The Song of Arkadi describes the historic event of Cretan fighters choosing to blow up their refuge at Arkadi Monastery in 1866 rather than surrender to the Ottoman Turks of the region. They preferred death to being taken prisoners. The explosion meant that all defenders of the monastery, along with women and children, as well as many of the men of the enemy forces were killed. It was indisputably the climax of the Cretan Revolution of 1866, and one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the island.
In 1800, plus
66 more,
Listen to what the Cretans
did to the (Sultan).
They started fighting
in three (vilayets)
at Rethemno and Chania
even within the (Castle).
At dawn, on a Tuesday,
the eighth of November
there came the (Turks)
all around (Arkadi).
There came Mustafa Pasha
with twenty thousand men
calling out from afar
“(Traitors), raiyah!».
Kostas Moundakis(lyre, voice), Giorgis Xilouris or Psarogiorgis (lute)
