After sharing your email with the rest of the class, comment on at least one of your fellow students' email. Make sure you provide positive feedback, and add as many stars as you with them to get!

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this letter to tell you about the tragic incident in France and the way Kavafis treats the issue of duty in his famous poem "Thermopile" where the 300 spartans died for the sake of the rest of the Greek states just like the gerdame did to save the hostages from the terrorist attack.

Firstly, Kavafis praises the people who are loyal to their ideals and fight for them till the end. For example, all soliders in Thermopile even if they were wronged or betrayed.

Moreover, this poem has many common things with the incident that happened in France. For instace, the soliders in Thermopyle and the gendarme from France are brave and do their duty.

In the conclution, my feelings for the above incident are very confused because both the Spartans and the gendarme were brave to save the others instead of themselves.

I was very glad to write to you and I hope you were happy, too, when you saw my letter. I will wait for your letter with your feelings on the incident.

Kisses,

Nicol

I recently read an article about a French gendarme, who sacrificed his life during a terrorist attack in southern France. The attacker, Radouane Lakdim, killed and injured several people before taking hostages in a supermarket. The gendarme bravely offered to exchange himself for one of the captives and was later fatally wounded. His act of courage and selflessness deeply moved the nation and became a symbol of true heroism.

This story immediately reminded me of Cavafys' poem "Thermopile". In the poem, the poet honors those who remain faithful to duty and truth, even when defeat is certain. Like the guardians of Thermopylae, the gendarme stood firm, guided by moral strength and compassion. He knew the risk, yet chose to act for the greater good. His sacrifice reflects the timeless values of bravery, integrity, and devotion that Cavafys so beautifully celebrates.

All in all, the gendarme's story teaches us that real heroism is not about victory, but about standing by one’s principles, even in the face of death. His courage reminds us that humanity’s greatest strength lies in compassion, honor, and the will to protect others.

Best wishes,

Theodore

I hope you are doing well. I read an article about a tragic incident that happened in France and caused chaos in a village. The actions of the policeman made me think about how people risk their lives because of their duty. So, I decided to write about the incident and compare it with a poem written by Kavafis.

Recently, an attacker decided to take hostages in a village called Carcassonne. Around noon on Friday, the attacker was ready and started his act. After a few minutes, the police arrived. A brave gendarme risked his life so that the hostages could be released. The gendarme decided to sacrifice his life for his duty.

A similar situation happened in the poem by Kavafis. The Greek army had been encircled because a man named Ephialtis betrayed their position to the enemies. Although the Greeks knew they had been betrayed, they continued fighting so that they could complete their duty as soldiers.

In conclusion, we can see that in both situations, the only thing that the gendarmes and the soldiers were thinking about was completing their duties. These are the things that made me think, and I wanted to share them with you.

Write me back as soon as possible!

Your friend,

Panagiotis

I hope my letter finds you well.

I am writing you this letter because I want to talk to you about a tragic incident in France that reminds me of the poem Thermopylae by Kavafis. A gendarme in France sacrificed his life for the sake of the others just like the 300 Spartans did in Thermopylae to save Aparta and the rest of the Greek states. The gendarme did the same thing as he saved the hostages from the terrorist attack and because of this he got seriously injured and died the next morning. The 300 spartans died, too, for the sake of the Greek states knowing that Ephialtis betrayed them and they would all die. But they were loyal and they did everything a good soldier should do, which teaches us that we shouldn't care only for ourselves, but for everyone else as well. Sorry for talking too much about it but I have a lot of mixed feelings about this incident as well as for the gendarme and the Spartans for their bravery.

I'm running out of space so goodbye for now.

Marianna.

How are you ? I hope you are well ! Do you remember the story about Thermopylae? Leonidas and 300 Spartans died to save their families and friends. They fought hard till Ephialtis would turn up and the Medes break through after all.

Similar to this story last year a policeman died in France to save other people. One day an Islamic attacked in a supermarket. He captived at some customers, killed one and a member of the staff. Among this people was a policeman, who exchanged himself to save the rest people. Luckily, the attacker sacrifice agreed to do the exchange, but killed the policeman.

The policeman sacrificed like the Spartans in Thermopyley. Their duty was to protect. Both of them were under the siege but they were brave and died to save the other lives . Unfortunately they left their families behind, operating with felt and with brotherly love!

These heros were brave, they had very strong personality and mainly, heart of gold. I am writing this because I want to share with you this story. Bye bye for now, I can't wait for your feedback ! Lots of kisses...,

Marina

I'm happy to hear from you and I really enjoyed reading your letter.

I’m writing to you about the tragic incident in France, where a policeman was taken hostage.

To begin with, Radouane Lakdim was the main attacker in the incident. In the supermarket where the terrorist attack took place, there were around 50 people inside the building. Lakdim opened fire, killing one supermarket worker and one customer.

This tragic incident also made me think of Cavafy’s poem Thermopylae, where he says that people are truly rich even if they have little, because their wealth lies in their integrity and willingness to give everything — even their lives — for a greater cause.

Finally, I believe that it was a tragic incident, and I hope it never happens again.

Your best friend,

Jim

How are you .I hope that you are doing well. Yesterday while I was watching TV, I saw on the news a tragic event that happend in France. A terrorist who was from Marocco and lived in Carcassone, who as far as I know he had done a big number of crimes and was known by the French police, one day went crazy because he stoled a car, killed the driver and passanger and fled into a little town of 5000 people. Then he went into a supermarket shooting and shouting Allahu Akbar and claiming he was a soldier from Islamic State. Later a brave gendarme volunteered to take the hostage΄s place. The gendarme was eventually shot and died from his injuries, and of course you will ask me what happemd to the terrorist, so the policeman shot dead the terrorist on the spot.

This event reminded me of a poem that a famous greek poet wrote, his name was Kavafis. So the poem is about a war that happend in Thermopylae in Greece and the Spartans were fighting against the Persians. The only reason that the Spartans fought in this war is because they wanted to buy some time so they could save their country and people. And, of course, the Spartans lost because they were outnumbered by the Persians. So they sacrifaced themselves for the sake of others. So we see many similarities in those events, that those people had a strong heart and courage no one has these days.

Write back soon,

Your friend,

Tony

How are you? I hope you are well. I want to tell you about something that reminded me of Kavafis poem "Thehrmopylae'.

Recently, in France, a gendarme saved a hostage. He locked himself in a supermarket and risked his life to help others and do his duty. I think he was very brave.

This made me think of Kavafi's poem. In the poem, when the Spartans saw that Ephialtes had betrayed them, they didn't give up. They kept fighting, even though it was very dangerous. Their duty and courage reminded me of the gendarme in France.

I thought it was interesting to compare them.

I hope to see you at school tomorrow.

Your friend,

Fani

I am writing to you about an occasion that I heard recently. I am sure that this Story will leave you stunned like me.

In March, 2018, Lt Col Arnaud Beltrame swapped places with a hostage, to save him. Sadly, the terrorist didn't hesitated and took his life. This act of bravery is honoured until today, as he accomplished his duty greater than anyone.

This story also reminded me the sacrifice of the greek soldiers in Korea, where 1000 men were sent to the hill of Harry, also known as the fort "Charos". This mission was about to protect the democratic side, also known as South Korea, against the Communist side, known as North Korea. They were able to defend against an army of 100 times their size, fighting against the Chinese waves after waves.

These two acts of bravery are examples that should be passed to generations, and always be honoured with respect.

Waiting for your letter! Best wishes, Alex

How are you? I hope you are well!Are you remembering the story about Thermopyles ? Leonidas and 300 Spartans sacrificed to save their families , friends...."They fought hard till the Ephialtis will turn up end,that the Medes will break through after all "

As this story last year in France, a policeman died to save other people. A day an Islamic attacked in a supermarket. Captived the customers killed one and a worker. Among these people was a policeman, who exchanged himself to save the rest people

Luckily, the attacker agreed but killed the policeman.

The policeman sacrificed like the Spartans in Thermopyles. Both their duty was to protect. They were under siege but they were brave and died to save other lives... Leaving behind their families.

These men were brave and they had very strong personality. I'm writing this because because I want to share with you this gegonos. Bye bye for now, I wait your feedback. A lot of kisses

Marina!

I'm writing to tell you about the tragic incident in France. And the way Kavafis treats the issue of duty in his famous poem Thermopylae.

In France recently, an attacker went into a supermarket and created chaos. A lot of people ended up injured. The name of the attacker was Radouane Lakdim, he was 25 years old and born in Morocco. We don’t care so much about the attacker but more about the incident, because apart from the people that were injured, it was someone who tried to save others — a gendarme who exchanged himself, like in the poem, sacrificing himself for the sake of others.

It reminds me of the 300 Spartans that sacrificed themselves to save time for their companions. One sad thing about the story, apart from the sacrifice, is that one of their companions betrayed them — his name was Ephialtes.

I hope you enjoy reading this, and someday you would read Kavafis’s poem too and then write about your opinion on it.

Kisses, Alexandra

* This story reminded me of one of Kavafis’s poems, For the Thermopylae

I hope this message finds you well and in good health.I also hope you receive my email without any problem,as it’s been a while since we last talked and I’d really like to hear your news.

I’m writing to you is about what I read in the newspapers about an accident that happened in France and I got worried in case you were near the area or know something about it.I just wanted to reach out to make sure you’re okay.

This situation reminded me of a poem by Kavafis,in which Greek soldiers continued to fight even when they knew they had been betrayed.Although they understood that there was no hope,they chose to stay and complete

their duty as soldiers.Their bravery and determination show the same kind of self-sacrifice as the poleceman’s.

In conclusion,the policeman and the Greek soldiers showed that duty and courage are stronger than fear.They both sacrificed their lives for others,and that is something truly admirable.

Write me back soon.

Your friend

Gloria

Oil painting

1888

73.4 93

Another important painting created in 1888 during his stay in Arles was ‘Café Terrace at Night’. Today the painting is one of the most celebrated works of Van Gogh, however, there is a deeply personal connection between the author, his feelings and the emotions conveyed through this particular piece. As Van Gogh once wrote to his brother:

"I have tried to express the idea that a café is a place where one can ruin oneself, go mad or commit a crime."

Panagioths&Marios

Oil painting

50.2cm , 103cm

This is one of Vincent van Goghs most famous works,painted in 1890.It is widely ,though not definitively, considered his final painting

type of painting:oil on canvas

height:82cm width:114cm

year it was painted:1885

viewing notes:the painting had to depict the harsh reality of country life so he gave the peasants coarse faces and bony working hands. he painted the five figures in earth colours something like the colour of a really dusty potato, unpeeled of course . the message of the painting was more important to van gogh than correct anatomy or technical perfection. he was very pleased with the result: yet his painting drew considerable criticism because its colours were so dark and the figures full of mistakes.nowadays, the potato eaters is one of van gogh's most famous works

by dimitris, minas,alex

What are you doing?
I’m writing to you about the bad incident in France. Let’s go back to 2016, to the attack in the supermarket, where a terrorist assaulted the place. An Islamist murdered a police officer. They had put one of their own in prison and wanted to take him out.

The policeman seemed brave and sacrificed his life, just like the Spartans at the battle of Thermopylae. They were brave because they knew they had been betrayed, but they continued to fight. gendarme and the Spartans both show us what it means to be courageous.

That’s all for now.

type of painting: oil on canvas

height:50,5cm width:64,3cm

year it was painted:June 1888

Viewing notes:Van Gogh painted this seascape directly from the beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer,as shown by the grains of sand found in the paint. Inspired by the colors of the Mediterranian,he used blue,white,green and yellows applying them with a palette knife to capture the light in the waves.His bright red signature stands out in the foreground as a striking color accent.

nicol

Vincent van Gogh – oil on canvas, 73.3 × 92.4 cm

Van Gogh painted blossoming almond branches against a blue sky, a motif he loved because almond trees bloom early and symbolize new life. Inspired by Japanese prints, he used bold outlines and a flat, simplified composition. The painting was a gift for his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo to celebrate the birth of their son, Vincent Willem, named after him with the hope that he would be as determined and courageous. The work remained especially cherished by the Van Gogh family, and Vincent Willem later founded the Van Gogh Museum.

Type of painting:oil on canvas

Height:55cm , Width:66cm

Year it was painted:1830-1903

Viewing notes:This painting is a splendid example of Pointillism, the stipple technique with which Camille Pissarro and fellow-artists were experimenting. The paint was applied in tiny dots and dashes of contrasting colour. It wasn’t easy: Pissarro wrote to his son that he had wrestled with this painting for days to achieve precisely what he had in mind.

Van Gogh greatly admired Pissarro’s colour effects and followed his example. He may well have known this particular painting. His brother Theo, who was an art dealer, sold it in 1887.

Type of Painting: oil on canva

Height: 95cm Width:73cm

Year it was painted: in 1888-1889

Viewing notes: Sent by the artist from Arles to his brother Theo van Gogh, Paris, at the end of April 1889; after his death on 25 January 1891, inherited by his widow, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, and their son, Vincent Willem van Gogh, Paris; administered until her death on 2 September 1925 by Jo van Gogh-Bonger, Bussum/Amsterdam/Laren; given on loan by Jo van Gogh-Bonger to the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, from 1917 to 1919; transferred by Vincent Willem van Gogh, Laren, on 10 July 1962 to the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, Amsterdam; agreement concluded between the Vincent van Gogh Foundation and the State of the Netherlands, in which the preservation and management of the collection, and its placing in the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, to be realized in Amsterdam, is entrusted to the State, 21 July 1962; given on loan until the opening of the museum on 2 June 1973 to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; on permanent loan to the Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh from 2 June 1973 and at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, since 1 July 1994.

Year it was painted:1853 - 1890 Paris, August-September 1887

Type of painting:oil on cardboard,

Height:40.9 cm Width:32.8 cm

Viewing notes: Wearing light summer clothes, the artist examines us with one blue and one green eye.

For this self-portrait, Van Gogh used an inexpensive alternative to canvas: cardboard. He then applied a layer of priming with dashes of purple. But the pigment in that purple paint has largely faded over time. A few strokes of pink are still faintly visible in his shoulder. The original colours, carefully composed by Van Gogh, have therefore been lost. For instance, the purple background once contrasted with his yellow straw hat.

Vincent's life was far from perfect. When he was alive he suffered from depression, also back then his paintings weren't even known. He was just a simple person like everyone else. However, the saddest thing about his life was that due to hi sadness he committed suicide at a very young age.

But even though he died very young , somehow he managed to become one of the greatest painter of all times . One of his most well known painting is " The Starry Starry Night ".

Personally , I believe that he deserves every bit of fame he managed to achieve.

First of all, Vincent was a Dutch painter.He had a sensitive and emotional character and his personality affected both his life and his paintings making his style very intense.Van Gogh first studied was at Hague school and later moved a paris there he met famous impressionist painters.They influenced him to use brighter colours and a new way of showing light but when he moved to Arles he developed his own style.Moreover,his paintings are full of bright colors and emotional style.For example,in the painting with the name ''seascape near Les saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer''

In conclution,in my opinion Vincent Van Gogh is a very emotional painter who created around 900 paintings in only ten years and become famous after his death because his brother wife promoted his work

(signature)

One of the most famous artists in the world in the 21st century is Vincent Van goh,known for his talent at painting.In this articale we will talk about his life and his work what he has done

Vincent was born in Zundern, a little town in Holland. As a little kid he was introspective and very emotional child.Fun fact Vincent started painting at the age of 16 for an art dealen in the Hague.Also he had an older brother and their friendship was very good.then Vincent and his brother moved to Paris in 1886 and there he met a lot of painters that inspired him and discovered new ways to draw on the canvas.A lot of people expect that Vincent was very serious and a chill guy.But he was very unstable vilent man and that made him a difficult companion to work with. An incident happend in 1888 between Gaugin and Vincent after a number of arguments Vincent was chasing him with an open razor,but he ended up cutting a portion of hes ear lobe.Sadly on july 27, at the age of 37,depression won him and he shot himself in his chest and ended up dying .

I believe that Vincent was a tortured artist but i think that he could get over his depression and paint more paintings

Have you ever thought θabout Vincent Van Gogh’s life and his achievements? In this article, I will talk about Vincent’s career and his paintings, which have been famous all over the world.

Van Gogh was born in Holland. He was brought up as a Christian child. His father was a priest and Vincent was deeply attracted to his father’s job. Vincent had a very personal character; he was an introspective child and had low self-confidence. Also, he was an unstable and volatile man. It is important to know that Vincent suffered from a mental illness and this changed his whole life. Because of his illness and the sadness he had, he committed suicide and died at the age of 37 years old.

Vincent Van Gogh’s art was his biggest achievement. He painted over 900 paintings in a short period of ten years. Also, he created over 150 paintings while he was at the asylum, suffering from his illness. I personally believe that his most interesting paintings are his self-portraits. He decided to make self-portraits so that he could practice, and he ended up making over thirty of them.

All in all, Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most famous artists, and I believe that he deserves the hype, because he worked hard to achieve all of these.

Firstly, Vincent was born in 1853 in Zundert, Holland. He is described as a self-reflective kid who had no self-confidence. At the age of 27, he decided to start painting thanks to his brother's suggestion. Then he moved to Paris where he met other painters and discovered Impressionism and Pointillism. Years later, he painted a variety of paintings. In 1890, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. The reason why he did that is because he thought his life could not be any better.

He painted many paintings that nowadays are among the most famous in the world. One of his most popular paintings is "The Starry Night." In my opinion, this painting is his most beautiful one. The use of intense blues and yellows reflects his emotional state at the time, painted while he was in the asylum at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

All in all, Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous painters because he had a lot of techniques to impress people with his spectacular work.

Do you know Vincent van Gogh? During his life he was not famous but nowadays is one of the biggest artists in the world. Two days ago to celebrate the Day of Artists and I think, I should mention his name.

Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 in Holland. As a child he was serious, very emotional and introvert but he was lacking self-confidence . He loved his family and he was influenced by his father's occupation. On his first steps his brother helped him. Vincent started to work for an art dealer, this work was the first connection with painting . After many years he became a big artist and made 900 paintings in his lifetime. He was unstable, insightful and keen. One of my favorite paintings by van Gogh is "Starry Night " and lots of portraits. In these paintings he used basic colours which gave life to the paintings . Sadly he couldn't complete his work, because he killed himself.

In the end, Vincent van Gogh is an important artist who suffered in his life. For me van Gogh is the artist "of my heart".

Firstly we should avoid buying clothes that we do not need . Also it is better to buy classic garments, so we don't need to buy always new ones. Secondly avoid choosing non-organic and we can use organic, instead. Moreover to get our clothes for a long time . If you don't need them you don't throw away , you can share or rent from others. Additionally we can upcycling our "old " clothes. Last but not least we can create posters for our school walls to spread our knew knowledge.

In the end I think, if do this ideas can reduce fast fashion and protect our precious environment. All of them start from us and with what we want . What do you think?

A Green Fashion Fan?

Share your posters and spread the good news about how teens can become green fashion fans!

We can fight off this habit of continuously buying new clothes in the following ways:

• Buy Quality Clothes. Usually, fast fashion clothes are bad quality, forcing you to buy new ones after wearing them for a short time. Good quality clothes will last for a long time, without the need to replace them. You can buy clothes made from cotton, for example. They are cheaper, they will last longer, and they are environmentally friendly.

• Do not throw away your old clothes. You can donate your clothes to charity or simply give them to friends or cousins. Otherwise, you can dispose of your old clothes in bins that recycle them.

These two things are enough to contribute to saving the planet from the pollution caused by the relentless production of fast fashion industry.

Firstly, consumers can buy fewer but higher-quality clothes that last longer. In addition, they can support ethical brands and choose second-hand items. Moreover, repairing and reusing clothes helps reduce waste and saves money.

In conclusion, everyone can help combat fast fashion through small everyday choices. If people become more responsible consumers, the fashion industry will gradually change for the better.

Firstly, consumers can buy fewer but higher-quality clothes that last longer. In addition, they can support ethical brands and choose second-hand items. Moreover, repairing and reusing clothes helps reduce waste and saves money.

In conclusion, everyone can help combat fast fashion through small everyday choices. If people become more responsible consumers, the fashion industry will gradually change for the better.