On Sunday, 21st November 2010, the story teller, Agni Stroumbouli, narrated the ancient fairy-tale of “Eros and Psyche”, written in the 2nd century Α.C in the “Metamorphoses” of the Latin prose writer, Apuleius, in the especially for the occasion decorated with ancient headstones hall of the National Archaeological Museum.

Agni Stroumbouli draws her material from several sources – Greek mythology, Plato’s myths, Modern Greek fairy-tales as well as folk lore. “The immortal oral tradition”, she mentions, “carries ancient memories, which create the cohesion to the tales that the people of this place, upon which the attic light never ceases to shine brightly, narrate, however much the patterns and manners of the city may change”.

We consider the National Archaeological Museum the natural environment for Myrtis. “Her sojourn here, where a multitude of headstones, sculptures and anaglyphs, are displayed, symbolizes a contemporary “Dexiosis” (reception). It is like the metaphysical meeting of Myrtis with the girls and boys of the Museum –Aristili, Mnisagora, Dikeos or Nikoharis– who are portrayed on the headstones. Monuments and tombs of the 5th century B.C., eponymous and anonymous, are brought back to life and talk with us through the reconstructed face of young Myrtis. They remind us of the common human lot, death, but at the same time of death’s defeat by means of memory”, said the Director of the Museum, Nikolaos Kaltsas, on the opening day of the exhibition “Myrtis: Face to Face with the Past”.