Epidaurus is located at a distance of 50 kilometers from Mycenae. In this city the healer and doctor Asclepius was born.
We enter the city. The first impression, as if we arrived at a sanatorium – fresh air, coniferous trees, paths, parks.
The city is surrounded by mountains. Instead of the planned 5 hours in Epidaurus, we got 3 hours. When leaving Athens, we got stuck in traffic for a couple of hours.
We go up and find ourselves in a large area with foundations. The inscription says that there were houses for guests and pilgrims. I consider myself a pilgrim. I don’t understand where to go further. Epidaurus has a large territory, you can’t figure it out right away without a map. A large stand with a map is in front of the museum.
The museum did not impress me. Almost all the statues are headless. The museum is interesting for people engaged in medicine. In one of the shop windows, I saw surgical instruments made of black metal.
On the map we go past the ancient stadium into the space of the remains of temples, completely covered with flowers.
What temples there are! First of all, Asclepius, Apollo, Artemis and Athens.
A colonnade was visible in the distance. Another tablet says that this is the place where the operations and treatment were carried out. Between the temple of Asclepius and the hospital there is a round structure, supplemented by modern floodlights from above. Here, judging by the inscription, healing was performed by sound and music. We sat at the temple of Asclepius, tuned in for a long time, on how people were treated here. This place still preserves the old settings related to healing, with the healing of the body and soul.
In the city of Asclepius, Epidaurus was treated on all planes – the physical body was trained in the stadium, mental wounds were healed by nature and music. If necessary, they cleaned thin bodies. Treated through sleep. They performed operations and were admitted to the hospital.
Now all the ruins are overgrown with a healing small chamomile and its smell filled the surrounding space. I, I think chamomile is the best plant for the treatment of many diseases. Chamomile is a powerful antiseptic and versatile anti-inflammatory agent. Healing chamomile was also used by druids. Maybe chamomile grew here before our era and treated people with it. I picked up some flowers to bring home.
Before and after Epidaurus there are two different states. In this place, as if the energy of life filled a dense green river in my physical and emotional bodies.
And as if, in response to the saturation of the body with vitamins and the activation of the healing program that began in Epidaurus, after a few kilometers we stop at an orange grove and buy a bag of orange for four euros. Oranges had to be eaten in the evening and morning, since the next day there was a transfer to the island of Mykonos. In order not to take too much with us, we made fresh oranges, dined with them and had breakfast. This is what I understand. Thank Asclepius!
On the way we stopped at a workshop with clay plates and a Pythagorean bowl. I could not resist and bought a vase in the Mycenaean style. It was not finished yet, it did not shine. I look at the vase and think – what is it for? Should she have some purpose? Maybe, you know?
21.04.19г
Belena Travel Blog 