Costas Komborozos

Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea Costas Komborozos

Based on the Greek myth of Proteus, the novel depicts an old man who observes the shimmering sea. He has just observed the ocean's beginning, watching the ocean spread like the love he has always longed to feel but never felt. The blue of sea is reflected on his profound feeling of solitude. He has always liked to think himself as a sea-god. The god of elusive sea change. His power enables him to view how the sea and the shores constantly change. He calls himself "the oracular Old Man of the Sea," but he finds that another name suits him better. He believes that "The First" is a better name for himself. That name better reflects the protean element, water, which allows the sea to take different shapes. In this sea, there are virtually no boundaries. He feels himself drifting peacefully across the ocean as his boat remains steady. The boat moves slowly, allowing him to savor the moments when the sea seems to expand on every side. He also has the power to change shape. He has frequently changed into a seagull to observe every distance at a high speed. But there is a deep distance that the First has not traveled yet. It is immortal love. His lonely, timeless sojourns across the sea have made him yearn for something more.