a furious fervor.
Greece's foremost author has
struck the heroic note in this
violent, earthly epic of the
struggle between those who
profess Christianity and those
who practice it.
This has always been a
grand theme, and Mr.. Kazant-
zakis, who can depict commu-
nifty and individual emotion
with equal power. makes the
most Of it. He has hit upon the
excellent device Of showing
how q little band Of villagers
chosen for the principal parts
in the Passion Play" given
every seven years in Lycro-
vissi, gradually assume the
character of the people they
portray. The irony is that the
Passion Play" is never pre-
sented on the church porch.
But Lycrovissi. unaware. dur
ing the year Of preparation.
plays out a passion Of its own.
Seven Copitol Sins
The elders of the village
among them personify the
capital sins. The archon and
the priest are no less lusty.
gluttonous and avaricious than
the rioting captain and the To-
cal miser. The schoolmaster,
full of ancient Greek legends,
but no resolve. tags meekly at
their heels. All jump to do the
bidding Of their Turkish over
lord the Agha. who arouses
himself from the pleasures of
raki and beautiful youths only
long enough to inf1ict some
fiendish cruelty on the inhabi-
tants. He makes a suitable
Pontius PLATE when the time
comes.
But the elders choice weighs
heavily on the chosen ones.
When a ragged band Of Chris
tian refugees, driven from their
homes by the Turks. throws
itself on the mercy of the
town. Manolios. the shepherd
who plays Christ. and the
three who play the Apostles.
steal from the archon to feed
the starving exiles. The priest.
however. drives them away,
and the wretched creatures.
led by their own fiery priest.
take their banner to a nearby
mountain. Sarakina, to live on
herbs and hope.
They Con the Gospels
Sarakina. at first a reproach,
becomes a menace to the sleek
village of Lycrovissi. Mano-
lios, engaged in a fierce con-
fiict with himself over the
temptations offered by Ka-
terina. who of course will be
Mary Magdalene in the play,
oyerthrows temptation. and
when the Agha's favorite is
murdered offers to take upon
himself the sin OF the mur-
derer. He and the pedlar. the
archon'S son. and the cafe
owner who are to enact the
Apostles. carefully con the
Gospels to see how they may
best prepare themselves for
their parts and also, as things
turn out. seek social justice
for the starving wanderers.
The local Judas. so great is
the power of suggestion, turns
informer for the archon.
The conflict between the
haves and the have -nots. be-
tween those who follow the let
ter of the law and those the
spirit. reaches frightful and
bloody climax when the noun
tain men and the villagers
clash at the gates of LycroviSsi.
Mr.. Kazantzakis moves
through the thyme-scented air
of the Greek hills with great
authority. He tells the story
entirely in the biting. flavor
some peasant dialogue. in a
profusion of scenes that show
man in the best and the worst
of his humanity. This is
not the easy piety offered oy
much current religious fiction,
nor is there any diaiectic.
Ethics are discarded in the
fight for existence. The au-
thor has succeeded in showing
that all Christians must act
like the first Christians, with
all the peril and remuneration
entailed, If Christianity is to
prevail.