Introduction
In the 1850s, Britain was allied with Turkey against Russia. Charles Dickens said all the right things, but felt compelled to remind his British readers of a little recent Turkish history, the brutal massacre of Chios on March 31st, 1821, and then added this modest tale of revenge.
IN the port of Marseilles lived a poor Greek named Demetrius Omeros, who scraped together a living by diving for stray francs and copper sous. He had appeared in the city shortly after the massacre of Chios, but except for this and for living frugally on melon, bread and sour wine, little else was known of him.
In 1824, the Turks decided to strengthen their navy, and commissioned the shipwrights of Marseilles to build a warship. Other Greek expatriates gathered to heckle the perfidious French workmen, but Demetrius just watched them lazily.
It was very different when the Sultani Bahri slid into the waters on launch day. Demetrius dived in ahead of her, and even as she bore down on him, raised his arms in melodramatic defiance.
The pride of the Turkish navy promptly sank.
When the same fate befell the Achmedié, the Effendi, the Turks’ agent in Marseilles, became convinced that Demetrius was a sorcerer who had put the ‘evil eye’ on them both.*
‘Effendi’ is a not an office but simply courtesy title like ‘Sir’, derived from the Greek word for ‘boss’.
Précis
Shortly after the infamous Massacre of Chios by the Turks in 1821, Demetrius, a Greek diver living in Marseilles, made a dramatic protest against the launch of a Turkish warship from the harbour. The ship sank, and when the same thing happened again, the Turkish official in charge concluded that Demetrius had magical powers. (54 / 60 words)
Shortly after the infamous Massacre of Chios by the Turks in 1821, Demetrius, a Greek diver living in Marseilles, made a dramatic protest against the launch of a Turkish warship from the harbour. The ship sank, and when the same thing happened again, the Turkish official in charge concluded that Demetrius had magical powers.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: despite, just, must, or, since, unless, whether, who.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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