Cretan (?) knife with inscription for translation

TVV · 4th August 2013, 07:56 PM

Gentlemen,

Please take a look at this knife. Is it from Crete or from somewhere else? Can our Greek speaking members please translate the poem on one side of the blade?

Thank you,
Teodor

Andreas · 5th August 2013, 11:48 AM

Hello,
Not Cretan, one side is inscribed Kydoniai 30 October 1900. Kydoniai is the formal Greek name for the Turkish town of Ayvalık on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, with a predominantly ethnic Greek population pre-1922. On the other side the inscription reads:
I eat bread with tears, (I drink) poisoned water
I have been raised with sorrows and sufferings
Regards,
Andreas

Sylektis · 5th August 2013, 02:29 PM

An attempt:

"I eat bread with tears, poisoned water...
... I am with with bitterness and sufferings."

Kydonies (Today Chania) 1900
30 October

Sylektis · 5th August 2013, 02:32 PM

Sorry, the correct:

"I eat bread with tears, poisoned water...
... I am breeds with bitterness and sufferings."

Kydonies (Today Chania) 1900
30 October

eftihis · 5th August 2013, 02:33 PM

Hi Teodor,
It is not from Crete, its from Aivali (Kydonies) in Asia Minor coast, in Turkey.
Please make a better photo of the last 2 words in the second row.

Sylektis · 5th August 2013, 02:45 PM

Ups

!

I think Eftihis is right, sorry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayvalık

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kydonia

Anyway, nice knife.

TVV · 5th August 2013, 06:03 PM

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for the quick responses. Here is hopefully a better photo of the poem.

Teodor

eftihis · 7th August 2013, 08:14 AM

Thanks for the photo. Translation remains the same!

TVV · 9th August 2013, 02:12 AM

Thank you very much Eftihis. Why are these inscriptions on Greek knives so elegiac? Are they references to the Ottoman yoke or simply love related?

Teodor

eftihis · 9th August 2013, 03:22 PM

Hi Teodor,
Have a look at this past thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kydonia

kronckew · 10th August 2013, 08:18 AM

they are still making these inscribed knives in chania, crete. an elderly knife maker, Apostolis Pachtikos, made these:

not mine.

mine.

i gather he is actually a turk who immigrated to crete way back when & has been making knives there for 60+ years. i hope he still is. last i heard there were only 7 other makers left.

edited: apparently the other 7 have died.

apostolis signs his knives as 'armenis' as when he arrived from turkey, they mistakingly referred to him as the armenian

4th August 2013, 07:56 PM	#1
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,725	Cretan (?) knife with inscription for translation Gentlemen, Please take a look at this knife. Is it from Crete or from somewhere else? Can our Greek speaking members please translate the poem on one side of the blade? Thank you, Teodor Attached Images Last edited by TVV; 4th August 2013 at 08:23 PM.

5th August 2013, 06:03 PM	#7
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,725	Gentlemen, Thank you very much for the quick responses. Here is hopefully a better photo of the poem. Teodor Attached Images

5th August 2013, 11:48 AM	#2
Andreas Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ionian Islands, Greece Posts: 96	Hello, Not Cretan, one side is inscribed Kydoniai 30 October 1900. Kydoniai is the formal Greek name for the Turkish town of Ayvalık on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, with a predominantly ethnic Greek population pre-1922. On the other side the inscription reads: I eat bread with tears, (I drink) poisoned water I have been raised with sorrows and sufferings Regards, Andreas

5th August 2013, 02:29 PM	#3
Sylektis Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 141	An attempt: "I eat bread with tears, poisoned water... ... I am with with bitterness and sufferings." Kydonies (Today Chania) 1900 30 October

5th August 2013, 02:32 PM	#4
Sylektis Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 141	Sorry, the correct: "I eat bread with tears, poisoned water... ... I am breeds with bitterness and sufferings." Kydonies (Today Chania) 1900 30 October

5th August 2013, 02:33 PM	#5
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 512	Hi Teodor, It is not from Crete, its from Aivali (Kydonies) in Asia Minor coast, in Turkey. Please make a better photo of the last 2 words in the second row.

5th August 2013, 02:45 PM	#6
Sylektis Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 141	Ups ! I think Eftihis is right, sorry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayvalık http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kydonia Anyway, nice knife.

7th August 2013, 08:14 AM	#8
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 512	Thanks for the photo. Translation remains the same!

9th August 2013, 02:12 AM	#9
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,725	Thank you very much Eftihis. Why are these inscriptions on Greek knives so elegiac? Are they references to the Ottoman yoke or simply love related? Teodor

9th August 2013, 03:22 PM	#10
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 512	Hi Teodor, Have a look at this past thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kydonia

10th August 2013, 08:18 AM	#11
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,259	they are still making these inscribed knives in chania, crete. an elderly knife maker, Apostolis Pachtikos, made these: not mine. mine. i gather he is actually a turk who immigrated to crete way back when & has been making knives there for 60+ years. i hope he still is. last i heard there were only 7 other makers left. edited: apparently the other 7 have died. apostolis signs his knives as 'armenis' as when he arrived from turkey, they mistakingly referred to him as the armenian