Thread by @IrlEmbAthens

1/7 Today is the 100th anniversary of the publication of #Ulysses by the Irish writer James Joyce. #Joyce, a committed philhellene, insisted that the cover should match the blue of the Greek flag (which hung in his Paris apartment). 🇬🇷#Ulysses100

2/7 As the printer found it almost impossible to find the blue ink to match with the Greek flag, only two copies of #Ulysses were ready by publication date – 2nd February 1922 - Joyce’s 40th birthday 🎂🎉

3/7 Of the two copies ready by publication date, #Joyce took one, unopened, to his 40th birthday celebrations. When Joyce opened the package and finally saw #Ulysses bound in Greek colours – white letters on a blue field – he was deeply moved.

4/7 #Joyce, steeped in admiration for ancient Greek civilisation, constructed his novel as a parallel to Homer’s Odyssey - “If you want to read #Ulysses you had better first get or borrow from a library a translation in prose of the Odyssey of Homer”.

5/7 #Joyce also started to learn Modern Greek while writing #Ulysses - “I spoke…modern Greek not too badly and have spent a great deal of time with Greeks of all kinds from noblemen down to onion sellers, chiefly the latter. I am superstitious about them. They bring me luck.”

6/7 Until his last day, #Joyce retained an interest in Greek affairs, and was known to finish his birthday celebrations by singing the Greek National Anthem

7/7 #Ulysses is now widely recognised as a masterpiece of modernist writing. Make sure to join us in 2022 as we celebrate #Ulysses100 – “…yes I said yes I will Yes.” 🇮🇪🇬🇷 @dfatirl @MoLI_Museum