S
outh of Skyros we visited Naxos, the island that George
Gordon, Lord Byron wanted to purchase as his private estate. Quite heady real estate since Mount Zas, the highest
mountain in the Cyclades, was Zeus���s boyhood home. The
unprepossessing cave hardly befitted the god, but the climb in
sweltering heat was one of the best of the trip.
On the island of Iraklia, Cyclops���s double-entranced cave and
the cave adjacent where his minions resided were very rewarding. From Iraklia���s only port, Georgios, we steamed two-thirds
around the island to a distant, small cove surrounded by steep
mountains. After a two-hour hike over trail-less open, rough
terrain we were happy to reach the cave���s precincts. But sadly
Cyclops and his friends were away. Hannes, as if to tempt the
gods, began to rock climb around the entrance to Cyclops���s
chambers. It was disappointing upon entering the chambers
to discover that all fine textiles had gone to earth thousands of
years ago.
It is clear Cyclops is a monster of great largesse since the adjacent cave of his minions is very special, eclipsing his own in size
and grandeur. Of the cave���s series of chambers I visited four,
leaving our Iraklian guide, Georgios, his friend and Hannes
to visit a fifth. In the first chamber we lit forty, ten-inch wax
candles atop as many stalagmites of varied height, a ritual enacted once a year by the seventy residents of the island, who
visit with their priest for holy offices. Other than that, and
the few adventurers who visit, this remarkable, mythical site
remains unbothered.
HYLAND
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